Private Wealth and Trust

As Singapore grows as a private wealth hub in Asia, so does the demand for legal services in the area of private wealth structuring and trust advisory and litigation services. Banking experts Jennifer Chia and Kelvin Koh, along with property and consultant trust law specialist, Professor Tang Hang Wu, lead our team in structuring and managing the assets of private wealth individuals and family offices, as well as undertaking effective inheritance and legacy planning.

Working closely with banks, trust companies and tax advisers, we provide seamless advice in what is usually an area of some sensitivity for clients.

Notable Briefs

Acted for the Plaintiffs in one of the largest trust disputes in Singapore, involving assets valued at around US$600-800 million. The dispute involved assets held in a circular structure of offshore companies, with seemingly no natural persons having ownership of the companies. The Court had to consider the principles underlying the beneficial ownership of assets held in such a structure, and whether a beneficial owner could unilaterally remove those assets without reference to corporate procedures. [Note: Court of Appeal decision is pending.]

Acted in a landmark case on the statutory interpretation of statutory trust under the Commodity Trading Act and the Securities and Futures Act arising from MF Global Singapore. The Court of Appeal decision provides guidance on the determination of the proprietary rights and priority of creditors and customers in the liquidation of commercial entities engaged in trading in commodities, securities and futures in Singapore. The case is reported as Vintage Bullion DMCC (in its own capacity and as representative of the customers of MF Global Singapore Pte Ltd (in creditors’ voluntary liquidation) v Chay Fook Yuen (in his capacity as joint and several liquidator of MR Global Singapore Pte Ltd (in creditors’ voluntary liquidation)) and others and other appeals [2016] 4 SLR 1248.

Acted for the matriarch in a high-profile family trust dispute, which involved assets relating to the Afro-Asia Shipping group worth over S$200 million. The Court had to assess whether there was any common intention constructive trust, resulting trust and proprietary estoppel arising over the assets based on matters spanning over decades. The case is reported as Tan Chin Hoon and others v Tan Choo Suan (in her personal capacity and as executrix of the estate of Tan Kiam Toen, deceased) and others and other matters [2016] 1 SLR 1150.