SMU Lexicon: When Employees Leave: Confidentiality and Non-compete Clauses

Reading Time: 7 minutesI.               Introduction When good employees leave, there is often a risk that they will join a competitor or set up a competing business. If you are the employer, the employment contract might protect your interests through a confidentiality clause preventing the employee from using or disclosing confidential information. It might also have a non-compete clause […]

SMU Lexicon: Grab-Uber merger: observations and implications for Singapore’s competition regime

Reading Time: 22 minutesI. Introduction For months on end in 2018, consumers were enthralled by the long and sustained competition between Uber and Grab – two ride-hailing giants that have been spearheading paradigm changes in the commerce landscape, massively disrupting the transport industry in the process. More importantly, consumers were benefitting heavily from the price war as both […]

Vietnam: May the buffalo sue the tractor?

Reading Time: 5 minutesThe panel hearing the case between Vinasun and Grab appears to be taking the more prudent approach before giving a ruling. It has adjourned the first-instance hearing until 22/11/2018; to have more time to verify and collect evidence before providing its conclusion regarding the alleged VND41 billion damage suffered by Vinasun. However, whatever the result […]

Social Media and Your Business: Formidable Weapon or Uncontrollable Scourge?

Reading Time: 5 minutesA Double Whammy of Suspensions and Fines In a media release dated 24 January 2019, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced that it had issued a warning to a company which breached securities laws pertaining to an offer of digital securities tokens[1]. Following the warning, the proposed offering has been indefinitely suspended. Interestingly, the […]

Hong Kong: The Competition Tribunal refuses last-minute application to amend pleadings two months before trial

Reading Time: 4 minutesIntroduction In Competition Commission v Wing Hing Construction Co Ltd [2018] HKCT 6, the Competition Tribunal refuses a respondent’s application to amend its Response and file new witness statements in substitution for a statement already filed. Factual background In these proceedings, the respondents were contractors appointed from a reference list of the Hong Kong Housing Authority to […]

Thailand Legal Alert: Essential Differences Under Thailand’s New Competition Law

Reading Time: 6 minutesThailand was one of the first ASEAN Member States to enact a competition law with the Price Fixing and Anti-Monopoly Act of 1979. However, that legislation was generally accepted to have been ineffective in relation to competition law enforcement and was replaced by the Trade Competition Act B.E. 2542 (1999) (“Old TCA”). The Old TCA came into […]

Vietnam Legal Update: New Competition Law Will be Effective Soon

Reading Time: 6 minutesOn July 1, 2019, the new Law on Competition (“2018 Law”) will take effect and it has some significant differences from the existing Law on Competition (“2014 Law”).  While certain details are yet to be determined, below we will outline some of the significant differences that businesses should note between the two laws.  In addition, […]

man with laoptop and a woman having a discussion (Here are the legal considerations of starting a tech startup in Singapore)
How to start a tech startup in Singapore, according to a lawyer

Reading Time: 5 minutesThis article is part of Asia Law Network’s partnership with Tech in Asia where we publish articles written by lawyers on their advice for startup founders. For a successful startup journey, it’s crucial to get the foundation right, especially in the ideation and seed stages. If you’re starting a startup in Singapore, here are some legal considerations to […]

chess play (Competition_Law_Merger_Acquisition)
Competition Law (Part 3): Mergers & Acquisitions

Reading Time: 8 minutesIn the last part of the series of article on Competition Law, lawyer Jeremiah Chew from Ascendant Legal LLC shares more about how competition law regulates mergers and acquisitions.  This guide is divided into the following sections: How does competition law regulate mergers? What is considered a “merger”? How does the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) assess […]

Competition Law (Part 2: Abuse of Dominance)

Reading Time: 8 minutesContinuing from the previous article, lawyer Jeremiah Chew  from Ascendant Legal LLC talks about the second prohibited conduct of the 3-part series: abuse of dominance.  This guide is divided into the following sections: What is the law on abuse of dominance? What does it mean to be “dominant”? Examples of abuse of dominance How does it affect […]

Competition Law (Part 1: Anti-Competitive Agreements)

Reading Time: 8 minutesContinuing from the previous article, lawyer Jeremiah Chew from Ascendant Legal LLC talks about the first prohibited conduct of the 3-part series: anti-competitive agreements.  This guide is divided into the following 10 sections: What is the law on anti-competitive agreements? What is the purpose of this law? Examples of anti-competitive agreements in Singapore How does it affect […]