News & publications

Singapore publishes Final Report on upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation

On 4 August 2023, the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness (Tripartite Committee) released[1] its final policy recommendations on the proposed legislative framework to enhance workplace fairness (referred to as the Workplace Fairness Legislation, or WFL), by way of a Final Report that has been accepted by the Singapore Government (Final Report).

The Singapore High Court rules that Crypto Assets are “things in action” capable of being held on trust: ByBit Fintech Ltd v Ho Kai Xin and others [2023] SGHC 199

The Singapore Courts have issued yet another landmark decision on the nature of crypto assets. In ByBit Fintech Ltd v Ho Kai Xin and others [2023] SGHC 199, the High Court was presented with the issue of whether crypto assets are property capable of being held on trust, and if so, what type of property they are.

CCCS seeks public feedback on Guidance Note for Environmental Sustainability Collaborations

On 20 July 2023, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) announced a public consultation to seek feedback on its proposed Guidance Note on Business Collaborations Pursuing Environmental Sustainability Objectives (Environmental Sustainability Collaboration GN). The consultation will run until 27 August 2023.

Cryptocurrency: A perspective from Singapore

Investors suffered very significant losses as a result of the wave of collapses in the crypto sector in 2022.

Singapore Competition law fact sheet

Singapore: Cross-border guide to parent company liability for foreign subsidiaries

Financial Services and Markets Act 2022 – 1st phase commencement

The Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) was passed in Parliament on 5 April 2022. The FSMA is expected to be implemented in phases, with the first phase having commenced on 28 April 2023.

Global Workplace Insider: Singapore employment and labour guide

As a global business hub, Singapore is the preferred choice for many multinational corporations which operate in the Asia-Pacific region. An important issue that these corporations must deal with is employment and labour laws and regulations.

The rise of Singapore

Singapore is becoming a major restructuring hub due to various factors not least to the restructuring community’s commitment to push through major law reforms and flexible court processes.

Singapore steps up controls over workplace fairness and discrimination

Since the start of 2023, there have been a number of significant developments in the employment landscape in Singapore, largely focused on workplace fairness and discrimination.

Restructuring your business: The Asian perspective

In the current economic climate, and particularly in the context of the implications of COVID-19 (coronavirus), many businesses are considering restructuring and/or rescheduling indebtedness.

Kei-Jin Chew receives top accolade from the Law Society of Singapore

Kei-Jin Chew, partner in Norton Rose Fulbright and the managing director of Ascendant Legal, the Formal Law Alliance (FLA) law firm with Norton Rose Fulbright in Singapore, has been conferred with this year’s C C Tan Award by the Law Society of Singapore. This is the highest award presented by the Law Society and recognises the recipient’s virtues of honesty, fair play and personal integrity.

Singapore Employment Law Update september 2022

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has recently announced several enhancements to the work pass regime to strengthen Singapore’s position as a global hub for talent.

Electronic signature law: A global guide

As many of us are adapting to homeworking across the globe, bringing deals to a close and executing documents remotely has never been more pertinent.

Recent case law developments in Singapore’s restructuring and insolvency laws show balancing between pro-rehabilitation policies and pro-creditor policies

Singapore continues to develop its status as an upcoming international hub for debt restructuring.

Singapore Employment Law Update: April 2022

The Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced several changes to the S Pass and Employment Pass (EP) regimes in relation to the hiring of foreign employees.

Keeping with the times: CCCS updates competition guidelines and issues guidance note for businesses

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) recently issued a guidance note for businesses to provide a clearer conceptual framework as to how the CCCS will analyse and evaluate cases, and revised several of its guidelines.

Global brochure: Law around the world

Norton Rose Fulbright provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We have more than 3,700 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

Withholding evidence on the ground of Common Law Public Interest Immunity in Singapore

The Singapore High Court recently confirmed in Mah Kiat Seng v Attorney-General [2021] SGHC 202 (Mah Kiat Seng) that the common law doctrine of public interest immunity remains part of Singapore law and was not superseded by the enactment of the Evidence Act (Cap. 97) (EA) in 1893.

Singapore to enshrine workplace anti-discrimination laws

On 29 August 2021, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the Government will enact new laws to formally enshrine the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (“TAFEP Guidelines”) into statute.

Kei-Jin Chew recognised in Who's Who Legal: Southeast Asia 2021

Kei-Jin Chew, managing director of Ascendant Legal, is recognised as being among Southeast Asia’s leading business lawyers and experts in Arbitration and Litigation in Who's Who Legal: Southeast Asia 2021.

MAS Consultation – Proposed amendments to impose requirements on financial institutions conducting unregulated business

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued a consultation paper on 2 July 2021 seeking views on various proposals, including to introduce powers to enable the MAS to impose requirements on certain financial institutions conducting unregulated business.

Ascendant Legal recognised as Recommended Firm in Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2021

Ascendant Legal is delighted to be ranked in Benchmark Litigation’s Asia-Pacific 2021.

Singapore: Competition law fact sheet

Our Asia Competition Law fact sheets provide insights into the main competition law regimes across Asia.

Ascendant Legal and Norton Rose Fulbright are registered as a Formal Law Alliance

In 2018, Ascendant Legal LLC entered into a Formal Law Alliance (FLA) with global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright.

Blog series: Animal, Vegetable, Token

This blog series has been named after the classic children’s categorisation game where one player names an object and the other player has to categorise it as an animal, vegetable or mineral.

Consortium advised on combination of Singlife and Aviva’s Singapore businesses for SG$3.2bn

Norton Rose Fulbright worked together with Latham & Watkins advising a consortium, led by Singapore Life (Singlife) and TPG, on the combination of Singlife with Aviva Singapore for SG$3.2bn (approximately. US$2.4bn).

Firm wins Central Banking ‘Technology Advisor of the Year’ Award

Norton Rose Fulbright has been named ‘Technology Advisor of the Year’ at Central Banking Journal’s third annual Fintech & Regtech Global Awards for advising on the world’s first consumer-ready central bank digital currency (CBDC).

Ascendant Legal enhances dispute resolution offering with new director

Ascendant Legal today announced that Edgar Chin has joined the Singapore law practice as director. This addition will further bolster the dispute resolution capabilities of Norton Rose Fulbright in Si...