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Lim Mingguan

Director, Dispute Resolution

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Practice Areas

Qualifications

  • LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore
  • Admitted to the Singapore Bar in May 2010
Overview

Mingguan undertakes a broad spectrum of high-stakes and complex disputes. He has active commercial litigation and international arbitration practices (across all major institutions, including the SIAC, ICC and LCIA). He routinely appears before all levels of the Supreme Court, and has particular expertise in the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC).

Mingguan regularly represents and advises clients in the financial services industry, as well as tech companies, Web3 organisations, venture capital funds and start-ups. He is also actively involved in a variety of cryptocurrency related disputes. His clients also include high-net worth individuals, multinational institutions and governments, in contentious and regulatory matters.

In the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023, he was described as “detail oriented, well rounded, systematic”. Clients have also praised him as having “an innate ability to grasp complex concepts”, as well as a “reassuring, personable style”. He has also been noted for his able arguments and helpful submissions before the Courts.  

Mingguan was awarded a Singapore Academy of Law Post-Qualification Overseas Attachment in 2019, and was placed with magic circle set Essex Court Chambers, where he was involved in complex disputes with prominent King’s Counsel. He is also a member of the Law Society’s Advocacy Committee, and is a trainer for the advocacy module for the Singapore Bar Exams.

  1. Acted for the China Country Head of Macquarie Bank in a suit brought against him and Macquarie Bank by a Chinese State-Owned Enterprise in the then nascent SICC. The dispute concerned a commodity swap transaction arising from the ISDA Master Agreement, and involved issues noted by the Court to be “potentially of considerable significance to the derivatives market”. See: Macquarie Bank Limited v Graceland Industry Ltd [2018] SGHC(I) 5.
  2. Acted for a decentralised web3 foundation in a contractual claim for the recovery of cryptocurrencies in a SIAC arbitration, in claims totaling more than US$40m, leading to a successful settlement.
  3. Acted for the prospective purchaser of an offshore private bank in a suit in the SICC relating to allegations of mispresentation in the setting-up of a cryptocurrency bank and cryptocurrency fraud, as well as in resisting an application for a worldwide freezing order / Mareva Injunction.
  4. Acted for the shareholder of a start-up offering integrated financial services technology platforms to businesses and consumers in India, in successfully defending a winding-up application. The Singapore High Court made determinations on novel points of law on the standing of shareholders to resist creditors’ winding up applications. See: Atlas Equifin Private Limited v Electronic Cash and Payment Solutions (S) Pte Ltd [2022] SGHC 258.
  5. Successfully acted for a group backed by sovereign wealth funds against an $83 million emergency SIAC arbitration brought by a high-profile businessman and art dealer. The arbitration involved novel issues on whether the “alter-ego” and “group of companies” doctrines could found jurisdiction over non-signatories to an arbitration agreement.

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023

“Mingguan Lim – detail oriented, well rounded, systematic.’”

Awarded Singapore AAsian Legal Business
Singapore Rising Stars 2024 – Recognised lawyer

“He undertakes a broad spectrum of high-stakes and complex disputes, and has active commercial litigation and international arbitration practices.”

Clients praise Mingguan’s ability to “provide actionable and easy to understand advice” and to “establish well thought legal strategy”. His colleagues commend his “sterling track record of handling complex cases at the highest levels” and say that he “stands heads and shoulders above his peers in terms of his breadth and depth of experience”.

Academy of Law Post-Qualification Attachment in 2019

  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Member, Law Society of Singapore
  • Member, Law Society IT Sub-Committee
  • Member, Law Society Advocacy Sub-Committee