K&L Gates Straits Law LLC > Singapore, Singapore > Firm Profile

K&L Gates Straits Law LLC > The Legal 500 Rankings

Singapore > Dispute resolution: local firms Tier 2

K&L Gates Straits Law LLC has a tremendous dispute resolution heritage thanks to the presence of big-name litigators such as Singapore managing partner N Sreenivasan SC, a leading advocate and strategist. The firm has continued to land a range of large-scale cases, including those in the insolvency and restructuring field. It acted for the judicial managers of Ocean Tankers in connection with the headline insolvency of Hin Leong. Financial services, white-collar crime and asset recovery are also fortes for the Singapore team. Sundararaj Palaniappan, Valerie Ang and Muralli Rajaram are prominent members of the team, the latter noted for his experience in banking and insolvency disputes.

Singapore > Labour and employment: foreign firms Tier 2

K&L Gates Straits Law LLC's Singapore employment team specialises in advising domestic and multinational employers with operations throughout Southeast Asia. It continues to work intensively in advisory and transactional-related matters, including assisting clients with remote and hybrid working policies, employment termination matters, and international employee transfers and overseas employment arrangements. Christopher Tan is a senior employment specialist with a fine record in the media, music and entertainment, technology and software, engineering, finance and fintech, and manufacturing industries. Valerie Ang provides additional contentious employment expertise.

Singapore > Banking and finance: local firms Tier 4

K&L Gates Straits Law LLC has a major focus on India-related financings, notably those involving Indian businesses venturing into Southeast Asia and non-Indian companies entering India itself. It advises a number of Indian banks, and Singaporean and Southeast Asian banks. It continues to see further growth in trade finance, LIBOR transition, loans to micro businesses and SMEs in Singapore, and restructuring engagements. M Rajaram is the chairman of the Singapore office and has some four decades of experience in banking and disputes work. Of counsels Lai-Foong Chan and Ahmad Khalis are also immensely experienced practitioners in banking and regulatory matters.

Singapore > Energy: foreign firms Tier 4

K&L Gates Straits Law LLC continues to develop its status in the LNG and renewables sectors, despite the departure of former department head Lian Yok Tan to Squire Patton Boggs in May 2023. Marius Toime has stepped up to lead the team and former White & Case Seoul local partner Sarah Park has joined to bolster the team in Singapore, bringing additional connections to Korean corporates and financial institutions. The group has an impressive mix of state-owned company and multinational clients, especially Indonesian businesses.

Singapore > International arbitration Tier 4

K&L Gates Straits Law LLC boasts an ‘empathetic yet effective’ international arbitration practice, that provides ‘timely and practical advice’ for its clients. Investment treaty disputes under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties are a key area of focus for the team, which also has extensive experience in arbitrations related to M&A and shareholder disputes. Raja Bose acts as head of the team and has a wealth of experience across construction, infrastructure, and engineering matters. Integral to the team are Sreenivasan Narayanan, the managing partner of the Singapore office, and Valerie Ang.

Singapore > Projects: foreign firms Tier 4

The team at K&L Gates Straits Law LLC advises on the full life cycle of project matters and portfolio expansions. The practice has a broad client base, taking in state-owned companies and MNCs, and often handles financings, restructurings and LNG projects. Marius Toime heads the department and has extensive experience in handling transactional matters. Sarah Park, who joined the Singapore practice in 2023, is noted for her expertise in power sector work.

Singapore > Asset finance: foreign firms

Singapore > Investment funds: foreign firms

Singapore > Shipping: foreign firms

South Korea > Projects and energy: foreign firms

Malaysia > Foreign firms

Based in the Singapore and Hong Kong offices respectively, senior counsel Sreenivasan Narayanan and Choo Lye Tan jointly lead the Southeast Asia practice at K&L Gates. The team advises on a broad range of matters, including M&A transactions and joint ventures, in addition to banking and finance mandates, with demonstrable experience across the aviation, financial services, energy, life sciences and manufacturing sectors. Based in Singapore, Henry Kim focuses on disputes arising out of commodities, shipping, energy, and power infrastructure projects and is another key contact in the group. Team changes include the departure of James Bradley to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in October 2022, and the departure of Lian Yok Tan to Squire Patton Boggs in May 2023.