For the fifth instalment of the annual Rising Stars listing by Asian Legal Business, TSMP director Joshua Phang has made the list. The list features 51 legal practitioners, drawn largely from international/global firms, a handful of top-tier Singapore domestic firms, and a range of Singapore boutique/specialist practices. The publication states the list recognises legal leadership that combines deep expertise with the foresight to anticipate and shape what clients need.

Joshua, 32, was recognised for his involvement in high-profile matters, including acting for professional legal and audit firms as well as high-net-worth individuals in billion-dollar disputes. Among these, he served as lead counsel in several High Court matters and co-argued the Bhojwani family breach of trust appeal before the Appellate Division, a case which involved novel legal issues. The matter raises novel issues concerning a trustee’s duties, the interpretation of a will and testamentary trust, and a trustee’s powers of appointment and removal. It also involves complex valuation questions relating to trust property — including shares requiring expert analysis of events spanning several decades — making it a significant addition to Singapore’s trust jurisprudence.

He also acted for Dutch investors NextEra Energy Global Holdings B.V. and NextEra Energy Spain Holdings B.V. in Singapore court proceedings against the Kingdom of Spain, seeking recognition and enforcement of an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) award of approximately S$500 million. The case is Singapore’s first reported matter involving the ICSID Convention and issues of sovereign immunity.

Joshua’s practice also spans arbitration, where he acts for and advises states, state-owned entities, and investors in commercial and investment treaty disputes. He   currently serves as Asia Co-Chair of the Young Institute for Transnational Arbitration.

In addition to his practice, Joshua has co-authored Economic Torts in Singapore, the first book in Singapore dedicated to the subject of economic torts. The book provides comprehensive coverage of the area, including the elements of each tort, the rationale and history behind their development, and potential future developments in the law.