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Singapore > Capital markets: structured finance, derivatives and securitisation: Foreign firms Tier 1

Counting international banks, clearing houses, insurers, stock and futures exchanges, brokers, corporates and sovereign wealth funds, to name a few, among its key roster of clients, Clifford Chance handles the gamut of domestic and cross-border transactional and regulatory matters, and maintains a strong relationship with The Monetary Authority of Singapore. Lena Ng, who advises on mandates concerning licensing, exemptions, conduct of business, and other regulatory issues, jointly leads the practice alongside Gareth Deiner and Kabir Singh. Another key contact in the group is Mae Yen Teoh, who advises on derivatives transactions and structured note programmes.

Singapore > Construction: Foreign firms Tier 1

Clifford Chance is one of few international firms to cover the full lifecycle of construction projects with dedicated front-end and contentious construction teams. The department has advised on a series of major developments across Asia Pacific, including large-scale offshore wind farms, airport developments and telecoms networks. It is also at the forefront of construction disputes, including Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) cases. The team is particularly known for representing banks and financial institutions. Matthew Buchanan is head of the Asia Pacific construction group and has an outstanding record in front-end projects across Asia Pacific. Paul Sandosham heads the energy, infrastructure, resources and disputes practice in Southeast Asia and is a recognised leader in construction disputes.

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

Noted for its expertise in the energy and infrastructure, financial services, consumer goods, life sciences, telecoms and technology sectors, Clifford Chance is well-placed to advise on Singapore, English and New York law, and maintains a track record in big-ticket M&A and private equity transactions. Managing partner Valerie Kong advises on cross-border deals in the consumer goods and retail industries, while Melissa Ng acts for multinational companies, regional conglomerates and financial sponsors in M&A, joint ventures and divestments. Kong and Ng jointly lead the team alongside Tom Lin, who stands out for his experience in handling private equity secondaries transactions. Other key contacts in the group include Jamie McLaren, who joined from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in February 2024, and Ivan Chan.

Singapore > Energy: foreign firms Tier 1

Clifford Chance’s energy and resources team is co-led by Melissa Ng, who is particularly known for her work within the energy and natural resources sector, where she advises oil and gas companies, gas-to-power and renewable energy producers, as well as financial sponsors investing in the energy sector. Regionally, the team’s work includes completing M&As, advising on construction projects, and acting on disputes, all within the energy sector, spanning from power and renewables to oil and gas matters. Nicholas Wong often advises on the development and financing of major energy, oil and gas, infrastructure and mining developments internationally. Matthew Buchanan deals with the construction side of major energy projects across the region. Ross Howard specialises in advising sponsors and lenders in connection with the development and financing of complex and large-scale projects in the power, oil and gas, infrastructure, and renewable energy sectors.

Singapore > Fintech and financial services regulatory: foreign firms Tier 1

Clifford Chance leverages its deep expertise in banking and finance to navigate a broad range of fintech and financial issues, including payment systems, export finance, and regulatory matters related to derivatives and automated trading systems. The firm’s extensive multi-jurisdictional experience also positions it well to manage complex regulatory investigations effectively. Lena Ng advises on licensing, exemptions, conduct of business, and other regulatory issues, frequently supporting clients on both a local and international basis. She leads the team alongside Stella Cramer, who assists clients on complex, digital and transformational technology and commercial transactions, platform agreements, and the full range of data and privacy matters. Elsewhere in the team, Kabir Singh stands out for his expertise in cross-border disputes, and Nish Shetty is recommended for his experience advising clients on high-profile cross-jurisdictional regulatory investigations.

Singapore > International arbitration Tier 1

Clifford Chance has a broad range of experience navigating cases through different arbitrational forums such as the ICC, SIAC, and ICSID. The team has in-depth knowledge of disputes across a variety of sectors, including banking and finance, oil and gas, aviation, and energy. The international arbitration and dispute resolution practice is co-headed by Nish Shetty and Paul Sandosham. Shetty regularly assists private equity funds, multinational corporations, and major financial institutions. Sandosham specialises in disputes relating to large-scale development projects, including powerplants, industrial buildings, and oil refineries. With more than two decades of experience, Kabir Singh is another integral member of the team, who is skilled with handling complex investment disputes.

Singapore > Investment funds: foreign firms Tier 1

The practice at Clifford Chance counts regional and international fund managers, sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors among its key roster of clients, showcasing demonstrable expertise in private funds, as well as domestic and foreign retail funds in Singapore and funds-related regulatory mandates. US-qualified Kai-Niklas Schneider advises on the formation of and investment in private equity funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds and credit funds, while Daryl Liu handles primary fundraisings, fund secondaries and restructurings, fund investments, co-investments and advisory matters. Schneider and Liu jointly lead the team alongside Hong Kong-based Matthias Feldmann. Other key contacts in the group include Luke Chen and Chloe Cheng.

Singapore > Labour and employment: foreign firms Tier 1

Clifford Chance leverages its extensive resources and expertise in Singapore to assist clients with employment investigations, transactional and advisory matters, regulatory issues, and whistleblowing and other employment litigation. The Singapore team is particularly noted for conducting internal investigations and representing financial institutions, though it does have broad industry coverage. It is active in matters across Southeast Asia and South Asia. The international firm benefits from its Formal Law Alliance with Cavenagh Law LLP, providing it with Singapore litigation representation in the local courts and tribunals. Kabir Singh is a dispute resolution partner with an established record in employment disputes in Singapore, India, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. Cavenagh Law LLP partner Janice Goh provides further local expertise.

Singapore > Projects: foreign firms Tier 1

Clifford Chance’s long-standing projects team is increasingly advising clients within the renewable energy sector, including on offshore wind, solar, and energy storage projects; moving away from the more traditional subsectors of oil and gas that the firm has historically focused in. The team acts for sponsors, banks, export credit agencies, multilateral financial institutions and development banks amongst others. Matthew Buchanan, who co-leads the projects practice, is also Asia Pacific head of construction, and adds construction expertise to project mandates, making the firm’s projects team stand out. Buchanan’s practice focuses in the oil and gas and power sectors. Notably, Nicholas Wong has vast experience advising on project development and financing, energy regulation, bankability of projects structures, joint ventures, PPP and procurement. Ross Howard specialises in advising sponsors and lenders in connection with the development and financing of complex projects, including in the power, oil & gas, infrastructure and renewable energy sectors.

Singapore > Restructuring and insolvency: foreign firms Tier 1

Operating across the aviation, oil and gas, telecoms, construction and transport, maritime and shipping sectors, the team at Clifford Chance is well-equipped to handle high-profile transactional and contentious mandates in the restructuring and insolvency arena. The firm is also able to effectively mobilise market-leading practitioners from complementary practice areas, such as banking and finance, across its extensive network of international offices, ensuring a highly coordinated cross-border offering. Nish Shetty continues to act on some of the region’s largest and most high-profile insolvency cases. He leads the team alongside Shaun Langhorne, who has vast experience in complex, multi-stakeholder, and cross-border contentious and non-contentious restructuring matters.

Singapore > TMT: foreign firms Tier 1

Clifford Chance has built a leading position in the market thanks to the presence of the experienced Stella Cramer, who heads the Asia Pacific tech group, and a wider team of TMT specialists. Department members are recognised for their expertise in digital transformation projects, cyber and technology incidents, technology transactions and data transfer. They are also noted for their expertise in regulatory issues connected to blockchain, AI and fintech. The department represents many of the biggest tech multinationals in the world, along with local and regional businesses. Head of financial regulatory, Lena Ng is widely recognised for her fintech experience, while experienced counsel David Olds is another TMT specialist with a background in data privacy, cybersecurity, IT contracting and outsourcing.

Singapore > Asset finance: foreign firms Tier 2

Clifford Chance remains a key player for aviation matters throughout the Asia Pacific region. The practice had manages a steady stream of mandates over the last year, including financing deals, restructurings, sales and leasebacks, JOLCO structured leasing, and sustainability-linked financings. Spearheading the team is Fergus Evans, who advises clients on various types of financing including syndicated lending, aircraft and asset financing. Counsel Nattawat Vilasdechanon is a key port of call for global financial institutions and international aircraft lessors seeking advice on commercial and private aircraft financings, leasing and trading.

Singapore > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 2

Clifford Chance has remained a force in Singapore over many years and it has forged further growth over the past couple of years. Global co-head of leveraged finance Matthew Truman is now based in Singapore, having spent a long period in Hong Kong. He has linked up with established name Andrew Hutchins and the highly rated Thomas England. The strong team is noted for lender-side work for credit funds and banks, along with sponsor-side leveraged finance. It has continued to advise on bulge-bracket corporate loans, headline acquisition financings along with green facilities and sustainability-linked loans. The team is also rated for large-scale debt restructurings and refinancings. Counsels Joanne Chan and Jervis Chan are also key members of the team.

Singapore > Capital markets: equity and debt: foreign firms Tier 2

Clifford Chance has a combination of Singapore, Hong Kong, English and US law expertise within its global financial markets group in Singapore. The team covers domestic and cross-border transactions across Southeast Asia and South Asia, most notably Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and India. It has especially close connections to banks and financial institutions in the capital markets field. Gareth Deiner specialises in multiple debt capital markets products, including high-yield, hybrid bond issuances, regulatory capital and Islamic finance securities; he is also noted for green and sustainable financing and continued to advise the banks on a number of major MTN programmes in 2023 and 2024, along with covered bonds, debt issuance programmes, asset backed securities and IPOs. Jean Thio and counsel Ying Chiang Chong are Singapore qualified, leading the firm’s efforts in domestic IPOs and bond issuances; Thio also leads the office’s efforts in supporting Chinese clients looking to access the international capital markets.

Singapore > Data protection and cyber security: Foreign firm Tier 2

The team at Clifford Chance handles a broad range of mandates, from data compliance programmes, regulatory reviews and the commercialisation of data to cross-border data transfers, enforcement actions in regulatory investigations and cyber security incidents. Stella Cramer leads the practice and advises on data compliance strategies, with additional experience in assisting clients managing cyber risks and handling high-profile cyber breaches.

Singapore > White-collar crime - Foreign firms Tier 2

Clifford Chance’s white-collar crime team is bolstered by its strong foundation in banking and finance, enabling them to adeptly manage complex financial matters such as payments and export finance. Its expertise extends to derivatives, automated trading systems, and regulatory compliance, with a proven ability to handle cross-border investigations across multiple jurisdictions. The practice is jointly headed by Kabir Singh and Vasu Muthyala. Singh maintains a strong record in cross-border mandates, advising multinational companies, banks and financial institutions on regulatory and compliance-related investigations in Asia, while Muthyala focuses on matters concerning violations of anti-bribery and sanctions, allegations of securities fraud, and money-laundering.

Indonesia > Foreign firms Tier 1

With more than two decades of experience advising on high-value corporate and M&A transactions across Southeast Asia, Melissa Ng heads the practice at Clifford Chance. The team has extensive experience handling a range of cross-border matters involving Indonesia, including transactions in sectors such as energy, oil and gas, and financial services. Shaun Langhorne is skilled at handling complex international restructuring work. With an expertise in construction and infrastructure projects, Matthew Buchanan is another recommended member of the team; he regularly advises on engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts as well as the financing of major development projects.

Malaysia > Foreign firms Tier 1

The Malaysia-focused, cross-practice team at Clifford Chance covers a full range of matters across corporate and M&A, debt and equity capital markets, as well as banking and finance matters. Its corporate transaction offering covers a diverse range of sectors, from energy to consumer goods. Leading the practice is Valerie Kong, operating from Singapore, who regularly advises financial investors and multinational corporations on cross-border transactions and investments. Tom England is noted for his work on banking transactions and the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects, while Daryl Liu covers the investment funds practice, advising clients on matters concerning a wide variety of funds, including private equity funds, real estate funds, and venture capital funds.

Philippines > Foreign firms Tier 1

Operating from its Singapore hub, Clifford Chance is well-positioned to advise both national and multinational clients on a broad range of complex corporate and M&A, restructuring, and capital markets transactions across the Philippines. The firm boasts a strong record of acting for lenders in relation to asset, acquisition, and project finance matters, in addition to international arbitrations. Co-leading the team is Melissa Ng with capabilities spanning M&A, joint ventures, and divestments, and Vicky Ma who is noted for her expertise banking and finance issues, with experience in advising financial institutions on international project financing within the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Vietnam > Foreign desks Tier 1

Clifford Chance maintains a strong offering in Vietnam, handling a broad range of mandates encompassing corporate and finance transaction, such as M&A, project finance and capital markets. The team is jointly led by Ross Howard, who advises clients on the development and financing of projects arising out of the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors, and Hans Menski, who handles large-scale projects, assisting with investments across the energy and power industries. Valerie Kong has built a strong portfolio, focusing on the consumer goods, retail and transport and logistics sectors, while Melissa Ng regularly advises on M&A, joint ventures, and divestments.

India > Foreign firms Tier 2

Clifford Chance pairs its domestic and international capabilities with its legal and commercial acumen to assist clients with a host of transactional mandates and multi-jurisdictional arbitration. The team is steered by Nish Shetty and Kabir Singh; the former enjoys a strong reputation in the disputes arena, having handled arbitration and litigation across the US, Europe and Asia, and the latter is also highly experienced on the contentious side, working across India, Indonesia and South East Asia. Vasu Muthyala contributes his capabilities in cross-border investigations and government prosecutions.

Asia Pacific: Regional International Arbitration > Leading firms

Clifford Chance’s arbitration practices across Asia-Pacific demonstrate notable strength across locations, with key expertise across Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In Australia, English and New York-qualified Kate Apostolova, newly joined from Mayer Brown ‘s Singapore office in 2024, joining Cameron Hassall and Spencer Flay  are prominent in cross-border disputes. Lei Shi , the managing partner for the Beijing and Shanghai offices, handles high-stakes joint venture and contract disputes, divides her time between Mainland China and Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s team is led by Thomas Walsh, who is also well-connected in South Korea.  In Singapore, Nish Shetty and Paul Sandosham co-head a team with expertise in large-scale infrastructure and energy disputes, with Kabir Singh another key contact.

United Arab Emirates > Infrastructure and projects (including project finance)

A ‘highly knowledgeable and exceptional team with deep understanding of the contracts on both project as well as financing side‘, Clifford Chance advises on landmark energy and infrastructure projects across the Middle East, with asset engagement that spans solar, hydrogen, oil and gas, and independent power and water projects. Mohamed Hamra-Krouha and Richard Parris co-lead the practice, with the former highly regarded for his understanding of both the UAE and Saudi Arabian markets, and the latter for his extensive energy offering that includes petrochemicals, renewables and utilities. Edmund Boyo has recently been active on the development and financing of oil and gas-related ventures. Graham Brewer is chiefly recognised for his borrower and lender side project finance practice, and Inaamul Laher for his engagement with social infrastructure and real estate ventures. Nicholas Wong is active on cross-border mandates involving the Middle East, APAC, Central and Eastern Europe, and North Africa. Chirag Sanghrajka, who joined from Latham & Watkins LLP in October 2023, and Jeremy Barker, promoted to partner in May 2024, provide further project finance capabilities. Noelle Alphonso-Loong also comes recommended.

China > TMT: foreign firms

Clifford Chance LLP's tech group specialises in assisting TMT clients with acquisitions, financing and investments in the sector. The team is co-led by Kelly Gregory in Shanghai and Stella Cramer from Singapore. Gregory is well-versed in advising domestic clients on TMT corporate transactions and cross-border M&A. Beijing-based Terence Foo is the go-to for multinational clients seeking assistance with inbound investments and advice on technology regulations. Lei Shi handles IP disputes from Beijing and Shanghai, while Beijing-based Yufei Liao advises on corporate and commercial TMT matters.

South Korea > International arbitration

The team at Clifford Chance is well-placed to advise on multi-jurisdictional disputes involving Korean clients. The 'superb' Thomas Walsh leads the team from Hong Kong, and is noted for his vast knowledge of tech, private equity, and post-M&A disputes. Walsh also leads the firm's Greater China international arbitration practice. In Singapore, Paul Sandosham is recommended for his broad experience in disputes concerning energy and infrastructure projects, having acted in proceedings governed by ICC, SIAC, and ICSID rules. Hyo Jeong Kwon works out of the London office, and is a key name for Korean clients.