IFLR 1000 (2015)
Banking – Tier 2
Capital markets – Tier 2
Energy & Infrastructure – Tier 2
Mergers and acquisitions – Tier 2
Restructuring and insolvency – Tier 1
Leading lawyers:
Angela Lim – Banking, Project Finance
Chia Kim Huat – Capital Markets
Goh Kian Hwee – Capital Markets, M&A
Evelyn Wee - Capital Markets, M&A
Lim Wee Hann – M&A
Ng Kim Beng – Energy & Infrastructure: Disputes
Sim Chee Siong – Energy & Infrastructure: Disputes
Soh Lip San – Energy & Infrastructure: Disputes
Lee Eng Beng – Restructuring & Insolvency
Patrick Ang – Restructuring & Insolvency
Rising Star
Danny Ong – Restructuring & Insolvency
The Rajah & Tann Asia network brings together nine offices of leading law firms and lawyers in the region to include Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. With more than 500 lawyers offering the highest standards of service across a range of practices, the firm has consistently been recognised for its regional capabilities and diverse support to clients.
Key highlight matters included the firm’s work for Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust on a syndicated loan led by dual-qualified in English and Singapore law partner Angela Lim from the banking and finance team. Elsewhere partner Terence Choo was advisor to a group of banks in the refinancing of the existing indebtedness of Senoko Energy.
With an expanded network of alliance firms, Rajah & Tann has experienced an upsurge of cross-border deals especially from Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the PRC and Japan. The firm has worked on some of the market’s most complex capital markets deals, including the capital markets fund raising of Gallant Venture, the fund raising of United Engineers for its takeover of WBL Corporation and the multicurrency note and perpetual securities programme of GuocoLand. Rajah & Tann was also involved in the initial listing of Gallant Venture on the Singapore Exchange.
Some key M&A deals in 2013 included acting for Gallant Venture in its takeover of IDX-listed Indomobil Sukses Internasional. Together with partners Danny Lim and Soh Chai Lih, Evelyn Wee advised on the voluntary conditional offer to People’s Food Holdings from New Oceana, whom Rajah & Tann represented.
As restructuring and insolvency advisors on the Singapore arm of the ongoing Lehman Brothers insolvency case, Rajah & Tann continues to draw in high profile cases in the market. Recently, the firm is advising and acting on behalf of the liquidators of MF Global Singapore, one of the most high-profile insolvency deals in the Singaporean finance industry. The team comprises head of practice Sim Kwan Kiat, managing partner Lee Eng Beng and deputy managing partner Patrick Ang.
The full-service firm has developed an expanding regional presence in Southeast Asia, dedicated to complex cross-border deals across the region. “Rajah & Tann’s superior position in Singapore and the broader South East Asian region is obvious and well deserved,” a client says. “The firm has a broad depth of talent, in various ranks, practice areas and jurisdictions.”
Rajah & Tann has associate firms in Indonesia and Malaysia with Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, and Christopher & Lee Ong respectively. They have in recent times formed several alliances, in Cambodia they lined up with Sok & Heng and in Vietnam with LCT Lawyers. Towards the end of March in 2013, the firm has launched Rajah & Tann NK Legal Myanmar in Yangon, in addition to their existing Singapore, Bangkok, Laos and Shanghai offices. The firm is best known for its strong disputes and project finance practices.
Partners Soh Lip San, Ng Kim Beng, Sim Chee Siong have robust reputations in the projects and energy areas. “Lip San is an outstanding lawyer and a trusted advisor,” says a client in the infrastructure sector. “He is a safe pair of hands whose counsel is sought often and valued by both our in house lawyers and executives alike.” A client in the investment business says: “A lawyer of the top order, one whose dedication to his work and his clients is exemplary.” Another client adds: “Both Lip San and Shannon demonstrate an excellent ability to understand the complexities associated with our particular business operations.” Shannon Yu Inn Tan is a partner covering international arbitration and construction matters.
Ng Kim Beng last year represented Kajima Corporation on several disputes matters pertaining to a range of construction projects. In M&A, partner Goh Kian Hwee and his team acted for United Engineers in the all-cash mandatory offers for shares and convertible bonds of WBL Corporation. On the financing side, partner Angela Lim has been working on an oil and natural resources related deal, whilst partner Terence Choo acted for a group of global and regional banks in the refinancing of Senoko Energy’s existing indebtedness, of which the deal is valued over $2 billion. Shemane Chan is a heavyweight in the energy and projects practice. She is currently working on several large project development matters in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.