DREW & NAPIER TOPS NUMBER OF SENIOR COUNSEL IN A FIRM
- Firm remains the leading disputes practice in Singapore with 7 Senior Counsel -

A look around at some of Singapore’s other leading litigators serves to affirm Drew & Napier’s standing as the "training ground” for aspiring disputes lawyers. (Please refer to Notes below for details.) Consistently recognized by international ranking organizations as a top disputes firm, Drew & Napier was ranked for 3 consecutive years by Asia Pacific Legal 500 as the stand-alone tier 1 firm for dispute resolution. It was also the first and only firm to score a historic double distinction by clinching both Asian Legal Business’ Commercial Litigation Firm of the Year and International Arbitration Firm of the Year awards. No other Singapore law firm has achieved this feat where Drew & Napier trumped over many international law firms in the International Arbitration Firm of the Year award.

"I am honoured and humbled by this appointment.   It would not have been possible without the superb work and support of my colleagues in Drew & Napier, for which I am deeply grateful.  This will spur me on to work harder to bring the firm and the legal profession to even greater heights.” said Hri, of his appointment.

Hri joined Drew & Napier as a pupil in 1991, and was made a partner in 1997.   Since corporatisation in May 2001, he has been a director of the firm.    He has over 15 years of experience, specialising in defamation, insolvency, banking and property matters, as well as professional negligence. Over the years, he has been cited repeatedly in Asia Pacific Legal 500, a leading guide to Asia’s law firms.

Hri has appeared in a number of high profile cases.   Some of his recent cases include defending Asia Pacific Breweries (S) Pte Ltd (“APB”) in a highly-publicised, ongoing S$100 million claim by four foreign banks; successfully representing APB in a landmark decision on the law on legal professional privilege; defending two international banks in separate claims over $500 million for fraud and negligence; successfully acting for a public listed company on issues pertaining to the ownership of an invention and the law of patents; successfully recovering a number of properties worth over $12m in a family dispute involving conspiracy and fraud; and representing the owners of a residential development in successfully rescinding an en-bloc sale worth over $30m.

“Drew has regional clients who have instructed us on overseas acquisitions where there is no Singapore component in the transactions and Singapore law is not the governing law of the transactions. Our role is to lead and manage the entire process including structuring the acquisition with advice from the local counsel we engaged on our clients’ behalf. This is similar to what the major offshore law firms in Singapore have practiced over the years and we are now practicing in that manner”, he said.

Hri is regularly instructed by the press for defamation work as well as local and international banks for a variety of contentious matters, particularly those involving fraud.  He has also led teams of lawyers in separate extensive investigations into the affairs of two public listed companies, on issues relating to fraud, criminal breach of trust and breach of directors duties, and the affairs of a Singapore branch of a foreign bank.

His experience in arbitration includes representing a listed company in a multi-million dollar claim against a foreign state government.

Hri sits on the Rules of Court Working Party and is also a Member of Parliament. He graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1991 with 2nd Class Honours (Upper) in law.

The other appointee, Cavinder Bull, has been cited by international publications as a “rising star” and “a key component of the firm’s projected future success”. Asia Pacific Legal 500 writes that Cavinder is “held in the highest esteem by clients and rivals alike.” In a case he handled, the High Court expressed its thanks to Cavinder for his assistance in a protracted trial, describing him in the judgment as a “persuasive advocate” who “ably prosecuted a factually complex and somewhat emotively charged case with conspicuous fairness”. Who’s Who Legal 2008 similarly recommends him as a leading lawyer for commercial litigation.

Some of Cavinder’s recent trials and arbitrations include a landmark Court of Appeal decision in a US$44 million claim involving 7th century cargo of Tang Dynasty artifacts from a sunken vessel in Indonesian waters; a landmark case on breach of fiduciary duties involving an Australian listed company in a two-month long trial against its former Managing Director in respect of a multi-million dollar fraud and breach of fiduciary duty; representing equity investment vehicles belonging to a prominent Saudi Arabian Prince and a Sheikh in a $22 million private equity dispute involving a failed investment in a telecommunications company operating in Asia; successfully representing the Lebanese Honorary Consul to Singapore in a claim brought by Saudi Arabian businesses in the Singapore High Court relating to a failed joint venture for oil and futures trading in Singapore; and successfully representing a Swiss company in a US$11 million international arbitration involving a contractual dispute relating to a flour mill in Indonesia.

Cavinder graduated with First Class Honours in law from Oxford University in 1992. He was called to the Bar of England & Wales the following year, placing fourth in the Bar examinations. He returned to Singapore and passed the Singapore Bar exams, winning the prize for top candidates. Cavinder worked for the Chief Justice of Singapore as a Justices’ Law Clerk before joining Drew & Napier in 1994 as a litigation associate. In 1995, Cavinder was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship and left for Harvard Law School where he received an LL.M. He passed the New York Bar exams and was admitted to practice in New York. Cavinder practiced as a litigation associate with Sullivan & Cromwell in New York until late 1997 when he returned to Singapore and Drew & Napier. Cavinder was made a partner of Drew & Napier in 1998.

Often regarded by the legal fraternity as a mark of having attained the highest distinction in litigation, Cavinder says of his appointment, “I’m delighted to join the ranks of the many distinguished Senior Counsel in Singapore and look forward to keeping the Drew & Napier flag flying at the highest level of legal practice.”

Drew & Napier also congratulates the newly appointed Senior Counsel Sundaresh Menon and Lee Eng Beng and former Drew & Napier litigators, Professor Jeffrey Pinsler and Thio Shen Yi.

Notes to the Editor

1. Senior Counsel who were trained and commenced their litigation practice in Singapore with Drew & Napier include K Shanmugam SC, Steven Chong SC, Harry Elias SC, Tan Cheng Han SC , Kenneth Tan SC, Jeffrey Pinsler SC and Thio Shen Yi SC. The last two were appointed on 5 January 2008.
2. Asia Pacific Legal 500 2007/2008 edition ranked Drew & Napier stand-alone for the 3rd straight year in tier 1. The firm also had the most number of recommended leading lawyers for 2 years running.
3. Drew & Napier is the first firm to win both the Commercial Litigation Firm of the Year and International Arbitration Firm of the Year awards at the Asian Legal Business SE Asia Law Awards. It was also the 3rd successive year Drew & Napier had retained the former award.
4. Chambers Global/ Chambers Asia ranked Drew & Napier in band 1 for dispute resolution for the second consecutive year.

ABOUT DREW & NAPIER LLC
Established in 1889, Drew & Napier LLC is one of Singapore’s leading and largest law firms, with over 220 lawyers and fee-earners. Consistently rated top tier in dispute resolution over the years by international ranking organisations such as Asia Pacific Legal 500, Chambers Global, Practical Law Company and Asia Law Profiles, to name but a few, the firm has seven senior counsel, the largest number of any law firm in Singapore. The firm is headed by chief executive officer, Davinder Singh, Senior Counsel. Drew & Napier LLC is also highly rated in Corporate Insolvency & Restructuring, Intellectual Property and Tax, with market leading practices in Banking & Corporate, Competition & Antitrust, Telecommunications, Media & Technology, and Admiralty & Shipping.

For more information please contact:
Verona Huang
Corporate Affairs Manager
Drew & Napier LLC
Tel: +65 6531 2482
Email: verona.huang@drewnapier.com

Angela Wee
Corporate Affairs Executive
Drew & Napier LLC
Tel: +65 6531 2425
Email: angela.wee@drewnapier.com