Most Recent Articles
Organ Trading in Singapore – Is it time to lift the ban?
Reading Time: 5 minutesOrgan trading is illegal In 2008, prominent businessman Tang Wee Sung, then owner of the CK Tang departmental store was jailed for a day and fined $17,000 for trying to purchase a kidney. Organ trading is illegal in Singapore and banned by the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA). Despite various amendments to the law, organ […]
Commentary: The duty of care owed by hospital and its receptionists to patients
Reading Time: 4 minutesIntroduction On 10 October 2018, the UK Supreme Court (the “Court”) in Darnley v Croydon Health Services NHS Trust[2018] UKSC 50 overruled the decisions of lower courts and held the hospital and its reception staff negligent for providing misleading information to patients. Case background The appellant, Darnley, was struck on the head in 2010 and suffered […]
Can you apply for maintenance orders while still in a legal matrimonial relationship?
Reading Time: 3 minutesA common misconception that many have is that maintenance orders may only be made following divorce proceedings. However, did you know that you may apply for a maintenance order while still in a subsisting marriage? The table below summarises whom may apply for reasonable maintenance under Section 69 of the Women’s Charter. Maintenance for Applicant […]
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, […]
ASEAN Employment Legal Update 2018 Q.4
Reading Time: 11 minutesDFDL’s Employment Practice Group is dedicated to advising clients on employment and labor issues and preparing human resources documentation that is compliant with local laws. Our employment team’s in-depth knowledge of the law and practices in the countries where we operate allows us to provide specialized, tailored, and practical advice on issues that arise in […]
SMU Lexicon: Bridging the Divide between Married and Unwed Mothers
Reading Time: 4 minutesA letter (“No extra perks if unwed mums adopt own children: Forum” on 25th May 2017)[1] by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (“MSF”) has raised pertinent views on how the Singaporean Government perceives marital status and motherhood. Recently, the MSF had granted Child Development Account (“CDA”) benefits[2] and Government-paid maternity leave to unwed […]
5 Legal Tips for Your Esports Team Business
Reading Time: 6 minutesAre you looking to start an esports team? In this final article of a two part series on eports and law by video games and entertainment lawyer, Adrian Kwong, we look at things from the perspective of someone on the business side, such as a team owner or manager. In the first article, I touched […]
Who is a “friend”? – Court of Final Appeal clarified the meaning of “friend” in relation to persons providing prison visiting services in Hong Kong
Reading Time: 5 minutesIntroduction ONC Lawyers successfully quashed a conviction in a Court of Final Appeal (“CFA”) case for an appellant charged with conspiracy to defraud for providing prison visiting services. The CFA interpreted the meaning of “friend” in a broad approach in the context of visitors of prisoners on remand awaiting trial (“PATs”) and considered that the […]
SMU Lexicon: A Glimpse into the ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement
Reading Time: 11 minutesIntroduction After close to 4 years of negotiations,[1] the hugely anticipated ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA) has finally been set in stone.[2] Along with the accompanying ASEAN-Hong Kong Investment Agreement (AHKIA), the two agreements were signed on the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN summit in the Philippines. [3]Historical background and the rationale for a […]
Divorce Mediation in Singapore
Reading Time: 7 minutesWe’ve all seen movies or heard stories about bad divorces where the divorcing parties are enraged with each other, arguing furiously over the division of matrimonial assets, maintenance and child custody amongst many things. Going through a divorce can be a very painful and sometimes, cruel process for all parties involved. There can also be […]
Singapore Patents – High Court Upholds Validity of Patent and Grants Declaration of Validity and Declaration of Infringement of Asserted Claims – Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings V Nexplanar Corp and Another [2017] SGHC 310
Reading Time: 18 minutesIn a decision rendered by George Wei J of the Singapore High Court dated 8 December 2017, the High Court upheld the validity of the Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc’s patent, granted a declaration of the said patent’s validity, as well as a declaration that the asserted claims of the patent were […]
Further on the First Conduct Rule – Is Hong Kong falling behind on the rules governing anti-competitive conduct?
Reading Time: 4 minutesOn 9 April 2018 the Competition Commission (the “Commission”) issued an Advisory Bulletin (the “Bulletin”) addressing competition concerns regarding practices in relation to hiring and employment terms and conditions in the employment marketplace (see, our newsletter published in May 2018). The Bulletin is intended to be read alongside with the Commission’s Guideline on the First […]
Personal
SMU Lexicon: A Non-parent’s Maintenance Obligation
Reading Time: 7 minutesIntroduction Imagine you marry someone with a child from a prior relationship. Initially, you do not mind caring for this child. Then, your marriage sours and you no longer want anything to do with your spouse or the child. However, can your initial conduct of caring for the child unknowingly saddle you with a legal […]
Business
Singapore’s latest push as a restructuring and insolvency hub – Amendments to SICC rules
Reading Time: 3 minutesSingapore has earned a budding reputation as a hub for debt restructuring and insolvency in Asia, with its transparent legal system and judicial expertise. This growth can also be attributed to enduring efforts to innovate and reform. To enhance Singapore as a forum of choice in international restructuring and insolvency proceedings, the Rules of Court […]
Most Common and Confusing Legal Words (Legalese) Explained Simply 
Pornography: How Legal is it in Singapore? 
What’s the difference between advocates, solicitors, barristers, counsels, notaries, lawyers and att... 
What constitutes acceptance of a contract? 
Can WhatsApp messages be used in court in Singapore? -
A Summary of “The Rule Of Law” by Tom Bingham: Part 1 
Breaking your rental lease early in Singapore - Hard-selling of beauty services and treatments gone wrong? Here’s how you can get your refund.
“Traditional” vs. “Design and Build” Contracts: What’s the Difference? 
A Guide to Sub-Contracts in the Building and Construction Industry
