On 19 December 2008, our Corporate Finance team conducted a joint seminar with RSM Chio Lim on 'Financial Strategies Motivating Talent in a Recession'. This seminar was attended by clients from both firms. Participants learnt how an Executive Share Option Scheme and/or a Share Performance Plan can be used as a tool to motivate and retain talent in their companies, especially during these challenging times.

Allan Tan of CNP discussed the similarities and differences between an Executive Share Option Scheme and a Share Performance Plan, as well as the relevant regulatory issues. Tay Woon Teck and Josephine Hong from RSM Chio Lim explained how an Executive Share Option Scheme and a Share Performance Plan, and a modification thereof, will affect the company's financial statements. Tay Woon Teck explained how different scenerios would result in different financial implications, and provided guidance on how to structure such a plan.

This seminar is the first of a series of joint seminars/workshops planned by CNP and RSM Chio Lim to address topical issues and clients' concerns during the current economic situation. This will be followed shortly by another joint seminar on Mergers and Acquisitions in January 2009

Colin Ng & Partners LLP is pleased to welcome Mr Glenn Knight as a Partner in its Dispute Resolution Practice Group and its FIRST team with effect from 1 January 2009.

Mr Knight served in Singapore Legal Service from 1970 to 1991.  He served with the Attorney-General's Chamber as Senior State Counsel and handled major fraud and tax evasion cases.  A major milestone in his career: he set up the CAD (Commercial Affairs Department) and was its Director from 1984 to 1991.  As Director of CAD, he was involved in civil and criminal litigation including Insider Trading and Security Fraud.  He has also served as Counsel to an ex-Prime Minister of Singapore.  Besides the above, his experience includes serving on the senate of the Academy of Law as well as teaching at all institutional levels of training at the National University of Singapore.

His areas of practice include civil and commercial litigation, corporate and securities law and criminal law.

Mr Knight is the newest member to join the FiRST team.  The FiRST team was set up to provide strategic advice as well as proactive and commercially viable solutions in light of the global economic slowdown and financial crisis. FiRST is a cross-disciplinary group comprised of Partners and Consultants drawn from a wide range of Practice Groups which include Banking & Finance, Corporate Advisory, Dispute Resolution, and Compliance & Regulatory. The team provides advisory services to companies and banks with insolvent customers on debt restructuring and workouts including schemes of arrangement, the disposal of distressed businesses and/or assets, the creation of additional security, and on the appointment of insolvency practitioners. FIRST also offers a wide range of services on corporate recovery including restructuring and workouts, mergers and acquisitions, corporate compliance, employment law and tax advisory services.

With the addition of Mr Knight, the Dispute Resolution Practice Group and FiRST team’s capabilities are further enhanced and are in an even better position to serve their clients.

CNP's Japan Focus Group profile is now available in the Japanese language, for greater accessiblity to  Japanese speaking clients. Click here to download the Group's brochure in Japanese or English.

On 20 November 2008 - CNP Compliance Pte Ltd, the continuing sponsor arm of Colin Ng & Partners LLP, participated in the 2nd Catalist Networking Event organised by the Singapore Exchange Limited ("SGX"). The CNP Team made a presentation at the event on the differences between the roles of continuing sponsors and the directors/management of Catalist companies, had a representative on the panel for the Q&A session and met up with Catalist companies at 1-to-1 sessions.

Background: SGX announced the launch of the Catalist sponsored regime on 4 September 2007 with the intention to completely replace the SESDAQ regime in two years.  Catalist Non-Sponsored ("Catalist NS") Companies have until 5 February 2010 to transfer to the Mainboard; or engage a Sponsor to remain on Catalist under the Catalist regime.  Failure of a Catalist NS Company to comply with either option may lead to the delisting of the said company.

On 22 October 2008, our Dispute Resolution Practice Group (DRPG) hosted a tea session for colleagues from Stone Forest Corporate Advisory Pte Ltd. Both groups gave an introduction of their respective teams and scopes of work. This event gave our lawyers and the Stone Forest team a chance to get to know each other and renew some acquaintances.  It also allowed the participants to understand more of each others' respective areas of work.

On 31 October 2008, Elaine Beh, head of our Corporate & Commercial Practice Group & Co-head of Corporate Finance Practice Group, Bill Jamieson, head of our Funds and English Law Practice Group, and Marilou Cristobal, a CNP Foreign Associate and NYU@NUS LLM Graduate, met up with a number of NYU@NUS LLM students and some of their tutors organised and hosted by Prof. Simon Chesterman, Director of the NYU@NUS Programme, for an enjoyable lunch followed by a talk by Elaine and Bill on developments in the Singapore legal market, cross-border M&As and what it takes to be a good corporate lawyer. The event gave our lawyers and the NYU@NUS LLM students and faculty a chance to get to know each other  and better understand what is happening in their respective areas of legal work.

In October 2008, CNP was invited by Malaysian developer YTL Group to its roadshows in Hong Kong and Dubai.  The roadshows were organised to market the newly launched Sandy Island villas on Singapore Sentosa Cove to targeted buyers in those countries.  CNP was the only Singapore law firm invited to attend both the roadshows. Partner Chan Wai Mun was present to answer their queries on general property law in Singapore, requisite government approval and terms of acquisition of landed property by foreigners, the conveyancing process and timelines, MAS and EDB investment schemes for foreigners and applications for PR and long term visit pass.

Designed by Italian architect Claudio Silvestrin, who has also designed Giorgio Armani flagship stores around the world, the luxury waterfront units have built-up areas ranging from 7,500 to 9,200 sq ft.  So far, 3 of the 18 99-year leasehold properties units have been sold and the highest price fetched so far is $2,100 psf.

With effect from 20 October 2008, Wong Sook Ling joins CNP as Associate Director in CNPTax, the tax advisory arm of CNP.

With 16 years of specialist tax experience, Sook Ling has focused on and continues to be dedicated to building up her career in M&A, servicing private equity, financial and strategic clients.  She also provides tax advisory services to domestic and multinational clients.

Sook Ling has extensive experience providing tax due diligence, tax structuring and planning for management and leveraged buy-outs including public to private transactions. The services cover global, regional and Singapore targets with broad industry coverage in the manufacturing, services and infrastructure sectors.

FIRST is dedicated to provide strategic advice as well as proactive and commercially viable solutions in light of the global economic slowdown and financial crisis. FIRST is a cross-disciplinary group comprised of partners and consultants drawn from a wide range of Practice Groups which include Banking & Finance, Corporate Advisory, Dispute Resolution, and Compliance & Regulatory. The Team can deliver coordinated and comprehensive advice involving financial, regulatory, litigation and employment law matters. We provide advisory services to companies and banks with insolvent customers on debt restructuring and workouts including schemes of arrangement, the disposal of distressed businesses and/or assets, the creation of additional security, and on the appointment of insolvency practitioners. We also offer a wide range of services on corporate recovery including restructuring and workouts, mergers and acquisitions, corporate compliance, employment law and tax advisory services. Click to find out more.

Bill Jamieson, partner, will be speaking on 8 October 2008 on how UK Treasury guidelines provide a model for drafting and negotiating PPP contracts. Click here for more details.

The signing of a joint venture agreement between Colin Ng & Partners LLP ("CNP") and Tricor Singapore Pte Ltd took place yesterday. Tricor CNP Corporate Services Pte. Ltd., the joint venture company will commence operations from 1st of September 2008 and will take over the existing corporate secretarial business of CNP. Read more

With effect from 1 July 2008, Colin Ng & Partners LLP (CNP) welcomes Bill Jamieson as an Equity Partner.  Besides heading the English Law Practice Group and Funds Practice Group, Bill is also a member of the Banking & Finance Practice Group, India Practice Group and Corporate & Commercial Practice Group.  Prior to joining CNP as a Senior Foreign Legal Adviser in June 2004, Bill was a partner in a well-known international law firm.  Qualified in England, Bill is also registered to practise Singapore law. His areas of expertise include Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Project and Structured Finance.  He has consistently been recommended by Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A.  Recently, he was also recommended by Asialaw Profiles 2007 as a Key practitioner for Capital Markets and Corporate Finance and for Project Finance, Infrastructure and Energy.  Recent notable deals on which he advised include the US$850m financing of the take private of Want Want Holdings (CFO Asia deal of the year 2007) and the Allco Commercial REIT IPO (Asian Counsel Top 10 deal 2006)

June 2008 - CNP has been nominated as a finalist in the 'Real Estate Law Firm of the Year' award category at the Asian Legal Business (ALB) SE Asia Law Awards for 2008.

Bill Jamieson an English lawyer practising at Colin Ng & Partners LLP has recently received an approval from the Attorney General to practise Singapore Law in Singapore. With experience advising on cross-border corporate finance deals in the City of London for 8 years and in Asia for nearly 15 years, Bill can now advise clients on the Singapore law aspects of these transactions as well as the international aspects. He has consistently been recognised in Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a leading practitioner in corporate/M&A deals. Recent notable deals on which he advised include the US$850m financing of the take private of Want Want Holdings (CFO Asia deal of the year 2007) and the Allco Commercial REIT IPO (Asian Counsel top 10 deal 2006)

February 4, 2008, marks the appointment of CNP Compliance Pte Ltd (CNP Compliance) by the Singapore Exchange (SGX) as a continuing sponsor for companies listed on Catalist, the new second board of SGX replacing SESDAQ.

As one of the pioneers among the approved Catalist sponsors and the continuing sponsor arm of Colin Ng & Partners, CNP Compliance's role as a continuing sponsor is to advise companies listed on Catalist on their listing obligations as well as to oversee their compliance with the relevant Catalist regulations.

In the constant evolution of listing and post listing requirements of Catalist, CNP's track record in capital market transactions, compliance and regulatory legal work over the last 20 years will provide CNPC the support to offer continuing sponsor services to clients. CNPC looks forward to this exciting development and will work with the SGX, the issuers, full sponsors and other market intermediaries in this new area.

CNP acted for Allco (Singapore) Limited as manager of Allco Commercial Real Estate Investment Trust (Allco REIT) in relation to the acquisition of the building known as KeyPoint, a large mixed use commercial property at 371 Beach Road, Singapore for S$370 million and the related debt security financing. Click here for the press release.

January 2008 - CNP’s Corporate Finance group made an appearance on the "Who's Who in Corporate Finance" supplement to the January 30 issue of The Business Times, South-East Asia's leading newspaper on finances, the economy and corporate issues. Juxtaposed against running pages of text and images on white, CNP's full page spread is an eye-catching concept contrasting a solid black background with the central message, "Our clients' interests come first." Through this published feature, CNP wishes to thank all our clients for their unwavering support through these 20 years.