Deborah Barker SC > Withers KhattarWong LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Lawyer Profile
Withers KhattarWong LLP Offices
18 Cross Street,
#14-01
Singapore 048423
Singapore
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Deborah Barker SC
Work Department
Litgation and Arbitration
Position
Partner, Litigation and Arbitration
Career
She was called to the Bar on 19 January 1977 and was appointed Senior Counsel on 6 January 2001. She has worked for more than three decades in the areas of civil and commercial litigation and has extensive experience in both trial and appellate litigation.
In addition, she regularly acts for banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and multinational corporations in a wide range of matters, and is instructed to act in various complex corporate and trust claims, property related matters and cross-border disputes. She also conducts both local and international arbitrations.
Many of Deborah’s cases have been reported in the Singapore Law Reports and international legal guides have named her as a leading practitioner in both dispute resolution and employment law. Her areas of practice include Arbitration; Civil and Commercial Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Law; Property Law; Employment Law and Labour Relations; Banking, Finance and Securities; Estates and Trusts, Landlord and Tenant, Hire-Purchase, Leasing and Factoring; and Bankruptcy and Insolvency.
Deborah has been cited for her expertise in dispute resolution and labour and employment law in various publications, including Asialaw Leading Lawyers, The Asia Pacific Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal Singapore.
Languages
English
Memberships
Senior Counsel (2001)
Referee, Industrial Arbitration Court
Organising Committee, Singapore Academy of Law Lecture
Committee of the ASEAN Law Association
International Bar Association
Military Court of Appeal
Education
University of Singapore, LL.B (Hons)
Lawyer Rankings
Singapore > Labour and employment: local firms
Withers KhattarWong LLP has a long history in the employment sphere, particularly on the disputes side. Given the firm’s focus on private wealth, it is noted for its representation of senior executives and individuals, alongside its corporate client base. The firm has an impressive background in employee terminations, harassment claims, and senior executive exits. Deborah Barker SC has decades of experience in dispute resolution, including a significant proportion of employment cases. Amarjit Kaur is an emerging talent and esteemed litigator, who balances contentious and non-contentious employment work, including contract negotiation and employee benefits, while frequently acting for executives in employment disputes against large corporates, including breach of confidentiality claims.
Singapore > International arbitration
(Firms to watch)The arbitration team at Withers KhattarWong LLP acts on major disputes across a range of sectors, with particular expertise in cryptocurrency, AI and blockchain disputes. Deborah Barker SC is head of the practice, while Shaun Leong is another key team member.
Singapore > Dispute resolution
Withers KhattarWong LLP has dispute resolution at the heart of its Singapore practice, with Deborah Barker SC, a senior counsel since 2001, at the helm. The Singapore office has a major focus on private capital, resulting in a steady pipeline of commercial and personal disputes engagements. The team is also rated for employment, white-collar crime and tax cases. Moreover, it is building its standing in tech, crypto and blockchain-related disputes. Chenthil Kumarasingam is an experienced commercial litigation and arbitration specialist, with Shaun Leong providing further senior-level arbitration expertise. Ushan Premaratne departed the practice in September 2023 to join Meritus Law LLC.
Lawyer Rankings
- Labour and employment: local firms Singapore
- Dispute resolution Singapore
- Firms to watch Singapore > International arbitration
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Labour and employment: local firms
- Real estate: local firms
- Banking and finance: local firms
- Dispute resolution
- Fintech and financial services regulatory: local firms
- Intellectual property: Local firms
- Investment funds: local firms
- Restructuring and insolvency: local firms
- Start-up and venture capital – Local firms
- White-collar crime - Local firms
- Corporate and M&A: local firms
- International arbitration