Edmund is a founding Director of Fullerton Law Chambers LLC. He graduated from the National University of Singapore with various academic honours, and was selected to represent the university in mooting competitions overseas.
Edmund’s practice spans the entire range of corporate and commercial disputes and includes disputes relating to technology, corporate bonds, banking, international trade, trade finance, commodities, shareholders’ rights and directors’ duties.
Edmund frequently appears for clients in matters before the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal. Apart from this, he has also represented clients in international arbitrations at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) and the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC). These arbitrations were variously conducted under the Rules of Arbitration of the SIAC, CIETAC, SCMA, UNCITRAL and ICC Arbitration Rules.
Edmund’s arbitration and litigation practices often intersect. In this regard, he has also represented clients in the High Court to seek interim relief in aid of international arbitration, stay of court proceedings in favour of arbitration, enforce arbitral awards or in respect of challenges to the impartiality of the appointed arbitrator.
Edmund is a member of the Inquiry Panel of the Law Society of Singapore on the appointment of the Honourable Chief Justice. He is also presently a member of the Advisory Committee of the Professional Conduct Council chaired by the Honourable Chief Justice, and has also been appointed to the Investigation and Disciplinary Panel of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants. He has, more recently, also been appointed by the Council of the Law Society to its panel of counsel for disciplinary matters.
Selected Matter Experience
- Acted in defending a Chinese State Owned Enterprise in an SIAC arbitration commenced by a listed South Korean international conglomerate. The claim arose against the backdrop of the wild fluctuations in Chinese steel prices in 2016, and concerned the South Korean conglomerate's bid to set aside various agreements between the parties on the grounds of economic duress. The claim against the client was dismissed by an Award since handed down;
- Acted in an SIAC arbitration for the Malaysian "master franchisee" of a global "bubble-tea" franchise who had developed the brand into a household name in the whole of Malaysia. The dispute concerns the franchise agreement earlier entered into with the Taiwanese owner and the matter has also spawned proceedings before the High Court and Court of Appeal of Malaysia;
- Acted for a Singapore leading telecommunications company relating to the applications made by the foreign copyright owners of 2 films to hand over the particulars of the internet users who had disseminated the movies online through the Bit-Torrent platform. The application was eventually dismissed by the High Court;
- Acted for a global investment house in respect of a cross-border corporate bond default by a Malaysian entity secured by a lease of a gold mine in Malaysia involving proceedings before the High Court of Malaysia and an arbitration under the auspices of the SIAC;
- Acting for a global investment house in respect of a cross-border corporate bond default by a Malaysian entity secured by a lease of a gold mine in Malaysia;
- Acted for a SGX-listed company in relation to a dispute in the Singapore High Court arising from the sale and purchase of one of its properties. The matter involved developing areas of law such as the doctrine of mistake in equity, and also issues relating to the Listing Rules of the SGX;
- Acted for the investor in an arbitration before the SIAC under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. This matter arises from a joint venture agreement to develop a coal mine concession in Indonesia;
- Acted for a Singapore fund manager against the Monetary Authority of Singapore in its appeal to the Singapore Court of Appeal against the Monetary Authority of Singapore civil suit against it for alleged ‘market manipulation’ under section 197 of the Securities Futures Act;
- Acted for both the major creditor and the Liquidators of a Singapore company in an action against its former shareholders (which are listed international companies) and for procuring the former directors to dissipate assets of the company prior to liquidation;
- Acted for a Swiss oil major in an SIAC arbitration against a Singapore biodiesel producer in a dispute relating to a long-term supply contract. Arbitration proceedings have been commenced. Successfully applied to the High Court of Singapore for an interim injunction restraining the Singapore party from calling on the Stand-by Letter of Credit furnished by the Swiss party on the grounds of fraud and unconscionability. Successfully applied to the Singapore Courts to enforce certain interim awards made by the Tribunal;
- Acted in the defence of a CIETAC arbitration claim against the Chinese subsidiary of one of the leading Italian manufacturers/exporters of construction equipment by a Chinese company. Related to the matter, also represented the client in relation to its negotiations with the Chinese government on the quantum of compensation in respect of proposed legal expropriation of land owned by the company in Shanghai;
- Acted for a Chinese commodities trading house against an Indonesian commodities trading group in an SIAC arbitration commenced against it. Successfully argued on behalf of the Respondent, as a preliminary issue, that there was no ‘arbitration agreement’ between the parties;
- Acted for a director/ shareholder of a joint venture company co-owned by one of the largest Oil & Gas groups in Singapore in a minority oppression suit, against the other director/ shareholders, in the Singapore High Court and successfully obtained an interim injunction against the adverse parties in the first instance. The matter was amicably resolved between the parties thereafter; and
- Acting for the Chairman/ shareholder of a prestigious social club in Singapore, in proceedings before the Singapore High Court, against the other director/ shareholder in respect of, amongst others, charges of fraud and forgery against the adverse party.
Edmund is consistently singled out for his expertise in dispute resolution by various legal publications. In the 2013 edition of Asialaw Profiles, he is described as “a rising star” with his clients lauding his “incisive understanding of complex cases…” In the latest 2018 edition of the publication, he is also lauded for his “good knowledge of all available dispute resolution [processes] in the region” and being “good at picking up nuances and anticipating issues that sometimes even commercial people take for granted”. He is also highly recommended as a “leading” dispute resolution lawyer in Singapore by Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2014 to 2017 and as a “Local Disputes Star, Singapore” by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2013.
Edmund is also recommended for his expertise in litigation/dispute resolution and international arbitration by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 and 2018. He is described as being “extremely experienced and utilises his experience to consistently provide invaluable assistance and support” to his clients and “does nothing but the best for his clients, regardless of the long hours and high commitment level”. He was also singled out by the 2016 edition of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as being “reliable and solution-oriented” and having “incisive lawyering skills”.
Most recently, Edmund has also been recommended for his work in litigation/ dispute resolution and international arbitration by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2020 where his clients have commended him for his “abiility to cut through complex facts and legal principles very quickly and to explain all of this in simple and clear language …”, and remarked that his “ability to strategise, and anticipate issues that may arise, is also unrivalled”. They have also remarked that his team is “intelligent, formidable and incredibly well-equipped to handle even the most complex of disputes.”.
