Morrison Foerster (Singapore)

The firm: With approximately 1,000 lawyers in 17 offices, Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) is a preeminent global law firm dedicated to delivering business-oriented results to clients across the United States, Asia and Europe. Dynamic technology and life science companies, large financial institutions, private funds, private equity and venture capital firms, leading consumer product companies and other market leaders come to MoFo for knowledge, innovation and business aptitude. MoFo handles some of the world’s largest cross-border transactions and resolves major disputes across multiple jurisdictions. The firm has a long-standing commitment to diversity, pro bono work and social justice.

MoFo provides integrated international and local law advice throughout Asia. The Singapore office features lawyers who are US, England & Wales and Hong Kong qualified. They have many years of experience in managing complex cross border transactions across diverse jurisdictions, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Areas of practice: MoFo’s Singapore clients – and the firm’s global clients doing business in the South and Southeast Asia regions – benefit from the firm’s interdisciplinary and cross-border approach. The firm has an unmatched depth of experience in facilitating regional inbound and outbound transactions, including corporate M&A, banking and finance, fund formation, insurance, and private equity, particularly in the real estate, financial institutions, life sciences and technology sectors. In addition to transactional capabilities, the firm has expertise in all forms of dispute resolution, investigations and regulatory compliance matters.

Banking and finance: MoFo’s Singapore-based finance practice advises clients throughout the region on a comprehensive range of multi-jurisdictional financing transactions. These include domestic and cross-border acquisition and leveraged finance, real estate finance, public to private takeovers, debt structuring and restructuring, margin loans, project finance, syndicated lending and subscription line financing.

Corporate M&A: MoFo’s Singapore corporate group has been entrenched in Asia for decades. The partners are veteran deal advisers with substantial experience handling inbound, outbound and intra-regional private equity, cross-border investment, joint ventures, strategic alliances and asset-based transactions across South and Southeast Asia.

Dispute resolution: MoFo’s Singapore litigation and arbitration team handles all types of disputes including those heard before courts and administrative agencies, arbitration panels, and other tribunals. The team has arbitrated cases before leading regional arbitration centres such as the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), as well as the major equivalent arbitration centres outside Asia. The firm specialises in IP litigation, including US International Trade Commission disputes, defence against patent infringement claims, adversarial patent licence negotiations, patent prosecution and counseling.

Energy, projects and infrastructure: The Singapore energy and infrastructure group provides full service legal representation across every facet of the energy and infrastructure landscape. The team represents key stakeholders, including sponsors, state owned entities, contractors and lenders, and advises on the entire lifecycle of energy and infrastructure assets – from structuring, planning and licensing through to construction, financing and operation.

Insurance: MoFo advises insurers in relation to cross-border M&A, disposals and joint venture arrangements, Fintech and Insurtech transactions, as well as handling commercial disputes. The practice also advises insurers on the most complex and innovative applications of warranty and indemnity insurance policies.

Investigations and regulatory compliance: MoFo has one of the world’s leading FCPA, compliance and investigations practices. The Singapore team features attorneys with significant experience in all types of investigations and regulatory compliance issues faced by global companies in the region including allegations of anti-competitive conduct, bribery and fraud. The team also works closely with the firm’s transactions teams on pre-investment and post-closing due diligence matters.

Investment funds: MoFo’s Singapore investment funds practice represents fund sponsors and investors in the formation and operation of investment funds of all strategies, including; buyout; venture capital, growth capital and private equity; distressed, turnaround and special situations; real estate and real asset infrastructure; credit and private debt; hedge and fund-of-funds.

Real estate: The Singapore real estate team represents investors in the formation of funds and joint ventures and financing in relation to real estate investments in Asia and internationally. The group has a robust practice representing real estate private equity firms, investment managers, sovereign wealth funds, development companies and REITs that invest in real estate assets and companies in the sector.

Technology: MoFo Singapore assists leading telecommunications and IT companies, global banks and financial institutions, biotech companies and private equity funds in navigating legal, structuring and commercial challenges arising from handling technology projects in Asia’s rapidly evolving business and regulatory environment.