LEGAL LUMINARIES
Singapore’s 18 most influential lawyers under 40 in 2021
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ighteen new lawyers have been nominated as the most promising in Singapore Business Review’s eighth year of legal luminaries aged 40 and under list. They shine in diverse fields of law, from corporate and employment law to intellectual property. Lawyers on the list have also advised clients on matters such as energy resource projects, corporate resolutions, and privacy laws. The rankings on this list are from youngest to oldest. 1
Gabriel Li, 31, Withers KhattarWong Li is currently an associate in the corporate team focusing on venture capital investments, crossborder investments, acquisitions, and joint ventures. Highlights of his career include advising Tokocrypto on the launch of its newest token, TKO. He also advised Kejora Ventures on SiCepat Ekspres Indonesia’s US$195m Series B fundraising. Li also assisted with an associated secondary purchase of shares in SiCepat Ekspres from existing shareholders. This deal is the largest Series B fundraising in Indonesia in 2020. 2 Nandhu, 31, RHTLaw Asia LLP Nandhu is a Senior Associate currently practising litigation and dispute resolution. At 31, she is handling State Courts, High Court, SICC, Court of Appeal, and international arbitration matters. Her career highlights include the first-ever successful appeal from SICC to the Court of Appeal due to an alleged breach of a non-recourse loan agreement and her representation of the Singapore Golf Association, Korea Golf Association, and Indonesia Golf Association at the Asian Games 2018 in a sports arbitration.
Alexander Joseph Woon Wei-Ming, 31, RHTLaw Asia Wei-Ming is currently a lecturer at the School of Law, Singapore University of Social Sciences, and a counsel at RHTLaw 3
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Asia. He served as Programme Director at SMU Academy Graduate Certificate in Law and Technology. He was also part of the State Counsel that presented evidence before the Committee of Inquiry during the cyberattack on SingHealth in 2018, the then-largest data breach in Singapore’s history. Elaina Foo, 32, Bird & Bird ATMD LLP Foo is affiliated with Bird & Bird ATMD LLP, specialising in public policy practice. She advised on privacy laws in Brunei, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. She also advised against the emerging disinformation or fake news in Sri Lanka and on India’s proposed regulatory framework for non-personal data. She has served as a contact for those looking to launch new OTT platforms in the APAC region and maintained an active presence in discussions regarding the regulation of AI. 4
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Esther Wee, 32, Harry Elias Partnership LLP Wee is currently the head of IP and an OF counsel for Harry Elias Partnership LLP. Notable cases she has assisted with include Procter & Gamble in coordinating a series of raids in Singapore to address the seizure of liquid detergents, Japan Tobacco International in an IP due diligence exercise of an acquisition deal, and Zilingo Pte. Ltd. in managing its global trademark, advising on enforcement actions, and filing for oppositions in the Philippines. Kok Yee Keong, 32, Harry Elias Partnership LLP Yee Keong is a senior legal associate at Harry Elias Partnership LLP (HEP). In his seven years with HEP, Leong has appeared 6
in all levels of court, as well as served as a member of the Personal Injury/ Property Damage Committee, Law Society of Singapore from 2019-2021, and Community Legal Clinic Committee, Law Society Pro Bono Services from 2020-2021. Yee Keong has worked in civil and commercial litigation, asset recovery, insolvency and restructuring, construction and engineering, real estate management, and personal injury and property damage. 7
Ng Sook Zhen, 33, Dentons Rodyk Sook Zhen is a partner of Dentons Rodyk’s Regional practice group and is currently the head of the Japan Desk. At 33, she has assisted Singaporean and Japanese clients on various matters including banking and finance disputes, and employment and regulatory compliance. Highlights of Zhen’s law career include advising Capital World Ltd. on a pre-pack scheme of arrangement now sanctioned by the Singapore High Court and the divestment of shareholding in Timbre Group by a member of parliament and the founder of said group. 8
Thian Wen Yi, 33, Harry Elias Partnership LLP Wen Yi is a partner at Harry Elias Partnership LLP with expertise in family and matrimonial law. Some notable career highlights include participating in closed-door sessions on the revamp of the Family Justice Rules in 2020 and giving a talk on personal protection orders for the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations in July 2021. Landmark cases held by Yi include acting as lead counsel for Sim Kim Heng Andrew v Wee Siew Gee [2014] 1 SLR 1276, and co-counsel in TGT v TGU [2015] SGHCF 10. 9
Justine Barthe-Dejean, 35, Holman Fenwick Willan, Singapore Barthe-Dejean is a senior associate of the Commodities Team at Holman Fenwick Willan Singapore. At 35, she
