Description

There are a significant number of lawyers practising shipping law in Singapore. Their practices cover both contentious and non‐contentious work and they may be found in large, full‐service, local law firms, alongside their colleagues practising in every conceivable area of law, in boutique practices, which have a major focus in shipping law, and in major off‐ shore (international) law firms, several of which have a major focus on shipping law and are renowned for that. What is “contentious” and “non‐contentious” work? What kind of work does a shipping lawyer actually do? Are shipping lawyers’ practices routine or boring? What does the average working day/week/month look like for a shipping lawyer? What are the prospects for young lawyers who are interested in making this area of law their career? All these and other issues will be addressed by our panel of lawyers, representing a range of practices in Singapore. As well as making presentations on their areas of practice, there will be time for a Q & A, and a buffet lunch will be served afterwards.

Who Should Attend

Second and third year undergraduate students and graduate students with an interest in shipping and maritime law

Panellists

Mr S Mohan ‘92
Managing Director, ResourceLaw LLC
Senior Accredited Specialist (Maritime & Shipping)

Mohan is a senior litigator and was admitted to the Singapore bar in 1993. He has more than two decades of advocacy experience, appearing as lead counsel before all courts and arbitral tribunals in Singapore on a wide range of general and commercial disputes, with particular focus on all aspects of shipping/ admiralty/ transportation, insurance (marine and non‐marine), energy and offshore, and international trade/commodities. Mohan was among the first select group of legal practitioners to be accredited in 2019 by the Singapore Academy of Law as Senior Accredited Specialist in Maritime and Shipping law.

Mr Leong Kah Wah ‘90
Head of Dispute Resolution, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Senior Accredited Specialist (Maritime & Shipping)

Kah Wah has extensive experience in shipping, trading and commercial dispute resolution. He has acted as counsel in maritime and trade arbitrations before tribunals, both adhoc and institutional (namely, SIAC, SCMA, LMAA, New York SMA, GAFTA, FOSFA and PORAM). He often appears in significant cases in the Singapore Court of Appeal and his experience extends to wet work, where he is regularly instructed to investigate and manage claims arising out of casualties. Kah Wah was among the first select group of legal practitioners to be accredited in 2019 by the Singapore Academy of Law as Senior Accredited Specialist in Maritime and Shipping law.

Mr Erik Widjaja ‘12
Senior Associate, Allen & Gledhill LLP

Erik was called to the Singapore Bar in 2013 and ranked amongst the top 22 candidates in Part B of the Bar examinations. As a student at NUS Law, he won the M Karthigesu Memorial Gold Medal and Prize in 2012. Erik has contributed to the commentary on Order 70 of the Rules of Court (Admiralty proceedings) in the Singapore Court Practice 2014 and is a member of the teaching faculty for Part B of the Bar Examinations. His practice encompasses maritime and trade matters, with a focus on dispute resolution (including litigation, arbitration and mediation). He has been involved in maritime collisions and incidents, cargo claims, international sale of goods, ship repair and construction disputes, offshore rigs, charter party disputes, mortgage enforcement and ship management.

Ms  Maureen Poh ‘07
Partner, Ince & Co Singapore LLP

Maureen’s shipping practice covers charter party disputes, carriage of goods by sea and cargo claims. She also provides non‐ contentious advice in these areas. Her energy practice includes advising major contractors to energy companies on disputes relating to the construction and employment of offshore assets. Maureen has an active trade practice, comprising both disputes and non‐contentious work and has experience with arbitration in Singapore, London and Indonesia under SIAC, SCMA, LMAA, ICC, UNCITRAL and BANI rules. Maureen is described in The Legal500 as “a key name for charterparty disputes, carriage of goods by sea and cargo claims and is ‘proactive, clear and fast in analysing specific points’”.

Mr Jonathan Choo ‘07
Partner, Allen & Gledhill LLP

Jonathan specialises in non‐contentious shipping matters as well as domestic and cross‐border banking transactions, with a particular focus in the maritime and offshore oil and gas sectors. He primarily acts for local and foreign banks, borrowers, shipping trusts and equity investors in lending, leasing and debt restructuring matters. He also regularly acts for shipowners in various non‐contentious shipping matters relating to ship sale and purchase, charterparties and shipbuilding contracts. He is an active member of the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA).

Ms Charmaine Fu ‘05
Legal Director, Clyde & Co Clasis LLC

Charmaine’s practice includes both contentious and non‐ contentious matters and includes wet and dry shipping work, ship arrests, international trade disputes, insurance including marine insurance, commercial disputes, arbitration, and ship sale and purchase. She regularly acts for, amongst others, freight forwarders, multimodal transport operators, ship owners, charterers, ship operators, Protection & Indemnity Clubs, insurers, cargo claimants, and trading companies.

Mr Huang Peide ‘16
Associate, Ince & Co Singapore LLP

Peide advises clients on shipping, shipbuilding, trade and commodities, as well as general commercial disputes. Having completed his common law training after moving from China to Singapore, Peter is bi‐lingual and deeply understands Chinese culture. As a member of Ince & Co’s China Practice group, he acts in a wide range of international arbitrations involving Chinese state‐owned and listed companies. At NUS, he earned the prize as top student in Carriage of Goods by Sea (the Maritime Law Association of Singapore Prize) and the M Karthigesu Memorial Gold Medal and Prize and participated in the Jean Pictet International Humanitarian Law Competition and the International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot (IMLAM).