I see my mission in practice as helping businesses thrive. I derive great satisfaction from helping start-ups and entrepreneurs overcome their legal challenges and flourish.
Samuel Yuen
Founder and Managing Director
Co-Head of Corporate Practice
(Team Lead, Startups and Corporate Actions)
Advocate and Solicitor, Singapore
LLB (Hons), National University of Singapore Class of 2000
Certificate in Christian Ministries, Trinity Theological College
I see my mission in practice as helping businesses thrive. I derive great satisfaction from helping start-ups and entrepreneurs overcome their legal challenges and flourish.
Samuel Yuen is a leading Singapore lawyer recognised by the prestigious Chambers and Partners for his work with startups and emerging companies. He is a renowned corporate M&A expert with a “multi-threat” background in securities, corporate actions and intellectual property.
Specialisation
- Corporate & Commercial
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Private Equity
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Technology & Media
- Data Protection
- Labour & Employment
- Competition
- Intellectual Property
Language Proficiency
English, Mandarin
Full Profile
Samuel Yuen is the Managing Director of Yuen Law LLC and head of its Startups and Corporate Actions Team. He founded the firm in 2012 following a fruitful career in corporate and securities law.
Samuel is featured in ALB’s Asia Super 50 TMT Lawyers in 2024, and Chambers Asia-Pacific for his work with startups and emerging companies. Ranked as a leading legal practitioner in Singapore, Samuel acts for founders, high-growth companies, institutional investors and corporates on capital raisings, acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and shareholder arrangements. His work spans the full transaction cycle, from early-stage funding to complex buyouts, across sectors including technology, finance, healthcare, consumer goods, and manufacturing.
Driven by the belief that an effective lawyer is a collaborator for success, Samuel works hand in glove with his clients to meet their needs at their various stages of growth. Clients commend him for “consistently providing strategic legal guidance with a strong grasp of commercial realities” and for being “a great partner who facilitates insightful conversation.” He is best known for being a creative thinker who provides out-of-the-box but practical and commercially savvy legal solutions.
Samuel has been involved in significant mandates including the proposed GKGOH Vickers merger, the listing of Brascabos, and the reverse takeover of HSR International Realtors, and has advised regional clients such as Navision SEA (now part of Microsoft), Elite Gold and ultra-high-net-worth families on strategic investments and commercial matters.
He previously practised at leading Singapore firm David Lim & Partners, widely recognised at the time for its corporate practice, where he trained and later became a Junior Partner. He also practised at KhattarWong, specialising in corporate M&A and listings, and contributed to the establishment of protocols for KW Advisory, KhattarWong’s Catalist sponsor arm. He later served as Singapore legal counsel and one of four department heads at the Henry Goh Group.
Coming from a long family line of entrepreneurs and undertakings in various law firms including his own, Samuel understands the struggles, challenges and gratification of running businesses. That empathy, combined with business acumen that’s constantly sharpened in the course of serving clients and networking, is what builds greater affinity between him and corporate clients.
As a leader, he has imbued a spirit of excellence among the Yuen Law team, that is propped up by a firm culture of supportiveness and empathy. He upholds the highest expectations of his team in the standards of their work and how they treat clients and one another. The firm invests in its people, both professionally in terms of constant upgrading and upskilling, as well as in encouraging time outs for their family and personal life and self-care.
A great believer in nurturing the next generation of legal professionals and entrepreneurs, Samuel frequently speaks at talks, workshops and legal clinics for undergraduates and incubators at NUS LAW, SMU and various business associations.
Samuel serves as the honorary legal counsel for the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore and founded Guide Dogs Singapore Ltd, a registered charity with Institute of Public Character status. He is also a member of the School Advisory Committee of Tanjong Katong Secondary School.
He worships at Covenant Evangelical Free Church and enjoys exploring the world. He is the proud father of a precious little girl.
Accolades
Experience
Mergers and Acquisitions
- Advised a regional agribusiness group on its acquisition of a specialty animal nutrition manufacturing and distribution, supporting the expansion of its portfolio across Asia.
- Advised BSL Corporation Berhad, a Bursa Malaysia-listed manufacturing and engineering group, in its acquisition of the controlling stake in SD Unify Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based strategic procurement hub serving the global semiconductor supply chain.
- Advised Citystate Travel Holdings in its acquisition of Fortune Travel Pte Ltd, one of Singapore’s largest corporate travel agencies to expand its reach in the corporate travel business.
- Advised Absolute Maintenance Services, a cleaning and sanitising specialist, in the strategic sale of its majority stake to Savills Singapore.
- Advised Simply Sakal on its SGD 4.7 million sale to Ohmyhome Pte. Ltd., as part of Ohmyhome’s broader strategy to develop a full-service property super app.
- Advised Dr Patrick Liew and Lim Sook Lin on the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of HSR International Realtors from Catalist-listed 3Cnergy Limited, for nominal consideration of $1.
Venture Capital
- Advised Pine Venture Partners on its Series A investment in Zum Vets. Pine Ventures co-led the round, which raised US $3.7 million for the telehealth startup transforming veterinary services across Southeast Asia.
- Advised Pine Venture Partners on its Series B investment in Spatial Systems. Pine Venture led the round of growth capital funding with US 25 million raised.
- Advised Real Tech Fund, on its Series A investment in Shiok Meats, a cell cultured meat company. The investment formed part of US 12.6 million funding to construct a production facility.
- Advised Lendlease on the establishment of Propell Asia, Singapore’s first regional proptech accelerator, launched in collaboration with JLL. The accelerator connects early-stage proptech companies with Asia Pacific’s commercial real estate ecosystem, providing access to the full real estate value chain and a “living lab” platform to pilot and validate solutions across major urban development projects in the region.
- Advised various government-linked investment arms on early-stage funding into start-ups across multiple sectors.
Capital Markets
- Advised on the reverse takeover by HSR International Realtors of Catalist-listed Wepco Ltd.
- Advised of local and foreign businesses on listing on the SGX Mainboard and the Catalist Board.
Financial Services Regulations
- Advising on compliance with regulatory matters for a fintech group.
Non-Profits & Charities
- Advised New Life Community Services Ltd on the transfer and integration of nine preschool centres from YWCA of Singapore, including advising on employment and operational transition matters.
- Advised the GK Goh family on the donation of the William Farquhar Collection, a historically significant set of botanical and zoological drawings from Malacca and Singapore, to the National Museum.
- Advised the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) on the negotiation and charitable donation of office space at Clark Quay Central by Far East Organisation.
- Advised the trustees of a church on financing arrangements, including the review of a facility agreement.
- Advised a family office on a services agreement, invitation to treat, and scholarship agreement, supporting its philanthropic and educational initiatives.
- Advised on the set up of the Chamber of Commerce in Singapore for a North African Country.
- Advised multiple societies on structuring as companies limited by guarantee, corporate secretarial matters, and obtaining charity and Institution of a Public Character status.
Intellectual Property
- Advised an FMCG food and beverage group on the prosecution, protection, and enforcement of its trade marks and copyrights across multiple jurisdictions, and on a commercialisation and distribution agreement.
- Advised a family-established foundation on the licensing, monetisation, and transfer of intellectual property rights relating to the calligraphy works and artifacts of a late artist.
- Advised an economic forum on intellectual property matters, including policy development and agreement templates.
Data Protection
- Implementation of Personal Data Protection Policy for a veterinary group ahead of a merger and acquisition transaction.
Employment
- Advising on compliance with local employment laws for a retail MNC.
Publications
- “Funding for Start-ups: A Guide to Fundraising” (Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd, 2020) is a business and legal guide that distils Samuel’s extensive experience advising start-ups, private investors and venture capital firms. It serves as a practical resource for SME owners and founders seeking clarity in structuring their fundraising journey.
Associations
- Honorary legal counsel for the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore
- Founder of Guide Dogs Singapore Ltd, a registered charity
- School Advisory Committee of Tanjong Katong Secondary School
News
In our firm, we liken the practice of law not to karate, taekwondo or any formal school of martial arts but to MMA. We do what it takes to protect our clients’ interests within the confines of the legal system. Our lawyers are impelled to constantly ground their practice in reality and pragmatism.
Articles
Startup Shareholders Agreement: A Must Read Guide
6 February 2025
Guide to Buying a Business in Singapore
22 October 2024
