Lester Chua has assisted clients on a wide variety of disputes as part of Rajah & Tann Singapore’s Commercial Litigation department since 2011, spanning a broad spectrum of areas of law, including employment, construction, banking and insolvency, fraud investigations, corporate, matrimonial, estate and criminal law. Lester has also advised many charities and NGOs on charities governance and regulatory compliance. 

Lester spent four years from 2016 to 2019 being based in Yangon and serving as Associate Director of our Yangon office, Rajah & Tann Myanmar Co, Ltd. As a member of Rajah & Tann’s Myanmar practice group with a focus on Myanmar disputes and regulatory matters, Lester has advised clients on a broad spectrum of matters including applications to the Myanmar Investment Commission, market entry and regulatory compliance, intellectual property disputes, civil and commercial disputes, criminal complaints, labour and employment matters including settlement of labour disputes and immigrations related issues, and investigations.

Experience

• Associate / Senior Associate, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP – 2011 to 2017
• Partner, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP - 2018 to present
• Associate Director, Rajah & Tann Myanmar Company Limited – 2016 to present

Notable Cases & Transactions

Disputes

• Represented Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte Ltd in a successful appeal to the Singapore Court of Appeal against a decision of the Singapore High Court in relation to a claim for incentive compensation brought by a former employee.   
• Assisted as Singapore counsel in relation to a whistleblowing investigation conducted into the affairs of the Singapore office of a large multinational logistics company.
• Assisted a Myanmar company in defending an arbitration brought by a public company incorporated in Thailand.
• Assisted OCBC Bank and various other Myanmar banks in pursuing debt recovery actions against Myanmar debtors.
• Assisted UOB Bank in claims against various debtors in Singapore.
• Assisted PH Hydraulics and Engineering Pte Ltd in an arbitration against a local company for monies due under a construction contract.
• Assisted WASCO Engineering Services Singapore Pte Ltd in relation to a contract dispute against a Singapore company.
• Assisted Taihan Electric Wire Co., Ltd. in resisting a claim from a UK company for monies allegedly due for goods and services under a contract 
• Assisted Taihan Electric Wire Co., Ltd. in issuing a statutory demand against a Malaysian company.
• Assisted a large multinational IT company in Singapore in relation to an employment dispute involving the trigger of a restrictive covenant clause against one of its employees.
• Assisted a large multinational IT company in Singapore in resisting an employment claim from one of its employees.
• Assisted the National Arts Council Cultural Matching Fund in drafting letters to various grant recipients.
• Assisted a Singapore Government body in issuing letters to various grant recipients.
• Assisting a Singaporean company in resisting a claim from another Singapore company for breach of a sale and purchase agreement.
• Assisted Myanma Apex Bank in pursuing debt recovery actions against various debtors.
• Assisted Denko Trading Co., Ltd. (a Myanmar incorporated company) in pursuing debt recovery actions against 2 corporate debtors in Myanmar.
• Assisted Asia Green Development Bank in pursuing debt recovery actions against various debtors.
• Assisted a Singaporean insurance company in a claim against Myanmar debtors for payment of overdue insurance premiums.
• Assisted various international investors in claims for trademark infringement against Myanmar companies.
• Assisted a large construction company in Myanmar in a construction dispute against its sub-contractor on 2 projects in Myanmar.

Judicial Management / Liquidation Matters 

• Advised the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore on its rights and obligations in the winding up of Home-Fix, one of its suppliers, including the implications of unfulfilled orders.
• Assisted Taihan Electric Wire Co., Ltd. in relation to its claims against Interprime Contractors Pte Ltd (in Liquidation)
• Assisted a Singapore Government body in filing of a proof of debt against a company in liquidation.
• Assisted the liquidators of a Singapore incorporated company in various legal issues relating to the liquidation and disputes between contributories.