Companies and organisations have statutory obligations under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) to protect the personal data in their possession; this is coupled with the need for robust cybersecurity in today’s hyper-connected world to prevent and detect malicious actors or to avoid data leaks.

We collaborate closely with our clients to audit and implement practical solutions for their business sector on data protection, including developing data protection policies, conducting data protection training, and advising on data management. We are familiar with current legislations and are adept at identifying relevant risk areas for compliance regarding data protection, anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT), and also partner with specialists in fields such as cybersecurity to offer in-depth solutions.

With the widespread and accelerated deployment of blockchain, distributed ledger, and smart contracts technology, technology’s potential for transforming and disrupting the landscape is immense.

Our areas of focus include:

- Artificial Intelligence (AI)

- Blockchain

- Crowdfunding

- Cryptocurrency

- Data analytics, data privacy and Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)

- eCommerce

- Financial services

- Initial coin offerings (ICOs)

- Investments, capital raising, venture capital, private equity, debt financing

- Licensing

- MedTech

- Mergers & Acquisitions

- Payment services

- RegTech

- Technology development and licensing

Our experience:

- Advising a cryptocurrency exchange operator to be placed in the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) regulatory sandbox for RMO exemption to list security digital tokens and regulatory issues under the Payment Services Act.

- Advising on structuring of security token listings and offerings.

- Advising cryptocurrency trading market maker on cryptocurrency and fiat loan agreements.

- Advising on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) licence, and minting and transfer terms.

- Advised leading medical technology (MedTech) company on regulatory and other legal issues.

- Advised MedTech startup on regulatory issues, distributorship agreements, intellectual property, terms of service or use, and investment financing.

- Advised technology services company on intellectual property issues, software development, service agreements, and cloud services.

- Advised artificial intelligence technology and big data analytics firm on drafting intellectual property and source code license agreements and Software as a Service (SaaS) agreements.

Disputes related to patents, copyrights, trademarks, confidential information, and intellectual property (IP) infringements can be highly contentious. As Singapore positions itself to be a choice location for international IP dispute resolution, we have been innovative in our approach and adept at keeping pace with the fast-changing environment. Our team of lawyers are well-versed in alternative dispute resolution processes like mediation and arbitration as well as IP litigation.

Our experience:

- Acted for multi-jurisdictional plaintiffs in a patent infringement claim involving a utility patent in a manufactured machine.

- Successfully obtained an injunction and order for account of profits. Involved a novel legal issue of account of profits in convoyed goods.

- Acted for defendant in defending a trade mark infringement claim by a large multi-national corporation.

- Acted for leading electronics retailer regarding intellectual property and trade mark dispute, and distributorship agreement dispute.

- Acted for a multi-national corporate in research and development in successfully obtaining an injunction against an ex-employee to protect confidential information and trade secrets.

- Acted for a company on breaches of confidentiality obligations, non-compete restraint of trade covenants, and directors’ and fiduciary duties by a former director and employee.

As Singapore aims to be a global-Asia node of technology, innovation, and enterprise under the Singapore IP Strategy 2030, intangible assets (IA) and intellectual property (IP) matters will be increasingly important for content producers and owners of IP and IA alike.

We develop strategies for the use, protection, management and exploitation of intellectual property both locally and regionally at every stage of the innovation lifecycle. We negotiate, review and draft commercial agreements involving research and development, IP application, acquisition, licensing and franchising. We have also worked with artistes and major local and regional content (including new media) producers in the protection and exploitation of their intellectual property rights.

In the transformation of ideas to assets, companies need to effectively commercialise their intangible assets (IA) and intellectual property (IP) to get returns on the investment put into R&D and innovation. As Singapore focuses on building a credible and trusted IA/IP valuation ecosystem, our lawyers are poised to help businesses capitalise on their IA/IP. We have specialisation in transactional IP matters including the registering, franchising, and licensing of patents, copyrights, trademarks, and other IA/IP.