Bazul is a leading dispute resolution practitioner in Singapore and the region.
Recognized as an expert in Court Litigation, International Arbitration and Cross Border Mediation.
Bazul Ashhab is the firm’s Managing Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution leading its Litigation and the International Arbitration Practice Areas.
He focuses on commercial law and gets regular instructions involving company law, international trade, banking, trade finance, shareholders’ disputes, insurance, insolvency, shipping, derivative actions, fraud and asset recovery.
His clients have described him as a “spectacular lawyer” who is “incredibly bright and knowledgeable” with “astonishing speed and strategy”.
He acts for very high-net-worth individuals and their companies, banks, financial institutions, and trading houses, as well as listed and private companies in various matters across the region.
He has acted for clients from various jurisdictions in their disputes in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
His many years of managing disputes in the region has given him the ability to combine his legal expertise with cultural considerations and knowledge of the lay of the land to provide effective and practical solutions to resolve complex disputes.
Bazul is also 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 led the firm’s fraud and asset recovery team to successfully secure a US$5 billion freezing order in Singapore (one of the largest seen by the Singapore Courts) as part of a coordinated effort to simultaneously obtain freezing orders in jurisdictions across the world.
Bazul was also appointed as an Ambassador to the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC) panel.
This appointment is a recognition of his leadership in alternative dispute resolution in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.
SIMC Ambassadors play a vital role in ensuring SIMC’s users have access to high quality dispute resolution services; represent SIMC at various events around the world, and are seen as experts and thought leaders in the area of mediation.
Bazul firmly believes in giving back to society and social mobility and the firm and he consistently provides financial assistance to needy students.
Charitable Appointments
• Appointed as a member of the Education Trust Fund (ETF) Committee of Yayasan MENDAKI
• Appointed as a member of IM.PROF’s Advisory Panel
- Acting for various regional and international energy trading companies on misdelivery claims exceeding US$230 million. Successful in obtaining unconditional leave to defend in several actions proceeding before the Singapore Courts, including (i) The Miracle Hope (unreported), (ii) Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Ltd v Maersk Tankers Singapore Pte Ltd (Winson Oil Trading Pte Ltd, intervener) [2022] SGHC 242, and (iii) The “STI Orchard” (Winson Oil Trading Pte Ltd, intervener) [2022] SGHCR 6, which has been affirmed on appeal (unreported).
- Successfully acted for bunker barge owners to defeat a misdelivery claim in the landmark decision of The “Luna” and another appeal [2021] SGCA 84. The Singapore Court of Appeal held that documents labelled “bills of lading” issued by local bunker barge operators were not true bills of lading that evidenced contracts of carriage or functioned as documents of title.
- Acted as lead counsel before the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) to successfully resist attempts to set aside arbitration awards involving claims in excess of US$108 million. The decision by Justice Simon Thorley QC, sitting as an International Judge of the SICC, is reported in CEV v CEC and others [2020] SGHC(I) 11.
- Acted for a Chinese shipowner in attempting to resist a US$8 million claim by a financial institution for misdelivery of cargo. The case involved novel issues on ‘spent’ bills of lading and interpretation of the Singapore Bills of Lading Act. The case is reported in The “Yue You 902” [2019] SGHC 106.
- Acting for a trade finance bank in pursuing recovery actions against Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd and its associated entities in respect of the bank’s exposure under trade financing agreements. The matter involves allegations of fraud and involves exposure of approximately US$3.85 billion to 23 banks.
- Successfully acted on behalf of Canada’s largest ocean-going, dry-bulk shipowning and chartering company to take out an anti-suit injunction against insurers in Philippines bringing a subrogated cargo claim.
- Acted in 5 ad-hoc arbitrations relating to offshore oil and gas disputes for total quantum in excess of USD $300million against an Indian national oil and gas company governed under Indian law governed in ad-hoc arbitration. Issues involved delay, defects, variation orders, change orders in Mumbai and Delhi.
- Acted for Singapore listed company in Malaysia in several claims against Oil Majors and Malaysia conglomerate for amounts exceeding US$100 million.
- Acted as lead counsel in a 10-day Singapore High Court trial on behalf of the trading arm of a multinational conglomerate to defend a claim brought by Chinese shipowners over a dispute on the unauthorised issuance of bills of lading which resulted in the arrest of the vessel in India. The dispute involves various interesting issues relating to the law on conspiracy, dishonest assistance, agency and vicarious liability.
- Successfully acted on behalf of a leading coal trading company to take out an injunction before the Singapore Courts to stop payment on a Letter of Credit based on a fraud committed by the Indonesian shippers.
- Acted on behalf of a Swiss-based group of companies for a claim on a refund guarantee issued in respect of a shipbuilding contract entered into with one of Vietnam’s largest shipyards.
- Assisting a multinational company in the oil and gas trade with investigations into apparent violations of sanctions against North Korea.
- Represented several companies to submit applications to OFAC to unblock or remove the restrictions on funds that have been blocked or restricted due to OFAC sanctions.
- Advising companies and individuals on matters involving international and unilateral sanctions against Iran, Russia, Myanmar and North Korea.
- Resolved a dispute relating to offshore construction related dispute governed under Mexico Law on against a Houston based offshore services company operating in Mexico. Mexican law governed in negotiations in Houston.
- Chambers Asia Pacific describes Bazul as an “exceptional lawyer” who “brings a London-style approach to local matters” and as someone who “always understands immediately what the client wants to achieve and goes after it in the most efficient way possible”.
- Chambers Global & Asia Pacific ranks Bazul as a Recognised Practitioner for his work in Shipping Litigation.
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific describes Bazul as one of Singapore’s leading lawyers who is admired by clients to be a “spectacular lawyer” who is “incredibly bright and knowledgeable” with “astonishing speed and strategy”. He is commended for his ability to “combine legal knowledge with commercial acumen.” He is also acclaimed as being “exceptional at crisis management” and having “a very keen mind”. The publication also noted that Bazul “handles complex, high-value claims” and that clients respect him for his “quick intellect and grasp for material issues”.
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific recognises him as a Leading Individual in the area of Shipping.
- Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific recommends Bazul as a Dispute Resolution Star in Commercial & Transactions, International Arbitration and Shipping.
- Asian Legal Business honoured Bazul with the “Singapore Managing Partner of the Year” award at the prestigious Asian Legal Business (ALB) Southeast Asia Law Awards 2018.
- Asia Business Law Journal ranks Bazul as one of Singapore’s top 100 lawyers.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers recognises Bazul as an Elite Practitioner for his work in Shipping. The title is defined by the publication as a true leader of the field, has an outstanding track record and recognised as the standout performers in the country or practice area.
- Bazul was featured in a Global Restructuring Review (GRR) article titled “Names to know in Singapore” and mentioned alongside prominent figures in the Singapore legal industry.
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