Norton Rose Fulbright > Singapore, Singapore > Firm Profile

Norton Rose Fulbright > The Legal 500 Rankings

Singapore > Asset finance: foreign firms Tier 1

A leader in the region, Norton Rose Fulbright‘s asset finance group focuses on the aviation, rail, shipping and offshore industries. Drawing on the firm’s extensive Asian and global networks, aviation finance practitioners are often engaged in complex cross-border assignments involving the financing, leasing, restructuring and the granting and enforcement of security in relation to aircraft, engines and corporate jets. Besides representing the leading financiers in this space and a variety of financial institutions, the practice is also retained by lessors, operators and major airlines in the region. With over three decades of experience in aviation finance, Keith Sandilands spearheads the group. The firm’s Singapore office is also a regional hub for shipping work; Ben Rose leads the team specialising in shipping finance, project finance for offshore oil and gas vessels and rigs, sale and leasebacks, and Japanese Operating Lease with call option (JOLCO) structures. Noted for her capabilities in ship finance work, Sue Ann Gan regularly acts for financial institutions, lessees and owners. Associate Sophie Polisena is another key contact for shipping finance mandates, most notably debt restructuring, syndicated and bilateral debt facilities.

Singapore > Capital markets: structured finance, derivatives and securitisation: Foreign firms Tier 1

With one of the longest standing practices in Asian finance law, Norton Rose Fulbright‘s Singapore group brings together transactional and regulatory expertise in derivatives and structured products across the US, Middle East, Europe and Asia. The team, which has traditionally provided assistance to leading financial institutions, especially Asia-Pacific, Middle Eastern and Islamic banking clients, has been advising a growing number of other derivatives users, commodity producers, and trustee entities. The practice reported a recent uptick in regulatory and advisory work concerning the local implementation of global reforms, financial markets entities licensing and regulatory obligations across the region. Islamic derivatives and new Islamic trading products are areas of particular strength for the team, which is under the leadership of Colin Rice, an English law qualified and registered foreign lawyer practising Singapore law. Rice’s ‘pragmatic legal advice‘ in the areas of derivative-linked debt securities, Islamic products, margin loans, hedging transactions and structured commodity financings is praised by clients.

Singapore > Fintech and financial services regulatory: foreign firms Tier 1

At Norton Rose Fulbright, the international fintech and financial services regulatory group based in Singapore comprises individuals who boast complementary experience in banking and finance, securities, insurance, compliance and financial crime investigations. Showcasing in-depth knowledge of global and regional regulations, the team is well versed in cross-border transactional and regulatory matters, and excels in advising leading global banks, insurance companies, fintech start-ups and conglomerates on their financial regulatory obligations. The firm particularly stands out for its broad capabilities in the fintech space, where it advises on P2P platforms, payment systems, AI, blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Jointly leading the practice are technology and innovation partner Stella Cramer, whose experience includes global compliance programmes for financial institutions and disruptors in the financial services sector in the APAC region, and Yu-En Ong, who specialises in structured finance. Corporate and regulatory insurance partner Anna Tipping is a name to note for InsurTech mandates, while financial markets specialist Colin Rice advises on financial services regulations, derivatives and fintech ventures.

Singapore > Projects: foreign firms Tier 1

Norton Rose Fulbright has significant experience in infrastructure projects across several industry sectors including renewables, power, oil and gas, airports and rail. The firm’s clients include financial institutions, investment and commercial banks, export credit agencies and governments. The team has seen growth in the renewables sector with an increase in solar and energy storage projects. Practice head Nick Merritt focuses on the development, financing and acquisition of infrastructure and mining assets. Nicky Davies and Andrew Digges specialise in construction and energy, while Stephen Begley has expertise in project finance and represents lenders, sponsors, pipeline operators and suppliers. Michael Kim is a notable senior associate.

Singapore > TMT: foreign firms Tier 1

The technology and innovation team at Norton Rose Fulbright is experienced in regulatory compliance and investigations work in addition to intellectual property matters. The practice is at the forefront of the fintech space, advising institutions on agreements with crypto exchanges and cryptocurrency trading. The firm is also involved in disruption and innovation in the automotive sector.  David Olds acts for telco operators and technology providers within the telecommunications sector. The team head, Stella Cramer   has moved to Clifford Chance.

Singapore > White-collar crime - Foreign firms Tier 1

Norton Rose Fulbright fields a team in Singapore that is entirely devoted to regulatory compliance and investigations matters across the APAC region, and has a strong following of global corporations, regional companies, financial institutions and senior executives. Financial services, energy, infrastructure, tech and life sciences are core sector focuses for the department, which has notable strength in sensitive government-led and internal investigations, and disputes arising out of issues across the spectrum of financial crime and ethical misconduct. Additional expertise in cybersecurity and data privacy issues, sanctions and whistleblowing claims management is offered by the Asia regulatory compliance and investigations group, which is under the leadership of ‘outstanding practitioner‘ Wilson Ang. Besides his extensive experience in the design and implementation of compliance programmes, Ang is singled out for his track record in internal investigations, and matters involving modern slavery, human rights and anti-corruption matters throughout the region. Dual-qualified dispute resolution lawyer Jeremy Lua, who has a background in technology crime, is another name to note for complex regulatory investigations and compliance issues

Singapore > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright, which has had an on-the-ground presence in Singapore for 40 years, handles a wide spectrum of banking and finance work for prominent financial institutions and banks. In addition to its market-leading asset finance capabilities, the firm is well placed to handle other complex lending transactions in the region, including acquisition and leveraged finance, structured trade and commodity finance. The latter is a key area of strength for the team, which is adept at acting for alternative financiers, commodity producers, traders and export credit agencies. Singapore-based practitioners, who regularly work in close collaboration with the firm’s transactional groups across the globe, have also been active in mandates involving the LIBOR transition programme. ‘Industry thought-leader‘ Yu-En Ong has ‘a wealth of experience and practical commercial knowledge‘; he specialises in structured finance, and is qualified to practise in Singapore, Hong Kong, England and Wales. Recommended by clients, Janelene Chen is seen with great regularity advising sponsors, borrowers and lenders on acquisition finance, and lending transactions in the real estate and telecoms spaces.

Singapore > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright’s team in Singapore runs a geographically broad caseload, spread across local, Chinese and Southeast Asian matters in addition to those intersecting the UK, EU, US and Canada. The practice is fronted by Anna Tipping , a specialist within the financial institution industry, alongside Craig Loveless who is routinely engaged on M&A, disposal, restructuring and joint venture deals. Beyond partner-level, Shahin Foroughian is a counsel with experience of working in London and New Zealand, meanwhile senior associate Chris Bell possesses experience in both M&A and investment transactions. Senior associate Dexter Tan is another key contact in the group. Other key sectors include state-owned investment arms, private equity, retail, shipping, insurance and energy.

Singapore > Energy: foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright advises clients across the renewables, power, mining, oil and gas sectors on a myriad of instructions, including M&A deals, regulatory compliance, and project financing. Latterly, the practice is handling a growing volume of solar and energy storage mandates, following tightening regulation of electricity markets in the Asia Pacific region. Oil and gas expert Ben Smith co-heads the practice alongside Stephen Begley, who specialises in financing. Nick Merritt focuses on the development and acquisition of energy and mining assets.

Singapore > Insurance: foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright has excellent corporate and regulatory expertise in the insurance field. This includes a strong record in insurance M&A, corporate restructuring, regulatory capital raising and new business establishment matters. The Singapore office has worked on a series of headline insurance M&A deals in recent years. It represents a range of multinationals in cross-border transactions and restructuring. The office is also known for credit insurance, cyber breach response work, and technology related matters, including blockchain platforms and insurtech. Anna Tipping is an insurance industry specialist, particularly in the corporate and regulatory fields, and Craig Loveless  is an M&A partner with a major focus on the insurance sector, for clients such as AXA.

Singapore > Restructuring and insolvency: foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright continues to develop its restructuring and insolvency practice, particularly in the shipping, aviation, commodities, energy and financial institutions sectors. Its engagements span Asia Pacific and beyond. The firm’s strong connections to banks brings it a wealth of creditor mandates. It frequently works on bond and bank debt restructuringsSingapore office head Yu-En Ong is a banking and finance specialist with a significant focus on restructurings. Sue Ann Gan provides further specialist expertise in shipping restructurings and insolvencies. Kei-Jin Chew is managing director of the firm’s Formal Law Alliance partner Ascendant Legal LLC and adds contentious insolvency expertise and advocacy capabilities.

Singapore > Shipping: foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s Singapore office has a long history in the shipping sector. Much of the practice centres on traditional ship finance and offshore oil and gas financings. The team acts for a mixture of financial institutions, lessees and owners, and is known for its expertise in Chinese sale and leasebacks, JOLCOs and limited recourse project financings. Shipping sector restructurings are also a forte for the office and sustainability-linked financings are another growth area. Ben Rose heads the Asia shipping and offshore practice and emerging talent Sue Ann Gan is another prominent ship finance specialist. The firm’s Formal Law Alliance with Ascendant Legal LLC provides further shipping disputes expertise through Edgar Chin.

Singapore > International arbitration Tier 3

Specialising in complex multijurisdictional disputes, Norton Rose Fulbright is recommended for its ‘top notch legal advice, written and advocacy‘, as well as ‘particular expertise in the energy power sector’. The ‘excellent lawyer’ Katie Chung co-leads the practice with Andrew Battisson, who arrived from the firm’s Sydney office in 2022 and brings with him expertise in international commercial arbitration, investor-state arbitration and related enforcement and transnational litigation. KC Lye left the firm in 2021 to become an independent arbitrator and counsel

Myanmar > Foreign desks Tier 1

Norton Rose Fulbright is noted for its capability in project financings, with experience across the power, telecoms and infrastructure sectors, and counts capital markets and banking matters in its workload. The team is well-placed to leverage the firm's global footprint, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, to service Myanmar companies and inward investors. Based in Singapore, practice leader Yu-En Ong and Janelene Chan advise on Myanmar-related infrastructure projects and regularly collaborate with commercial and development banks on onboarding, restructuring and exiting mandates. The duo are sought out by financial institutions for their extensive knowledge of Asia, emerging markets and local Myanmar laws.

Malaysia > Foreign firms Tier 2

Norton Rose Fulbright has an established record in internationally-financed infrastructure projects in Malaysia. It has also been closely involved in the liberalisation of the gas market in the country and has a strong reputation in the offshore marine sector. Moreover, the Singapore office is frequently engaged in project-related disputes, including cases involving disputes with joint-venture parties and contractors. White collar crime and investigations is another area of strength. Stephen Begley leads a sizeable Singapore-based team of projects, energy, and shipping and offshore lawyers that have a significant focus on Malaysia. Katie Chung is an experienced figure in cross-border disputes involving Malaysian entities.

Indonesia > Foreign firms Tier 3

The Indonesia practice at Norton Rose Fulbright continues to engage in high-value corporate and M&A transactions across the banking, financial services, oil and gas, energy and telecoms sectors. Based in Jakarta, managing partner Kresna Panggabean leads the team and acts for agribusinesses, oil and gas and mining companies on Indonesian regulatory issues, general corporate matters and commercial disputes. Tasdikiah Siregar advises on M&As and aviation finance matters, while Benny Bernarto has experience in infrastructure, energy and project financing work. Shamim Razavi, who divides his time between the firm's Jakarta and Sydney offices, is another key contact in the group.

Asia Pacific: Regional International Arbitration > Leading firms

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s international arbitration offering in the Asia-Pacific region stems from Singapore, Hong Hong and Australia. In Singapore, Katie Chung  and Andrew Battisson  share leadership of a practice with expertise in areas including energy and investor-state arbitration. The team in Hong Kong includes Alfred Wu , whose engineering background equips him well for construction disputes, and Dylan McKimmie  in Brisbane and Tamlyn Mills in Sydney are two key Australian names.