Herbert Smith Freehills' alliance firm Prolegis launches Singapore disputes practice with hire of top litigator Daniel Chia and team

Prolegis LLC has hired leading litigator Daniel Chia as director and head of litigation, adding Singapore litigation capability to its formal law alliance (FLA) with Herbert Smith Freehills. He will be joined by a team of three additional lawyers – Jonathan Tang and Yanguang Ker will join Prolegis as directors, along with associate Charlene Wee.

Daniel is one of Singapore's top litigators, regularly appearing before the Singapore High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Singapore International Commercial Court in major commercial disputes, arbitration-linked cases and restructuring and insolvency proceedings.

"We're delighted that Daniel will lead our new litigation practice," said Prolegis managing director Ban Leong Oo.  "He and the team bring high-calibre dispute skills to our firm, and to our alliance with Herbert Smith Freehills."

Daniel and the new team have represented multinational and Singapore companies, private capital funds, technology companies (mainly in payments and cryptocurrency services), and high-net-worth individuals.

"This major investment in the Prolegis practice provides our clients with seamless access to Singapore law disputes advice through the FLA," said Simon Chapman KC, Asia head of dispute resolution at Herbert Smith Freehills. "Daniel and his team's eminent reputation in the Singapore courts is the perfect complement to our own market-leading Asia disputes practice."

Daniel and the team will work closely through the FLA with Herbert Smith Freehills' Southeast Asia disputes practice, led by Alastair Henderson, and particularly the firm's 14-member disputes team in Singapore.

"This is a major milestone in our investment plans for this region," said Singapore managing partner Fatim Jumabhoy. "To meet growing client demand, we will continue to target the best lateral hires, nurture our longstanding alliance relationships and develop our existing talent."

The team's arrival at Prolegis marks 10 partner-level hires in just over a year across Herbert Smith Freehills and its associate firm network in Southeast Asia.

ABOUT THE TEAM

DANIEL CHIA

Daniel is a commercial trial and appellate litigator. He acts as counsel for clients in court hearings, arbitrations, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution forums. In addition to appearing as lead counsel, he is often lead and coordinating counsel when managing disputes across jurisdictions. He specialises in matters relating to regulatory, commercial fraud and business crime defence. These include investment and shareholder disputes and prosecuting and defending against allegations of money laundering and commercial crime.  He is regularly retained in professional liability cases where he acts in multiple industries for professionals, consultants and insurers in all matters relating to professional negligence.

A Singapore citizen, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in law from the National University of Singapore, is qualified as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

JONATHAN TANG

Jonathan advises clients on corporate restructuring, workouts and debtor-led insolvency.  He acts for debtor companies, creditors, liquidators and insolvency professionals in restructuring matters, with experience across the private capital, financial services, energy and resources, manufacturing, and fintech sectors. He has significant experience in acting for companies in scheme of arrangement proceedings and obtaining super priority rescue financing under Singapore's insolvency laws.

A Singapore citizen, Jonathan graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in law from King's College London and is qualified as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore.

YANGUANG KER

Yanguang advises clients on complex commercial litigation and arbitration, employment law and white-collar criminal defence. He works across sectors, with particular expertise in private capital, energy and resources, financial services, digital assets, bankruptcy, and construction. He has extensive disputes experience, having appeared at all levels of the Singapore Courts, the Singapore International Commercial Court and SIAC / ICC arbitral tribunals seated in London and Singapore.

A Singapore citizen, Yanguang graduated with a bachelor's degree in law from the National University of Singapore and is qualified as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore and solicitor in England and Wales.

CHARLENE WEE

Charlene has experience in a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters at all levels of the Singapore courts. These include claims relating to shareholders and financial services, contractual disputes, insolvency proceedings and employment litigation.

A Singapore citizen, Charlene graduated with a bachelor's degree in law from the National University of Singapore and is qualified as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Daniel will join Prolegis LLC in early April, while Yanguang, Jonathan and Charlene will join in May following the completion of regulatory processes/approvals.

1. Prolegis LLC is a premier boutique corporate and commercial law firm in Singapore, advising local and multinational corporations, financial institutions and government entities.

1. Prolegis and Herbert Smith Freehills entered a Formal Law Alliance (FLA) in 2015.  The FLA allows clients to access Prolegis' Singapore law capability alongside Herbert Smith Freehills' international skills.

1. Operating from 26 offices across Asia Pacific, EMEA and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape. With a nearly 40-year history in Asia, Herbert Smith Freehills has over 300 lawyers and legal professionals in the region, advising clients on complex corporate, disputes and finance matters from offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta*, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Shanghai*, Singapore and Tokyo.
    
2. Herbert Smith Freehills has the premier dispute resolution practice by scale, specialisms and skills in Asia, with 28 partners in six countries and through alliance firms in three. Clients receive outstanding service with industry understanding through international arbitration and in litigation (where permitted by regulation and through local law alliances).

1. Partners hired by Herbert Smith Freehills and its associate firms in Southeast Asia since January 2022 include Xavier Amadei, Rupert Baker, Adrian Wong, Nonnabhat (Niab) Paiboon, Irfan Ghazali, Abimata Putra and Prawidha Murti, with the partner promotions of Cellia Cognard, Harry Evans and Daniel Waldek by Herbert Smith Freehills, and of Stephanie by Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung, announced in May 2022. 

**In addition to Prolegis' FLA, the firm is part of a joint operation with Kewei in Shanghai, allowing access to China legal services alongside Herbert Smith Freehills' international expertise. In Jakarta, Herbert Smith Freehills' international counsel practise on secondment at its affiliate firm, Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung, one of Indonesia’s leading commercial and corporate law firms.