Michael has advised and represented clients in various contentious and non-contentious matters, covering a wide spectrum of the law including arbitration, building and construction, insolvency, and family law.

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While in university, Michael received the Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize (Group) in 2016. Michael was also part of the team that represented the National University of Singapore in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2017, where the team received Honourable Mentions for both Claimant and Respondent Memorandums.

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Work Experience

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Commercial Litigation and Arbitration Practice

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• Acting for an international brewery in a claim against a Myanmar entity pursuant to a multi-million dollar loan facility agreement in an international arbitration under SIAC 2016 rules seated in Singapore.

• Acted for a multi-national health and electronics technology company in a domestic arbitration in connection with claims arising out of the construction of its flagship building in Singapore under the SIA rules. 

• Advising and acting for the co-founder of one of the largest crypto financial service providers.

• Advised a Washington-based investment firm focused on blockchain infrastructure in relation to claims arising from a blockchain token sale agreement.

• Advising Russian banks in relation to various facility agreements.   

• Acting for a private equity fund management company in a shareholder dispute over a Vietnamese
  pharmaceutical company defending a claim for misrepresentation and mismanagement. Successfully applied for the claim in Singapore to be set aside in favour of arbitration.

• Advised a Malaysian entity in its corporate restructuring involving the ICSID Convention.

• Acted for a property developer in an appeal before the Singapore Court of Appeal in a claim against a contractor and project consultants in relation to numerous construction law issues arising out of a multi-million dollar development in Singapore’s premier research hub for biomedical sciences. 

• Acted for an investor before the Singapore International Commercial Court against an investment fund. Successfully defended a multi-million dollar claim for breach of a subscription agreement.

• Acted for a company and its related entities in their claim for licensing and franchising fees from its Indonesian franchisees and licensees. This was a cross-border matter requiring coordination with counterpart solicitors from Indonesia. Successfully defended an application to set aside orders for service out of jurisdiction and for substituted service.

• Acted for a United States individual in defending a claim in conspiracy for dissipating proceeds of sale of a water treatment company operating in China. This was a cross-border matter requiring coordination with counterpart solicitors from the United States. Successfully applied to set aside orders for service out of jurisdiction, orders for substituted service, and a Mareva injunction.

• Acting for a Singapore-based capital funds broker in claims against an international school for introduction fees pursuant to an introduction agreement for capital.

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Restructuring and Insolvency Practice

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• Advised Court appointed receivers and managers of companies affiliated with/related to a Russian oligarch to secure US$250 million in assets in Singapore, Cyprus, Belize, and the BVI pursuant to a receivership order made in Singapore.

• Advising a creditor in the liquidation of the Envy Group of companies. This liquidation relates to the S$1.2 billion nickel-trading fraud perpetuated by Mr Ng Yu Zhi, one of the largest financial frauds in Singapore.

• Advised liquidators in the liquidation of various companies including Home-Fix DIY Pte Ltd.

• Advised a United States asset management company on matters in several cross-border group of company insolvency matters, which includes companies incorporated in Singapore and Mexico.

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Family Litigation Practice

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• Acted for a mother, a United States individual, in a highly contentious cross-border divorce before the Family Court and the Family Division of the High Court. Provided analysis of United States financial instruments and individual retirement accounts. The matter also involved a Court-appointed expert psychologist in assessing the father’s suitability to be a primary caregiver. Successfully defended multiple applications and obtained a final relocation and care and control before both Courts.

• Acted for a mother, a Swiss individual, in a highly contentious application for maintenance. Successfully obtained a rarely granted order for backdated maintenance on appeal before the Family Division of the High Court.

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Memberships

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• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Member

• Law Society of Singapore – Member

• Singapore Academy of Law – Member

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Qualifications and Education

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• Advocate & Solicitor, Singapore, 2019

• Bachelor of Laws (Hons), National University of Singapore, 2018

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Publications

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• “The Use of Academic Scholarship in Singapore Supreme Court Judgments, 2005 - 2014”, (2015) 33 Sing L. Rev 25