Drawing considerable praise from clients who turn to the team for its ‘strong technical knowledge’ and ‘business acumen’, Allen & Gledhill LLP continues to lead in the region’s most prominent restructuring and insolvency cases. The firm stands out for its expertise in handling a diverse spectrum of mandates, serving both creditors and lenders with exceptional skill in both domestic and cross-border scenarios. Practice head Chong Yee Leong, a seasoned lawyer, boasts an impressive track record in international arbitration, insolvencies, and regulatory matters. She is supported by deputy head Edward Tiong, who  handles restructuring matters and commercial disputes. Andrew Chan is praised as ‘excellent at what he does and is among the best insolvency practitioners in Singapore’.

Fielding a ‘very experienced and well-balanced team’ that is ‘commercial and technically sound’, Drew & Napier LLC stands out as a leading force in the region’s restructuring and insolvency landscape. Counting financial institutions, holding and investment groups, public boards, and sovereign wealth funds among its key roster of the clients, the team excels in both contentious and non-contentious matters, offering expertise in asset recovery, pursuit, and court protection cases. The practice is jointly steered by Sushil Nair and Julian Kwek. Nair is regularly involved in some of the largest restructuring exercises in Asia, with notable ties to Indonesia and China, while Kwek is noted for his focus on cross-border M&A, joint venture, private equity, debt workouts, and corporate restructuring. ‘First-rate litigator’ Blossom Hing is described as ‘smart, hard-working, thoughtful and incredibly perceptive’, while Mohan Gopalan is recommended for his focus on insolvency and debt restructuring.

Described as ‘market leaders, client-oriented and well regarded’, the team at Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP houses one of the largest restructuring and insolvency practices in the region, adeptly handling a comprehensive range of both domestic and cross-border issues, whether contentious or non-contentious. The team assists its impressive client roster, encompassing lenders, creditors, debtors, liquidators, and judicial managers, across the marine and offshore, energy, oil and gas, as well as commodities, consumer goods, and financial services sectors. Spearheading the team is Kwan Kiat Sim, who has expertise in banking and financing disputes, corporate insolvencies, business advisory, workouts and debt restructurings, and enforcement of creditors’ rights. Deputy heads Beng Chye Chua and Sheila Ng stand out for their focus on corporate and contentious insolvency. Patrick Ang is noted for his expertise in banking and financing disputes.

Well-regarded for its ability to combine ‘commercial sense, technical knowledge and personal soft skills’, WongPartnership LLP boasts extensive experience across all types of restructuring and insolvency mandates, with particular expertise in representing debtors and special situation investors. The practice is jointly led by Manoj Sandrasegara and Smitha Menon. Sandrasegara has extensive experience in complex cross-border debt restructurings act for borrowers, court-appointed administrators and special situation investors, while Menon, dubbed the ‘leading light in restructuring’, specialises in corporate disputes and restructuring. Clayton Chong’s practice includes restructuring and insolvency with a focus on formal and out-of-court cross border restructurings

Praised as the ‘best boutique restructuring and insolvency practice in Singapore’, BlackOak LLC adeptly handles both sides of mandates, advising a diverse roster of clients, including professionals, debtors, creditors, funds, and white knights. The team handles complex multi-jurisdictional bankruptcies, restructurings, and liquidation proceedings and have a strong presence in South Asia, with recent work in Indonesia, Malaysia, and collaborations in India. Ashok Kumar regularly handles contentious and non-contentious matters, while Darius Tay, described as the ‘chess grandmaster of restructuring and insolvency in Southeast Asia’, advises fund managers on both compliance and regulatory matters. Derrick Teo is also recommended.

Serving a wide range of creditors, debtors, receivers, and liquidators, Dentons Rodyk handles both contentious and non-contentious issues, covering debt restructurings, bankruptcies, insolvencies, and related disputes. Ajinderpal Singh, who regularly prepares schemes of arrangements between companies and their creditors and reconstruction and amalgamation schemes, jointly leads the team alongside Kia Jeng Koh, who stands out for his cross-border expertise, with additional expertise in construction-related mandates. Debby Lim has a broad commercial practice with overlapping strengths in banking and finance disputes, insolvency and restructuring, domestic and international arbitrations.

The ‘knowledgeable’ team at Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC excels in corporate debt restructurings and other contentious matters, with notable expertise in special situations such as rescue financings, workouts, distressed transactions, and white knight scenarios. The practice is jointly steered by Wendy Tan and Bernard Lui. Tan maintains a strong focus on a diverse roster of clients from the shipping, international trade and commodities, energy, insurance, and logistics sector, while Lui handles a number of significant M&A and corporate finance transactions across a broad spectrum of sectors. James Bradley and Ivan Qiu have been lauded as ‘extremely talented individuals’.

Highlighted for its ability to provide clients with ‘commercial and practical solutions’, Shook Lin & Bok LLP’s practice covers everything from distressed M&A and asset divestments to debt restructurings, liquidations, bankruptcies, receiverships, judicial management, and schemes of arrangement. Co-head Sarjit Singh Gill SC handles the full range of restructuring work, acting in major domestic and cross-border mandates. Fellow co-head David Chan is sought after for his expertise on large domestic and cross-border insolvencies. Daniel Tan, described as the ‘complete package’, is noted for his strong focus on banking and financial disputes.

Ascendant Legal LLC has bolstered its restructuring and insolvency practice with the recruitment of Meiyen Tan from Oon & Bazul LLP in February 2023, enhancing its expertise in both domestic and cross-border contentious and non-contentious matters. Praised for its ‘good technical knowledge’, the team is a key port of call for financial institutions operating across the shipping, commodities, energy and tech sectors. Tan has been lauded for her ‘amazing ability to translate knowledge into well thought out practical solutions’. 

Harry Elias Partnership offers comprehensive advice on corporate insolvency matters, catering to a diverse range of clients, including corporations, creditors, liquidators, and judicial managers. The team excels in managing both contentious and non-contentious issues, with deep expertise in sectors such as banking, construction, and real estate. Practice head Justin Chia represents liquidators, judicial managers, receivers, accounting firms, creditors, companies, and shareholders in insolvency and restructuring matters throughout Singapore. Tan Chau Yee has extensive experience in the area of construction law covering both contentious work and front-end work for engineering, construction and infrastructure projects.

‘Responsive, knowledgeable and always available’, the team at Oon & Bazul LLP is renowned for its experience in cross-border contentious and complex restructurings and insolvencies. The team is proficient in consensual and non-consensual restructurings and all related documentation such as schemes of arrangement, debt restructuring agreements and restructuring support agreements. Keith Han leads the team and specialises in cross-border restructuring and insolvency matters, fraud and asset recovery, as well as shareholder disputes.

Standing out for its ‘bespoke approach to complex financial restructurings, demonstrating a unique blend of legal acumen and commercial pragmatism’, Providence Law Asia LLC advises on corporate insolvencies, restructurings and domestic and cross-border bankruptcy mandates. The team is jointly led by Abraham Vergis SC, who is praised as a ‘strong advocate’, and Kenny Lau, who stands out as an ‘excellent lawyer who manages large, complex matters’.

Setia Law LLC houses a ‘novel, cutting edge and creative’ restructuring and insolvency practice, that focuses on high-value, cross-border distressed situations, particularly in the finance industry and the digital assets space. Practice head Danny Ong draws considerable praise from clients for his ability to ‘weigh in on critical matters, quickly and decisively’. Wern Jhien Yam focuses on contentious insolvency, fraud, and asset recovery, while Bethel Chan has notable experience of prosecuting claw back actions in multi-jurisdictional insolvencies.

Tan Kok Quan Partnership draws considerable praise from clients who turn to the team for its ‘technical knowledge and good communication skills’. The team is regularly instructed by commercial and investment banks, accounting firms and corporate enterprises on a range of distressed cases. Leading the team is Eddee Ng, who is described as an ‘outstanding advocate and delightful practitioner to work with’. Elsewhere in the team, Keith Tnee is praised as ‘personable’ and always doing his ‘best for his clients’. Paul Seah has a wealth of experience advising Singapore’s leading accounting firms and financial institutions on all facets of insolvencies, restructurings and investigations.

The ‘partner-led and commercial’ team at TSMP Law Corporation is recognised for its proficiency in restructurings, insolvencies, liquidations, enforcements, and turnarounds, frequently representing a mix of domestic and international corporate clients, including accounting firms and financial institutions. Thio Shen Yi SC focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration, construction and engineering disputes, restructuring and insolvency, and trust disputes, while Felicia Tan earns praise for her ‘proactive approach towards work’. Kelvin Koh is noted for his experience advising on commercial litigation, international arbitration, restructuring and insolvency, and private wealth and trust matters.

Lauded for its ‘good technical capabilities’, Virtus Law LLP is well-versed in a broad range of restructuring and refinancing matters, including Chapter 11 insolvencies, enforcement cases, workouts and pre-pack schemes. Operating across a myriad of sectors, including transport, shipping and offshore, the team effectively leverages the firm’s finance, transactional, and litigation strengths to manage complex cases. Daryll Ng advises banks and shipping companies on several high-profile maritime restructuring and insolvency cases in the region, while Lauren Tang stands out for her litigation capabilities. Jason Yang is recommended for his considerable experience advising on complex financing and sale and leaseback transactions.

Withers KhattarWong LLP focuses on private investments and financings, advising private investors on acquiring and financing distressed assets and companies throughout Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The firm is also highly skilled in debt restructurings, enforcement actions, and workout strategies. Practice head Justin Yip is a key port of call for multi-national corporations, Singapore-listed companies, local and foreign banks and financial institutions seeking advise on debt restructurings, corporate rescues and special situation transactions.