Mr Kia Jeng Koh > Dentons Rodyk > Singapore, Singapore > Lawyer Profile

Dentons Rodyk
80 RAFFLES PLACE
#33-00 UOB PLAZA 1
SINGAPORE 048624
Singapore

Work Department

Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Construction, Financial Markets Litigation and Regulation, Insurance Litigation and Arbitration, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy

Position

Koh Kia Jeng is a senior partner and deputy head of Dentons Rodyk’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. He is also the Co-Head of the Construction and Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy practice groups.

Kia Jeng has experience in a wide range of civil and commercial cases, including insurance, sale of goods, joint venture disputes, shareholders’ disputes (including minority oppression cases and derivative actions), employment, building and construction, insolvency, economic torts, international commercial arbitration and general contract disputes.

Kia Jeng’s practice focuses on building and construction disputes as well as restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy (“RIB”) matters.

In his building and construction practice, he has advised main-contractors, sub-contractors (including specialist trades such as piling and foundation, ground support and stabilization, drainage, ACMV, and structural steel), suppliers, owners and developers on building and construction issues and standard form contracts, and acted for them in their disputes, both in statutory adjudication, arbitration and in Court. Kia Jeng has experience in disputes arising from onshore and offshore EPC contracts, civil and infrastructure projects, mixed use developments, commercial developments and residential developments. In terms of geographical coverage, these projects are situated both in Singapore, and outside of Singapore, and often engage foreign law, different cultures and approaches, as well as different dispute resolution mechanisms. He also has an active practice in Adjudications under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, acting for both claimants and respondents.

Kia Jeng was part of the Rodyk & Davidson LLP (now Dentons Rodyk) team who acted for the main contractor in the inquiry into the Nicoll Highway collapse.

In his RIB practice, he has advised and acted for creditors, debtors / borrowers and insolvency practitioners on all aspects of restructuring, recovery, enforcement, “claw back” provisions under the Companies Act, consensual workouts, schemes of arrangement, section 211B (now section 64) moratoriums, liquidations, receiverships and judicial management cases.

Kia Jeng has also advised contractors when faced with a counterparty’s insolvency. He is particularly interested in cross-border issues in the insolvency context, as well as generally in commercial litigation and international arbitration. He has acted for clients in disputes involving cross-border insolvency issues, fraud, and cyber-fraud. Kia Jeng is very familiar with injunctive relief and Anton Piller (also known as search) orders.

Kia Jeng was listed by Singapore Business Review as one of Singapore’s most promising legal luminaries aged 40 and under in 2016.

Career

Senior Partner – Dentons Rodyk & Davidson LLP (2004 – present)
Lee & Lee (2003 – 2004)

Languages

English, Mandarin

Memberships

Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Member, Law Awareness Committee under the auspices of Pro Bono SG

Education

National University of Singapore, 2002, LLB (Hons)

Lawyer Rankings

Singapore > Construction: Local firms

Dentons Rodyk has a rich history in construction disputes, while the large team also has experience in front-end engagements. The practice is centred on Singapore and the ASEAN region, notably involving large-scale real estate developments. Energy and infrastructure projects are also core elements of the practice. The firm has an impressive client base of employers and developers, contractors, architects and other parties involved in construction projects. Kia Jeng Koh and Kirindeep Singh co-head the construction practice and are highly rated for domestic and regional disputes. Paul Wong is another key partner in the contentious field.

Singapore > Restructuring and insolvency: local firms

Dentons Rodyk assists a broad range of creditors, debtors, receivers and liquidators on contentious and non-contentious matters, including debt restructurings, bankruptcies, insolvencies and surrounding disputes. Ajinderpal Singh, who regularly acts for liquidators, receivers, judicial managers and trustees, jointly leads the team alongside Kia Jeng Koh, who advises on restructurings, recovery and enforcement mandates, with additional expertise in construction-related mandates. Debby Lim is ‘exceptionally knowledgeable’ in the field of insolvency-related litigation and is another key contact in the group.

Singapore > Dispute resolution: local firms

Dentons Rodyk has a large team of dispute resolution specialists covering a broad spectrum of cases, from clinical negligence defence to construction disputes; shipping, trade and commodities cases; and commercial litigation and arbitration. The Singapore team has an impressive array of local, regional and multinational clients. Clients recognise the breadth of team and its ability to handle cross-border and multi-jurisdictional cases. Siang Pheng Lek heads the litigation and dispute resolution practice and is a leading medical defence advocate. Kia Jeng Koh is deputy head of the team with an established record in building and construction disputes. Lawrence Teh is a senior name in commodities and trade cases, and Mark Seah and Paul Wong are experienced commercial litigation specialists. Ajinderpal Singh is noted for partnership and shareholder disputes, and banking and insolvency cases. Joint deputy managing partner Edric Pan takes on international disputes as well as insurance and aviation-related claims, while Huai Yuan Chia oversees proceedings involving fraud allegations and Jen Wei Loh focuses on the shipping sector, including insolvency and damages matters.