Date Published: 1 July 2021
CNPLaw LLP (“CNP”) is proud to announce that Hazel Ho-Tsastsina and Hu Huimin have been promoted to partners of the firm effective 1 July 2021, bringing the number of CNP partners to 22.
Hazel’s practice focuses on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, private equity and corporate advisory. She holds dual bar admissions in Singapore and in England and Wales. With over 10 years of experience working in-house and in private practice, Hazel has advised various companies ranging from start-ups to MNCs. She has been consistently recognised as a “Notable Practitioner” for Corporate and M&A practice by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) 1000 in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Hazel is also named in the Singapore Business Review (SBR) as one of Singapore’s 21 most influential lawyers aged 40 and under in 2020.
Hazel says, “I am excited to join the partnership. I believe that the lawyers make the firm and I look forward to working with the other CNP partners to strengthen our teams and expand our presence. CNP has become a local household name over the years, coming into its own across Asia and adapting to changing times. It is humbling to be a part of this and I hope to play my part well in this new leadership role.”
Huimin’s main area of practice is in general civil and commercial litigation with a specialisation in matrimonial proceedings, family disputes and private client matters. She has considerable experience in high value divorces involving non-disclosure of assets, cross-jurisdiction assets and multi-million dollars assets. She regularly acts for legally aided clients in court proceedings as an assigned solicitor of the Legal Aid Bureau. She has also been appointed as an Honourary Legal Advisor to St Luke’s Hospital from 2020 to 2022 and advises the hospital on legal matters on a pro bono basis.
Huimin says, “I am deeply grateful to the firm for believing in me and supporting my development since 2011. I am excited by the opportunity to grow the firm’s family law and private client practice and look forward to serving the diverse needs of the community in these areas of law. It is my hope that I can continue to help clients through familial crises and enable them to be in the most optimal position to rebuild their lives and relationships.”
Commenting on the promotions, CNP’s managing partner, Lisa Theng, said: “ We warmly welcome Hazel and Huimin to the partnership at CNPLaw. These outstanding lawyers are specialists in their respective areas of practice and have contributed significantly towards the growth of the firm. They are client centric, have consistently demonstrated exceptional legal acumen and are trusted colleagues with a collaborative approach to practice. I look forward to our new partners leading the way in their new roles, continuing to build and grow our practices and strengthening our firm’s culture of excellence. I would like to congratulate them on their promotions.”
Every business involves an amalgam of various stakeholders, such as investors, shareholders and directors. Ideally, each of these stakeholders should have a common vision of what is best for the company. However, this is rarely the case when individual interests are factored into the equation.
Stakeholder conflicts (regarding issues such as breaches of fiduciary duties, derivative actions, shareholder oppression, management deadlocks, management compensation, dividend payments and buy-outs) can be a thorny issue and can leave a company crippled if not addressed promptly.
Given the diversity of interests at play, we appreciate that a multi-faceted approach is usually the most cost-efficient method of resolving stakeholder conflicts. Therefore, we provide clients with ready access to an integrated team of lawyers (combining the experience of our corporate, dispute resolution and employment law practices where applicable) who will effectively engage the relevant stakeholders in discussions on how best to resolve their differences amicably.
More often than not, clients are able to avoid costly protracted court proceedings and resolve stakeholder conflicts with discretion and expediency.
Each M&A deal entails the confluence of multiple legal disciplines. That is why we take great care when assembling a team for each deal, ensuring that there is an optimal mix of specialisation in the clients’ identified areas of concern, such as tax, employment and intellectual property, and necessary industry-specific experience.
We provide support to our clients at every stage of the deal. We will be there at the beginning of the process, helping to facilitate the negotiations between the parties and advising on the structure of the transaction. Once the parties have reached a consensus, we meticulously prepare the necessary documentation. Recognising that M&A deals are often the first page of a new chapter for the parties involved, we also provide post-transaction support to ensure a smooth transition such as the preparation of shareholder agreements, employment agreements, and other relevant commercial documentation.
When dealing with matrimonial and family issues, our dispute resolution lawyers are well trained in the particular skillset and distinct sensitivity required in helping clients deal with the choices and possibilities faced. Our team of lawyers is experienced in the law and practice, including dealing with financial implications, and procedures following a separation or divorce. We are attentive to the sensitivities of family relationships and are able to provide clear guidance and advice to protect our client’s interests through court proceedings where necessary.
Estate and succession planning can be described as the art of planning and organising personal affairs to achieve maximum wealth protection, for one’s family.
An estate plan may be prepared at any time of one’s life but we usually recommend our clients to start early as this is more effective. Effective estate planning may include appropriately drafted wills and the use of trusts, among other things.
With proper estate planning, our clients are able to minimise the exposure of their accumulated wealth to unnecessary expenses and taxes. This helps them safeguard their wealth during their lifetime and ensures that their loved ones will be properly provided for when their time comes.
Practice Areas:
Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Advisory, Matrimonial and Family Disputes and Estate Planning