co-published Corporate profile
Harry Elias Partnership leads the legal landscape for 25 years and counting
Find out how the firm’s heritage and reputation continue to propel it forward.
S
ingapore has a multitude of law firms that offer a spectrum of legal services for a client’s legal needs. However, the best law firms look at the client’s issues in totality and use that as a compass in order to provide the most appropriate legal solutions. Since 1988, Harry Elias Partnership has been able to establish itself as one of the most well-reputed litigation firms. This continues on today as they maintain their stellar track record as one of the country’s best in Dispute Resolution. “The firm mainly started as a litigation firm but as the firm grew, our suite of legal services expanded to include Corporate & Commercial, Real Estate and Banking and not forgetting Matrimonial and Family Law. We’re also involved in mergers and acquisition, IPOs, and regulatory work among others,” shares Philip Fong, Harry Elias Partnership’s Managing Partner. Landmark cases Over the past year, the firm has worked with some of the world’s most
sophisticated businesses on marketleading transactions that have impacted several industries. “Our top cases would be law making cases such as the Raffles Town Club case, Digilandmall.com case, and the Horizon Towers case,” notes Fong. These landmark cases paved way for statutory changes in Singapore. But like most companies, the firm had humble beginnings. Mr Harry Elias, the firm’s Senior Counsel, Founder, and Consultant takes pride in how the firm has developed from a relatively small firm into a multi- expertise legal institution. “The firm’s growth from a 3-man litigation law firm to a well-reputed multi-disciplinary law firm and its ability to continuously attract and retain highly talented lawyers from both the public and private sectors fill me with a quiet sense of pride and satisfaction. Today,
“They were able to successfully enhance and protect real business value.”
Ms. Foo Siew Fong, Mr. Harry Elias, Mr. Philip Fong and Mr. Tan Chau Yee
the HEP brand name is unquestioned,” he says. Fong notes that they are the go-to lawyers for construction, engineering & infrastructure projects. Their involvement in high-profile real estate matters including several Singapore landmarks continue to be the solid proof of their excellence as a firm. Talent Currently, the firm employs around 60 lawyers and close to 150 staff. “Although we are not a big firm, we have the weight even though we don’t have the numbers. We are proud of that,” says Fong. The firm has also won accolades for being “ALB’s Employer of the year” for two years running. As a trusted business partner of a number of organizations in Singapore, they have built a solid reputation for delivering solid legal solutions to their clientele. “We’re a practice of firsts, our reputation is not derived from the “firsts” but from what lies behind those firsts. Our core values of Integrity, Cohesion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence (I CARE) differentiate our firm from others. These put us in the best position to meet our clients’ needs in the divergent legal landscape of the region,” shares Fong. With an extensive industry insight and hands-on approach, they were able to provide clients with pragmatic advice as well as effective and valuable solutions to simple and complex business matters. “Above all else, our clients enjoy the personal attention of our vibrant partners, who work with passion and intensity,” says Fong. The firm, having built up a history and reputation in Singapore, then decided to venture into untapped markets in the region, the first being Brunei. Harry Elias Partnership LLP is the first Singapore law firm to have a physical presence in Brunei by way of a collaboration under the entity “HEP Law Office”. The firm has gained a substantial foothold in Brunei related work and has seen a steady stream of work since its official launch in November last year. SINGAPORE BUSINESS REVIEW | MARCH 2014 41