RHTLaw Taylor Wessing is pleased to announce the addition of Mr Vernon Loh as a Partner in our Banking & Finance Practice with effect from 29 January 2015. He is qualified to practice law in Singapore, England and Wales and New South Wales. His areas of practice include banking and finance, general corporate, and mergers and acquisitions. He was previously with an international bank where he assumed various legal and compliance roles across both corporate and retail banking segments and also corporate finance products, transaction banking products and retail banking products respectively. He was instrumental in its regional legal and compliance initiatives across South East Asia, most notably managing legal and compliance matters for the bank’s representative office in Myanmar, and most recently in the area of privacy laws. Prior to that, Vernon worked in the corporate practice of an international law firm in Sydney where he acted for and advised clients in the banking and funds industries, as well as the corporate practice of one of the largest law firms in Singapore where he handled matters involving corporate insolvency, corporate restructuring and debt rescheduling as well as schemes of arrangement and composition. He has also served as executive legal counsel with one of the world’s largest port operators where he was charged with the management of strategic acquisitions and divestments.

The World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000 revealed the world’s leading trademark professionals in the fifth edition of their directory, published in January 2015. RHTLaw Taylor Wessing is proud to announce that Partner Jonathan Kok, Head of the firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology Practice, has been ranked as a recommended individual for transactional work in Singapore. Simultaneously, the firm has also been recognized by WTR 1000 as a “recommended expert” in this field. WTR 1000 conducted an extensive research process over a four-month period by a team of full-time analysts which involved nearly 1,500 face-to-face and telephone interviews with trademark specialists across the globe. The Management, Partners and staff congratulate Jonathan on this achievement!

RHTLaw Taylor Wessing is pleased to announce the addition of Mr Ng Hwee Chong as a Partner in our Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice with effect from 13 January 2015. Hwee Chong is a versatile lawyer with extensive private practice and in-house experience. He has previously worked in two multi-national technology companies as the ASEAN regional counsel and the senior Asia compliance officer respectively. In private practice, he has more than 13 years commercial litigation experience and has acted for both corporate and individual clients in a broad range of corporate and civil litigation matters that included banking, insurance, company law, contractual, employment and international arbitration disputes. He was part of the team that successfully defended SilkAir MI185 air-crash and acted for Singapore Airlines in litigation arising from the SQ006 air-crash, and was named in the Euromoney Guide to the World’s Leading Aviation Lawyers from 2002 to 2004.

Singapore, 20 January 2015 – RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP (“the Firm”) announces the appointment of former Attorney-General Professor Walter Woon SC as the Non-Executive Chairman and a Senior Consultant of the Firm.   As the Non-Executive Chairman and a Senior Consultant, Professor Woon will further strengthen the Firm’s capabilities and scholarship in its various areas of legal practice including corporate and securities law, whilst providing strategic counsel and leadership to the Firm and its management board.   Professor Woon is the David Marshall Professor of Law and Deputy Chairman of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore (“NUS”) and the Dean of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (“SILE”).   Professor Woon brings his wide experience in academia, law, politics and diplomacy to the Firm, having served in all functions throughout his three-decade career. Amongst his previous accomplishments, Professor Woon served as Sub-Dean and Vice Dean of the NUS Law Faculty between 1988 to 1995, was a Nominated Member of Parliament between 1992 to 1996, Legal Adviser to the President of Singapore and Council of Presidential Advisors from 1995 to 1997, Solicitor General from 2006 to 2008 and Attorney-General from 2008 to 2010. He also served in a number of diplomatic functions for the Government of the Republic of Singapore as Singapore’s ambassador to the European Union, Germany, Greece, Belgium and Luxembourg from 1997 to 2006. Professor Woon has also been the Judge Advocate-General and a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and the board of directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.   He was formerly a director of Intraco Ltd (serving as audit committee chairman) and Natsteel Ltd. His book ‘Company Law’ is used as a standard text for law and business schools in Singapore and Malaysia. ‘Woon’s Corporations Law’ is also a standard reference book for company law. He chaired the Steering Committee for Review of the Companies Act, the recommendations of which form the basis for the current amendments to that Act. Professor Woon is also an honorary Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Directors.   RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP Managing Partner Mr. Tan Chong Huat said, “The appointment of Professor Walter Woon – one of Singapore’s top legal minds – as the Non-Executive Chairman of RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP will be very significant for our Firm. Professor Woon’s high standing in the academic, legal, political and diplomatic communities as well as his professional integrity and reputation will provide transformational leadership to the Firm, guide and help us to fulfill our ambition to be the leading international firm in Asia with Singapore origins.”   “Professor Woon’s extensive knowledge, experience and leadership will also significantly add to our Firm’s capabilities as it continues to provide highly sophisticated and diversified legal and professional services to clients in the Asia-Pacific region. We are grateful, privileged and honoured to have Professor Walter Woon join us as our Non-Executive Chairman and as a Senior Consultant.”   Professor Walter Woon said, “It is with great pleasure that I accept the chairmanship of RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP. I look forward to contributing to the Firm’s endeavours throughout the ASEAN region and internationally, and to helping the Firm achieve its ambitious goals for the coming years.”   “As a leading local international law firm, RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP will also allow me to stay close to the practice of the law as well as provide real life practice issues to benefit my students at NUS and SILE.”   The Supervisory Council of the Firm which comprised the late Subhas Anandan, Rajan Menon and Tan Chong Huat was instrumental in seeking Professor Walter Woon’s chairmanship to lead the Firm.