The ‘proactive’ team at Rajah & Tann Asia draws praise from clients for its ability to provide ’commercially practicable solutions.’ The corporate real estate team handles the full gamut of real estate matters, from commercial and residential to mixed-use developments. The practice is proficient in complex transactions, including M&A deals, leases, collective sales, and development projects, adeptly representing sellers, purchasers, developers, REITs, and other public and private entities. Elsa Chai handles all aspects of property-related work dealing with a wide range of properties, from residential properties, commercial properties, industrial properties to hotels. She leads the team alongside Ching Chou, who is noted for her focus on divestment and acquisition of development sites, commercial and investment properties, and industrial buildings. The ‘excellent’ Benjamin Tay is lauded for his ability to ’anticipate and highlight potential issues for the client’s consideration’, while Norman Ho regularly advises on a wide spectrum of property-related transactions.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The depth and breadth of talents makes R&T a one-stop shop.’
‘Benjamin Tay goes over and beyond for his clients, offering solutions to break deadlocks in negotiations.'
‘The real estate team is experienced and has in-depth knowledge of the market based on its involvement in many of the major deals in Singapore. The team is responsive, client-oriented and is able to react promptly and efficiently, which is crucial in deals with tight timelines.'
'The team is proactive and offers commercially practicable solutions for the client, which is a great help when it comes to negotiations, saving time and costs for the client.'
‘Benjamin Tay is an excellent lawyer. He has deep knowledge of legal issues, concepts and issues for each transaction, based on his wealth of experience, and is able to anticipate and highlight potential issues for the client's consideration. He prioritises the client's needs and is able to react quickly to changes in the transaction.'
‘The team is especially skilled and experienced in their work, and also especially client-focused.’
‘Partner Shaun Ng is particularly client-focused and extremely attentive to clients' needs. He is extremely responsive and adept at providing excellent legal advice as well as practical tips.’
‘Very experienced and pragmatic. Have their clients' interests at heart.’
Key clients
- Link Real Estate Investment Trust
- Midtown Properties Pte. Ltd.
- TE Asset Managers Pte Ltd
- Grand Apex Holdings Pte. Ltd.
- M&G Real Estate Asia Pte. Ltd.
- United Overseas Bank Limited
- Gaw Capital Partners
- Times Properties Private Limited (a subsidiary of Cuscaden Peak Investments)
- Philips Electronics Singapore Pte Ltd
- Keppel FELS Limited
Work highlights
Acted in the largest real estate transaction in 2022 - S$2.161 billion acquisition of two suburban retail assets by Link REIT.
Acting in the largest-ever single hotel asset transaction in Singapore - S$525 million acquisition of PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road, Singapore by Midtown Properties.
Acting in Singapore's largest office deal in 2023 - S$450 million acquisition of Visioncrest Commercial, Singapore by TE Asset Managers Pte Ltd.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Elsa Chai; Chou Ching
Other key lawyers
Benjamin Tay; Shaun Ng; Norman Ho