Oon & Bazul and TS Oon & Partners ranked in Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020

Practice Area

Legal 500 commentary 

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Oon & Bazul has a broad dispute resolution background, built on a solid shipping law platform. The practice now ranges from trade and commodities disputes to banking, insolvency and white-collar crime cases. Korea disputes specialist Julia Yu arrived in December 2018 from Bae, Kim & Lee LLC. Managing Partner Bazul Ashhab heads the dispute resolution practice, which includes international trade expert Kelly Yap and white-collar crime specialist Chenthil Kumarasingam.

Testimonials

Commitment to the task at hand and delivery of services at a reasonable fee.

Bazul Ashhab and Kelly Yap are always quick to grasp the issues and always capable of excellent delivery.

Key clients

• National Bank of Oman
• Bihar International
• Simpson Marine (SEA)
• Innovek

Work highlights

• Acted for National Bank of Oman in prosecuting a fraud claim in excess of $14m.
• Acted for Bihar International (Bakri Navigation) and Red Sea Marine Services in defending claims brought by Maybank in excess of $12m.
• Defended Simpson Marine (SEA) in a suit instituted by its ex-customer claiming the refund of a deposit and damages for alleged non-delivery of a €1.9m 64-feet yacht.

International Arbitration

Oon & Bazul has a core focus on shipping, energy and trade and commodities disputes. It continues to represent a number of Japanese entities in Singapore-seated arbitrations, thanks to strong connections to several Japanese law firms. Furthermore, it has a South Korean native within the team enabling a wider focus on North Asia clients. Suresh Divyanathan is a recognised arbitration specialist and Bazul Ashhab is a rounded dispute resolution expert.

Key client

• Shanghai Dingheng Shipping Co

Work highlight

• Acted for Shanghai Dingheng Shipping Co, the technical managers of the MT GOLDEN BRILLIANT V1603 vessel in arbitration proceedings against the charterer Astra-KLK, which resulted in a settlement.

Banking & Finance

Oon & Bazul is noted for trade and commodity finance, restructurings and refinancing. Compliance and regulatory expertise is also a forte for the firm. It has a wealth of banking relationships around Asia, especially amongst a number of Japanese and Indian banks. Ting Chi Yen leads the department and has a wide-ranging practice for a range of international lenders.

Key clients

• Various Japanese banks and shipping companies
• C&P Holdings

Work highlight

• Advised C&P Holdings on the S$95m sale of a logistics facility at 15 Greenwich Drive to ESR-REIT, and the collateral discharge of existing bank financing and security on the property along with the assignment of lease with JTC and sub-tenants.

Shipping

Oon & Bazul counts major shipowners, shipping lines, operators, P&I Clubs, shipyards and builders, commodities houses and banks among its impressive roster of clients. The practice has a good balance of dry and wet shipping mandates, covering arrests and security guarantees, ship finance, trade, and marine insurance. Managing Partner Bazul Ashhab and Kelly Yap are the lead partners.

Key clients

• Innovek Pte Ltd
• Great Lakes Maritime Ltd
• Jiang Xin Shipping Co Ltd
• Shanghai Dingheng Shipping Co Ltd
• North of England and Antoine Navigation
• Gard and Tarrant Shipping Inc

Work highlights

• Acting for the demise charterers and operators of the bunker barge Luna, which was arrested by bunker suppliers in the wake of the insolvency of O.W. Bunker A/S and its subsidiaries.
• Advising the Great Lake Maritime as the purchasers of a vessel under a shipbuilding agreement.

Represented the owners of the MV Gazi following a collision while the vessel was conducting discharging operations at a berth at the Chittagong port.

 Ranked as a Leading Individual 

 Practice Area

 Bazul Ashhab

 Shipping

 Practice Area

Legal 500 has published the following commentary on the ranked Practice

 Shipping

TS Oon & Partners, which benefits from being an associate firm of Oon & Bazul, handles both wet and dry shipping work, with particular expertise in contentious matters, such as arrests and maritime claims and charter party and insurance disputes. The group also handles transactional and advisory issues including ship finance and shipbuilding contracts. Practice head Oon Thian Seng and Partner Jessica Teng are names to note for transactional and contentious matters respectively.