Latham & Watkins LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Firm Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Singapore > Capital markets: equity and debt: foreign firms Tier 1

Latham & Watkins LLP brings its world-leading credentials in capital markets to Singapore where the team has extensive geographic coverage across Southeast Asia and South Asia. The Singapore department has balanced mix of issuer and underwriter clients with the practice encompassing the full range of equity and debt products. It has maintained an outstanding reputation in regional IPOs, particularly those originating in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, along with India. It is also noted for US IPOs on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq. Sharon Lau is a leading name in regional equity and debt offerings, including SPAC deals, IPOs, medium term note (MTN) programmes and exchangeable bond issuances. Rajiv Gupta is head of the India practice and a leading figure in IPOs and high-yield bond offerings by Indian companies. Stacey Wong is an emerging talent, along with counsel Jeremy Wang. Timothy Hia covers both bank financings and debt offerings. Michael Sturrock has retired.

Singapore > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 1

Counting private equity houses, corporates, funds and financial institutions among its key roster of clients, Latham & Watkins LLP showcases demonstrable experience in public M&A, private takeovers, joint ventures, corporate restructurings and disposals, and is well-placed to advise on US, English and Singapore law. Practice leader Amy Beckingham advises on the entire lifecycle of clients’ investments and Sidharth Bhasin’s workload encompasses private equity investments and exits, public and private M&A and joint ventures. James Clayton-Payne maintains a track record in cross-border M&A and joint venture transactions in Asia and the Middle East, while Sharon Lau counts private equity sponsors, corporates and financial investors among her key roster of clients. Other names to note include Marcus Lee and Farhana Sharmeen.

Singapore > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP has a quality and versatile practice covering key areas such as acquisition and leveraged finance, private credit financings and bank-bond deals. With its strong presence across the region, the Singapore team frequently advises on cross-border financings involving Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Clients include private equity sponsors, banks, alternative lenders and corporate borrowers. Andrew Bishop is local chair of the finance department, splitting his time between Singapore and Hong Kong, and maintains a strong presence in sponsor-driven leveraged finance. Timothy Hia is a leading figure in Singapore with strong reputation in acquisition finance, along with energy and infrastructure financings. Chuan Wei Kong was promoted to partner in January 2024.

Singapore > Energy: foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP’s energy and infrastructure industry group often advises clients on multi-jurisdictional matters across the oil and gas, renewables and LNG sectors. The firm’s clients span the entire energy value chain, from national oil companies, state-owned energy companies, global energy majors, to private equity and investment funds active in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Notably, Sidharth Bhasin advises clients on M&A, investments and joint ventures across Asia, with an emphasis on transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. James Clayton-Payne focuses on handling transactions in the energy infrastructure, digital infrastructure, oil and gas, and all other natural resources sectors. Don Stokes often assists clients on complex infrastructure and energy project developments and financings throughout Asia.

Singapore > Projects: foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP’s project development and finance team regularly advises lenders, borrowers, developers, and state-related entities on projects throughout the APAC region. The firm is known for its expertise in structuring and executing project financings across the energy, infrastructure, mining, transport, and communications sectors. Stephen McWilliams, who is based between Singapore and Tokyo, focuses his practice in the LNG, petrochemicals, infrastructure, and renewables sectors. Don Stokes has over a decade of experience advising on renewable and conventional power, infrastructure and telecoms, and gas development and transportation projects. Owain Davies specialises in the LNG, power, and petrochemicals sectors.

Singapore > Start-up and venture capital – Foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP has a global focus on start-up and venture capital work, which includes a major presence in Silicon Valley and other key centres. The Singapore team works closely with colleagues in the US and other international offices, with the key partners having a background in corporate and M&A and private equity buyouts, right down to seed and early-stage funding rounds. The group features both Singapore and international lawyers, covering the full spectrum of technology and life sciences deals, along with other key growth company segments. James Clayton-Payne has a background in venture capital and growth company business, as does Singapore and UK-qualified Farhana Sharmeen. Private equity and venture capital specialist Amy Beckingham splits her time between Singapore and Hong Kong.

Singapore > TMT: foreign firms Tier 3

Latham & Watkins LLP has demonstrated its strong expertise in cross-border M&A and private equity transactions, along with start-up and venture capital matters. The firm’s standing brings it engagements from multiple jurisdictions in Southeast Asia, including top local, regional and global clients. It has also developed its reputation in privacy and cybersecurity, along with commercial contracts and outsourcing, and regulatory and licensing expertise. James Clayton-Payne is a leading transactional lawyer with a background in TMT deals. Counsel Esther Franks leads the office’s cyber and privacy practice and data and technology transactions team.

Singapore > Data protection and cyber security: Foreign firm

India > Foreign firms Tier 2

Core streams of work for Latham & Watkins LLP include capital markets, M&A and private equity, shareholder activism and commercial outsourcing transactions, with considerable experience handling matters that span Asia. Practice leader Rajiv Gupta frequently handles matters pertaining to a host of capital markets and M&A transactions, while Sidharth Bhasin represents a stable of private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions on investments in India. Timothy Hia covers the full gamut of finance transactions including some notable leveraged financings.

Malaysia > Foreign firms Tier 2

The team at Latham & Watkins LLP advises various domestic and international clients on a diverse range of corporate and finance transactions in Malaysia, including capital markets, M&A, and venture capital. The firm prides itself in advising clients across the full transaction life cycle, across conventional but also, Islamic finance, with significant expertise in structuring documents and negotiating key structures of sukuk, murabaha, and modaraba, to name a few. The firm is also well placed within the region, to advise clients across a wide range of industries including food and beverage, technology, and energy. Leading the practice is Sharon Lau, who advises both issuers and underwriters in global securities offerings, including IPOs, REITs, and high-yield debt offerings.

Vietnam > Foreign desks Tier 2

Advising domestic and international private equity and strategic investors and financial institutions on cross-border transactions, including M&A and project financing, the team at Latham & Watkins LLP draws on its capabilities across an extensive range of industries. With multiple partners helming the practice, the department consists of Amy Beckingham, who specialises in M&A, joint ventures, and equity capital markets. while Sharon Lau focuses on M&A and corporate finance transactions, representing both issuers and underwriters on debt and equity issuances. Also leading the team is Andrew Bishop and Don Stokes, who has substantial experience working in Vietnam’s energy and infrastructure sector.

Japan > Projects and energy: International firms and joint ventures

Philippines > Foreign firms

With an ever-growing client base of national conglomerates, the team at Latham & Watkins LLP routinely handles major transactions in the corporate, energy, and capital market spaces. Other key parts of the team’s workload consists of M&A, project finance, and arbitration work. Spearheading the practice, Benjamin Carale lends his extensive market experience in leading the firm’s capital markets practice. Meanwhile, Don Stokes advises on renewable and conventional power, digital infrastructure, and telecommunications projects across the wider Asia-Pacific region, with a particularly active portfolio in the Philippines. Diana Dizon is a core team member, advising Philippine clients on debt and equity capital markets transactions.

Indonesia > Foreign firms

Latham & Watkins LLP has a wealth of experience advising on cross-border transactions involving Indonesia. The team advises clients across a range of sectors, including telecoms, oil and gas, retail, and power. Sharon Lau focusses on M&A and capital markets transactions; she recently advised Merdeka Battery Materials on its IPO on the Indonesian Stock Exchange. With more than two decades of experience, Timothy Hia is recommended for complex financing and refinancing mandates. Stephen McWilliams is a further standout member of the team with a specialty in handling infrastructure and energy projects. James Clayton-Payne, Marcus Lee and Sidharth Bhasin are also of note.

South Korea > Projects and energy: foreign firms

Latham & Watkins LLP advises lenders, borrowers, project companies, governments, and state entities on complex, high-profile projects across the Asia-Pacific. With the team spread across  Seoul, Tokyo, and Singapore, it excels in multi-sourced project financings across energy, infrastructure, mining, transport, and telecoms. Led by Stephen McWilliams, who brings significant experience in LNG, petrochemicals, and renewables deals involving Korean parties, the team also benefits from Richard Chul Kim’s Tokyo-based expertise in multi-jurisdictional financings with Korean sponsors, lenders, and government agencies.