IFLR 1000 (2022)
Banking and finance - Tier 2
Capital markets: Debt - Tier 2
Capital markets: Equity - Tier 2
Investment funds - Tier 2
Mergers and acquisitions - Tier 2
Project development - Tier 1
Restructuring and insolvency - Tier 1
Leading Lawyers:
Angela Lim (Highly regarded) - Banking, Energy and infrastructure, Project finance
Chia Kim Huat (Highly regarded) - Capital markets
Chua Beng Chye (Highly regarded) - Restructuring and insolvency
Danny Lim (Notable practitioner) - Capital markets : Equity, M&A
Danny Ong (Highly regarded) - Restructuring and insolvency
Evelyn Wee (Highly regarded) - Capital markets, M&A
Ho Mei Shi (Notable practitioner) - Banking and finance
Hoon Chi Tern (Notable practitioner) - Capital markets, M&A
Howard Cheam (Notable practitioner) - Capital markets : Debt, Capital markets : Equity, M&A
Lawrence Tan (Notable practitioner) - M&A
Lee Eng Beng, SC (Highly regarded) - Restructuring and insolvency
Lee Xin Mei (Highly regarded) - Capital markets
Lim Wee Hann (Highly regarded) - M&A
Mark Cheng (Highly regarded) - Restructuring and insolvency
Ng Kim Beng (Highly regarded) - Project development
Ng Sey Ming (Highly regarded) - Banking, Capital markets: Debt
Patrick Ang (Market leader) - Restructuring and insolvency
Raelene Pereira (Rising star) - Restructuring and insolvency
Raymond Tong (Highly regarded) - Capital markets, Corporate and M&A
Regina Liew (Highly regarded) - Banking and finance
Sandy Foo (Highly regarded) - Banking, Energy and infrastructure, M&A, Project development, Project finance
Shemane Chan (Highly regarded) - Project development
Sim Chee Siong (Highly regarded) - Project development
Sim Kwan Kiat (Highly regarded) - Restructuring and insolvency
Soh Lip San (Highly regarded) - Project development
Tan Chuan Thye, SC (Highly regarded) - Restructuring and insolvency
Tan Mui Hui (Notable practitioner) - Capital markets : Deb, Capital markets : Equity, M&A
Founded in 1976, Rajah & Tann Singapore is one of the largest full-service firms in Singapore and is regarded as one of the jurisdiction’s elite firms, dubbed the “big four”. The firm, led by Managing partner Patrick Ang and deputy managing partner Rebecca Chew, extends its presence throughout the region with the Rajah & Tann Asia, the largest Southeast Asian network of law firms.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm provides top quality advice in banking and finance, project development and restructuring and insolvency and has formidable capital markets and M&A practices.
The banking team acts for domestic and international banks, financial institutions, and corporates on a wide variety of instruments and cross border transactions such as real estate finance, project finance, acquisition finance, Islamic finance and structured finance transactions.
In capital markets work the firm has experience in acting for issuers, issue managers, underwriters, and originators on deals from across the spectrum of capital markets transactions.
The corporate team is experienced on in acting for both acquirers and sellers across a variety of sectors.
The firm’s restructuring team was the first dedicated restructuring and insolvency practice group in Singapore and has acted for a wide range of clients, including creditors, debtors, liquidators, judicial managers, receivers, and financial advisors.
Key clients
Key clients include Malayan Banking, H&C S Holdings, Shanghai Huaxin Group, One Bangkok, Resorts World Sentosa, Neste Singapore, Linde Gas Singapore, Singapore Press Holdings, Merrill Lynch, and OUE Hospitality REIT Management.
Research period review: 31st edition (2020/2021)
The banking team advised borrowers and lenders on a plethora of financings. An interesting deal saw the firm advise the borrowers on the largest bilateral sustainability linked loan in Singapore's real estate sector to date.
In capital markets, the firm often advised the issuers on debt and equity offerings. The firm notably advised on several IPOs on the HKSE.
An eye-catching corporate mandate saw the firm act for the financial adviser in a takeover offer for Tianjin Zhong Xin Pharmaceutical Group Corporation. Sectors of activity include real estate, utilities, education, manufacturing, and food and beverage.
The firm’s investment funds team advised on several confidential fund formation mandates involving hedge funds, close-ended funds, venture capital funds, and private equity funds.
In projects, the firm notably advised an international client on a first of its kind project in the energy sector.
Standout restructuring mandates saw the firm acting for Shanghai Huaxin Group and Hin Leong Group on their high-value dent restructurings.
The firm welcomed junior partner Carmen Lee from Dimensional Fund Advisors to its investment funds practice and partner Raymond Tong from Clifford Chance to its capital markets and corporate teams.
Deal highlights: 31st edition (2020/2021)
- CapitaLand Treasury S$500 million sustainability-linked loan facility
- Eagle Hospitality REIT debt restructuring
- GHY Culture & Media Holding Co SGX IPO
- Hin Leong Group insolvency
- Hyflux debt restructuring
- Hygieia Group HKSE IPO
- Shanghai Huaxin Group debt restructuring
- Wei Yuan Holdings HKSE IPO
Client feedback: 31st edition (2020/2021)
Bank lending : Lender side
"Good communication - responsive - clear and concise."
"Good solutioning. Responsive, diligent and prompt."
"Very prompt service and details and thorough advise. For legal queries that I raised, they provided very comprehensive advice from my perspective as a lender."
Banking and finance
"Client and solution-oriented. Prompt and responsive."
"We are satisfied with the legal and company secretarial services provided by the firm. They possess strong legal and commercial sense and awareness. "
Capital markets
"Raymond Tong has a great working relationship with the Singapore regulators and a deep understanding of the regulators' expectations and demands. He also has good commercial awareness and is able to balance achieving our commercial objectives without compromising on our risk thresholds. "
"Superb. Spot-on with advice and counsel. Brilliant with attitude. "
"Proactive, responsive, sound legal advice."
Capital markets : Debt
"Thorough and detailed expert analysis. Responsive and quick turnaround times."
Capital markets : Equity
"As the issuer's counsel, we had worked with them to bring the first ever approval by SGX for a VIE structure listing. This entails acquiring knowledge of other VIEs, ability to review the structure and safeguards, in the interest of investors. Generally quite versatile and responsive. "
"There have some very good partners who are very good in their area of work and expertise."
"R&T is responsive and prompt and takes a commercial approach on issues encountered, which helps to facilitate transactions. "
"They are able to both provide advice on risk from a legal standpoint and balance that against commercial costs involved in protecting against that risk."
"Very responsive. Prompt. Open to discussion. Self-starter and takes initiative. Provides meaningful and balanced advice."
"Practical, experienced, clear advice and good understanding of the regulatory framework."
Financial restructuring
"Competent and resourced partners. Strong supporting team. Responsive. "
"Quality - financial law expertise - understanding needs of the client - intellectual sounding board - polite - service-minded - billing and fee cost-effective."
Insolvency
"The firm's lawyers are knowledgeable and proactive and clearly driven for client success."
Investment funds
"Efficient, experienced."
"The team is very experienced and knowledgeable in respect of Singapore law and regulation for investment funds and managers. They are also very commercial and find solutions for their clients."
M&A
"1) Comprehensive and accurate legal advice, delivered cogently. 2) Attention to client's sensitivities."
"1. Client first, always. 2. Outstanding legal ability. 3. Results-oriented. 4. Flexible fee arrangements. 5. Top rate talent at all levels."
"Familiarity with local law. Ability to advise on complex structures."
"Strong team, personalised service, very quick turnaround time."
"The firm is friendly, client-centric, knowledgeable, innovative, sector-focused and has a strong network across SEA."
"The team has given practical advice and valuable inputs to assist in our negotiation with the counterparts."
"1. Cross-border M&A that required inputs on issues across different jurisdictions - R&T had the network and resources to support. 2. Extremely responsive and practical in their approach to structuring and bringing the deal to a close."
Private equity
"1. Multi-jurisdiction resources and know-how. 2.Practical solutions to bring the deal to a close."
Project development
"Efficient, quick response, knowledgeable. "
Project development : Energy
"R&T team handling our matters (led by partner Ng Kim Beng) has been very helpful in providing strategic feedback and tactical solutions. They are experienced in construction disputes and their expertise on this aspect (including their familiarity with contentious points which can be rather technical) is valuable to us. Their advice is on-point, addressing the actual issues at hand and always taking into account our interests in the more commercial aspects of things."
Restructuring and insolvency
"Quick response and quite involved in the advisory and execution stage. Friendly and approachable."
Adzfar Alami
"Clear; communicative."
Clement Chan
"Clement is the lawyer that we have been working with the most. He is experienced and competent in advising us on general legal and regulatory work. He is always very responsive, capable and professional."
Jasmine Chew
"Jasmine is very experienced and works well with clients."
Mark Cheng
"Mark Cheng is a knowledgeable, energetic and proactive lawyer; clearly driven by client success."
Beng Chye Chua
"Quick response and appropriate advice relevant to the matter."
Sandy Foo
"1. Intelligent and comprehensive in her advice, delivered in a timely fashion. 2. Very hardworking on her cases, yet patient with her clients."
Danny Lim
"Very responsive and knowledgeable. Look at how they can value add to their clients through their experience."
Lee Xin Mei
"Prompt and responsive, solution and client oriented."
Sey Ming
"Providing good solution-based advice."
Brian Ng
"Approachable. Ability to solve complex issues."
Terence Quek
"Very in depth understanding of subject matter, provides solutions and a different perspective to solving issues."
Arnold Tann
"Very experienced. Works well with clients."
Raymond Tong
"Raymond is prompt in response, which is especially important for fast-moving equity capital market transactions."
Evelyn Wee
"Very responsive and knowledgeable. Look at how they can value add to their clients through their experience."
Anne Yeo
"Open to feedback; experienced."
"Works very well with clients. Very knowledgeable and experienced."