Reading Time: 4 minutesIn 2018, the construction demand in Singapore was projected to increase to up to $31 billion. This growth of the building and construction industry in Singapore is accompanied by an increasing complexity in the design and architecture of the buildings, such as the increasing emphasis on high-rise greenery coverage. This means that it is likely […]
“Traditional” vs. “Design and Build” Contracts: What’s the Difference?
Reading Time: 7 minutesEver seen a shopping mall, or a hospital, or a school, and wondered how an empty piece of land came to house an entire building? Behind the scenes of the buildings that we see in every day life lies a complicated process of construction – from designing, to bidding, and finally, to building. There […]
What is a Notary Public?
Reading Time: 10 minutesAsk anyone if they know what a Notary Public is, and the most likely response you will get is a quizzical look or a raised eyebrow. Nonetheless, despite being obscure-sounding and relatively unknown, a Notary Public performs the important function of notarizing documents that are to be used overseas. Foreign persons, entities or institutions overseas, […]
Muslim Inheritance: How Does It Work?
Reading Time: 6 minutesHandling probate and inheritance matters may be difficult, especially after losing a loved one. This process is slightly more complicated for Muslims, who are bound by a different set of rules from non-Muslims. For Muslims, the distribution of a deceased Muslim’s estate must be in accordance with Muslim inheritance law, also known as faraidh. What […]
White-Collar Crimes in Singapore: Tales of Terrible Lessons (Part 3 of 3)
Reading Time: 6 minutesIn the first of a three-part series, lawyer Edmund Lam gave an introduction to white-collar crime and shared examples of money laundering and signing of false certificates. He also shared about the criminal breach of trust, corporate and securities fraud in the second article. In the last part of this series, Edmund provides illustrations on […]
White-Collar Crimes in Singapore: Tales of Terrible Lessons (Part 2 of 3)
Reading Time: 8 minutesIn the first of a three-part series, lawyer Edmund Lam gave an introduction to white-collar crime and shared examples of money laundering and signing of false certificates. In this article, he provides illustrations of the criminal breach of trust, corporate fraud and corruption and bribery. Illustrations of white-collar crimes Criminal Breach of Trust In 2001, […]
White-Collar Crimes in Singapore: Tales of Terrible Lessons (Part 1 of 3)
Reading Time: 7 minutesIn a three-part series, lawyer Edmund Lam shares more about white-collar crimes and illustrations of the different types of white-collar crimes. In the first part of this series, Edmund shares more about white-collar crimes and provides illustrations on money laundering and signing of false certificates. To many of us, white-collar crime stories seem to be […]
Intestacy – Dying Without a Will
Reading Time: 5 minutesWhen a person passes on, the tasks of managing the assets that the person leave behind can be daunting on the family especially in a time of grief. You can ease your family’s tasks by making a will – a document that gives clear appointment of whom you want to manage such matters for you […]
The importance of Will drafting and the Intestate Succession Act
Reading Time: 4 minutesProperty in Singapore is extremely valuable, and much confusion can arise out of figuring out whose property belongs to whom after someone is recently deceased. Often, a person makes a Will to specify how the property and assets should be managed or distributed after his death. However, people sometimes neglect to draft a Will, or […]
Which Business Structure Should You Choose? Company, Partnership or Sole Proprietorship?
Reading Time: 9 minutesIn 2016, 64,937 new businesses were set up in Singapore. Of these, many were probably small-medium enterprises (SMEs) – businesses that have annual sales of not more than S$100 million, or employ less than 200 workers. Indeed, the Singapore Government recently recognised that SMEs, making up 99% of businesses, are at the heart of the […]
LGBT Couples in Singapore: 6 Things You Need to Know
Reading Time: 11 minutesLesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transsexual (LGBT) persons in Singapore may face legal obstacles under Singapore law. This is because of the lack of legal recognition of LGBT couples and families, and the fact that many of our laws and institutions do not adequately provide for the unique needs of LGBT couples and families. Often, it […]
Women’s Charter: Personal Protection Order
Reading Time: 9 minutesMany people have heard of the term “Personal Protection Order”. However, few know what exactly a Personal Protection Order (PPO) entails, and how to obtain one. Nonetheless, there were 2,811 fresh PPO applications in Singapore in 2016, and 2,885 in 2015. Read on to find out more about what a PPO is, and how to […]