Oon & Bazul Welcomes 5 New Equity Partners

Oon & Bazul, one of Singapore’s leading independent conflict-free law firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of 5 Senior Partners – Prakaash Silvam, Ng Yi Wayn, Keith Han, Lionel Chan, and Priscilla Lua – from varying practice areas to Equity Partners.

This progression is a testament to their exceptional professional accomplishments and dedication to delivering excellent client service. They have also showcased stellar entrepreneurial spirit and leadership abilities, paving the way for the next generation of collaborative and innovative high-performing leaders.

As Head of Shipping, Prakaash Silvam has substantial expertise in handling disputes involving misdelivery claims and also the knock-on indemnity claims under letters of indemnity which are issued for the delivery of cargo without presentation of original bills of lading. He specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration with a focus on international commodity trade, trade finance, marine insurance and “dry” shipping work (including charterparty and bill of lading disputes).

Prakaash has been spotlighted by legal publications as being “business-oriented and practical” (Chambers & Partners) and for providing “timely, practical, and focused solutions on a cost-effective basis” (The Legal 500). He has also been recognised as an Accredited Specialist for Maritime and Shipping Law by the Singapore Academy of Law’s Specialist Accreditation Scheme. The accreditation scheme serves as a mark of recognition for legal professional excellence in their specialised areas of practice.

Ng Yi Wayn heads the firm’s M&A Practice. She specialises in Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestments (M&A) as well as Venture Capital (VC) financing transactions. She has represented global and regional clients in various industries, including the TMC (Technology, Media and Communication), Education and Healthcare sectors. Yi Wayn regularly advises clients in cross-border acquisitions and disposals, investments, restructurings and equity capital market transactions in Asia, Europe and the United States.

In 2023, Yi Wayn was recognised by Corporate INTL as the “Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year in Singapore. Singapore Business Review has also recognised Yi Wayn as one of Singapore’s 20 most promising legal luminaries aged 40-and-under. Clients have praised her for her “outstanding communication skills” and responsiveness that were “beyond expectation”. She is also described as one who is “reliable, trustworthy and straight forward”, “honourable and knowledgeable” and “always on top of the game”.

A graduate of the National University of Singapore with First Class Honours and a former Justices’ Law Clerk, Keith Han, who heads the firm’s Restructuring & Insolvency Practice, is one of the leading contentious restructuring and insolvency lawyers in Singapore. He has appeared as lead counsel at all levels in the Singapore Courts, including in the Court of Appeal, and his legal submissions have been recognised by the Singapore High Court in one reported case as being “succinct, thorough and well researched”, and from which the Court derived “considerable assistance”.

Keith was recently named the exclusive winner of the 2022 Lexology Client Choice Award for Restructuring & Insolvency in Singapore, based on nominations from over 2500 corporate counsel. His work has also been recognised by leading legal publications: Chambers Asia Pacific has recognised Keith as “Up and Coming” lawyer. The International Financial Law Review cites Keith as a “Rising Star” for Restructuring and Insolvency in Singapore, while Legal 500 Asia Pacific has recognised him in the local litigation category as a “Next Generation Lawyer” and a rising star as a practitioner “who is praised for his advocacy and very strategic advice”.

Lionel Chan is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice. He has extensive experience representing institutional and high net-worth clients in contentious matters. He has appeared as counsel before all levels of the Singapore courts, including the High Court and Court of Appeal, and has acted for clients in both institutional and ad-hoc arbitrations. Lionel also has experience acting in numerous cases involving novel legal issues and facts. Singapore Business Review recognises Lionel as one of Singapore’s Top 20 Lawyers Aged 40 and Under while the Legal 500 Asia Pacific highlights Lionel as a name to note for his work in Dispute Resolution.

Lionel is highly experienced in fraud and asset recovery claims and is a specialist in securing freezing and disclosure orders to trace, preserve, and recover assets. He is part of the firm’s fraud and asset recovery team who recently assisted their bank client to secure a US$5 billion freezing order in Singapore (one of the largest seen by the Singapore Courts) as part of a co-ordinated effort to simultaneously obtain freezing orders in jurisdictions across the world including the UK, Hong Kong SAR, Luxembourg, and Cyprus. He is also a member of the International Fraud Group, an elite network of leading international fraud and asset recovery law firms and legal practitioners.

Priscilla Lua is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice. She specialises in international arbitration and commercial litigation and acts as counsel in court and international arbitration proceedings and has experience with various institutional rules such as ICC, SIAC, LCIA, HKIAC, UNCITRAL as well as ad-hoc arbitrations. She has also been appointed by the SIAC as a sole arbitrator. Her practice frequently involves complex cross-border elements, and she acts for multinational companies in the construction, power, oil & gas sectors, as well as for banks and financial institutions. Priscilla is recommended by Legal 500 Asia Pacific and is described as a “stand-out” for her work in International Arbitration.

Prior to joining the firm, Priscilla practised for six years with an elite UK magic circle firm in both its Singapore and London offices. Whilst with the magic circle firm, she also spent close to a year in Hong Kong with a client on an international secondment and was widely praised by the client for being “commercially focussed in her drafting which was of a very good quality” and for being “always astute and practical in her approach”. Prior to her joining the magic circle firm, Priscilla spent a number of years with a pre-eminent Senior Counsel in one of the Big Four domestic law practices in Singapore.