When A Home Is Not A Home

Reading Time: 9 minutesThe matrimonial home occupies a very special place in the family. During the marriage, it is the cradle of the family. It is where the family starts its day, and where it ends its day. It is where the family breaks bread, and it is where bonds are made. Accordingly, the matrimonial home also occupies […]

Wang Lee Hom’s divorce – 6 ways it differs from usual divorce proceedings and key takeaways.

Reading Time: 8 minutesOn 15 December 2021, celebrity Mandopop singer Wang Lee Hom announced on social media that he and his soon-to-be ex-wife, Lee Jinglei, were getting divorced. This began a war of words between Wang and Lee, and even between their respective friends and family, that lasted about a week before Wang apologised publicly to Lee and […]

divorce couple womens charter asia law network aln
Parliament amends Women’s Charter to introduce divorce by mutual agreement option

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Singapore Parliament amended the Women’s Charter on 10 January 2022, introducing a new Divorce by Mutual Agreement (DMA) reason in divorce proceedings. The change is meant to provide a more amicable option for couples to split up legally. The DMA reason adds a new route for couples to mutually agree that their marriage has broken […]

transferring assets between spouses with clarity and intention in divorce
Transferring assets between spouses with clarity and intention: CLT v CLS and another matter [2021] SGHCF 29

Reading Time: 6 minutesWhat could happen to your wealth and assets if your marriage goes south? What if your spouse is instrumental in preserving your wealth? What happens to shares gifted by your father that are now worth S$11.7 million? Would you try to delay the inevitable and dangle the transfer of interest in a property to get […]

The role of culture on divorce, and its impacts on how a divorce proceeding is handled.

Reading Time: 5 minutesDivorce is far from a simple or straightforward matter. The considerations are often multifarious, but one intangible yet omnipresent aspect is none other than culture. From customs to communication methods, culture finds itself underpinning our beliefs, values and decision-making process for significant life events, such as divorce. In this article, we will examine the role […]

SMU Lexicon: Winning but not Winning — Sharing Lottery Winnings In The Event of a Divorce (BOI v BOJ [2019] 2 SLR 114)

Reading Time: 6 minutesIntroduction Striking the lottery usually calls for celebration. However, for lottery winners who have not had quite the same fortune in their marriage and are contemplating a divorce, perhaps the celebrations should not start just yet. In the recent decision of BOI v BOJ (“BOI”),[1] the apex court clarified that lottery winnings received during a […]

Know Your Lawyer: Why Sarah-Mae Thomas, Managing Director of Sarah-Mae Thomas LLC, Is Singapore’s Elle Woods

Reading Time: 10 minutesJust three weeks before Part A of the Singapore Bar exams, Sarah-Mae received a note from the Ministry of Law. Her application to be exempted from taking the exams had been rejected. To move back to Singapore to be with her family, Sarah-Mae had written essays, submitted letters of recommendation and sent in her CV […]

The Welfare of the Child is Paramount: How An Adoption Order Passed Without Consent Of Biological Parents

Reading Time: 4 minutesThis article was written by Shriveena Naidu and Philippa Hewitt from Withers KhattarWong. The cornerstone of family law in Singapore is that the welfare of the child is paramount.  This was reiterated in the recent decision of Re B [2020] SGFC 46 (“Re B“). In Re B, the Family Court in Singapore made the surprising […]

Michael Loh, Partner of Clifford Law, details the harsh truths and emotional struggles of being a lawyer 

Reading Time: 9 minutesBeing a lawyer may seem glamorous and prestigious, but the life of a lawyer is not all sunshine and rainbows. In this article, Michael Loh, a partner at Clifford Law, shares with us the little known truths and pains of being a lawyer.  Michael has been in practice since 1992. Although he primarily handles family […]

Lawyer Feature: Viviene Sandhu, Partner in Clifford Law, shares how she admires the Obamas, and how she takes pride in mentoring aspiring lawyers.

Reading Time: 5 minutesViviene is an experienced advocate of more than 21 years who has represented clients in all areas of civil litigation, with a primary focus on insurance and family law. Viviene has handled a broad spectrum of cases ranging from simple cases to complex and contentious matters at all levels of the Singapore Court hierarchy. From […]

Lawyer Feature: Sonny Patel, Partner of Expatriate Law (Asia), an English solicitor sets up divorce and family law practice in Singapore for British expats

Reading Time: 5 minutesEnglish law firm Expatriate Law Ltd have announced the formation of their branch office in Singapore, ‘Expatriate Law (Asia) Pte. Ltd’. The branch office is a Foreign Law Practice approved by the Ministry of Law in Singapore and regulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority in England.  Expatriate Law (Asia) Pte. Ltd will provide English divorce […]

Is it likely for the Court to order one of the parents in a child relocation application to pay security for costs?

Reading Time: 5 minutesIntroduction An order for security for costs requires a Plaintiff to pay into the Court an amount of money that the Court considers appropriate for the Defendant’s costs of the proceedings. Whilst it is common for a party to take out an application for security for costs in civil proceedings (such as shareholder disputes), it […]