Disputes Resolution

Civil Litigation

Strategic Litigation Counsel for High-Stakes Civil Disputes

Yuen Law’s litigation lawyers in Singapore represent business owners, professionals and individuals in disputes before the District Court, the General Division of the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The practice acts across the full course of a dispute, from pre-action correspondence and negotiation through to mediation, trial and the enforcement of judgment, and takes on high-stakes matters where a client’s finances, property or reputation are exposed.

Led by Amos Cai, Director and Head of Dispute Resolution, together with Director Denise Teo and Consultant P. Padman, the team brings courtroom experience and commercial judgement to each matter, and advises on the most effective route to resolution in each case.

What Does Litigation Mean?

Litigation is the process of resolving a legal dispute through the courts, as distinct from arbitration, mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. In a civil litigation matter, one party, the plaintiff, commences proceedings against another, the defendant, seeking a remedy such as damages, an injunction or a court order, for a breach of contract, a tort, or another civil wrong recognised by law. Litigation proceeds under a fixed procedural framework set by the Rules of Court, through stages that typically include the filing of the claim, an exchange of evidence, and, where the matter is not resolved earlier, a trial before a judge.

Recognition

As a litigation law firm in Singapore, Yuen Law’s Dispute Resolution Practice is recognised by Benchmark Litigation and Asialaw. The practice handles both commercial disputes and civil matters that business owners, professionals and individuals bring to the District Court and High Court, including debt recovery, property claims, defamation and medical negligence.

Civil Litigation Services

Debt Recovery

Yuen Law acts for creditors seeking to recover sums owed, from an initial letter of demand through to obtaining and enforcing judgment at the District Court or High Court. The firm's litigation and dispute resolution lawyers advises on both secured and unsecured debt, pursues settlement where it serves the client, and takes enforcement action where a debtor fails to pay.

Property and Tenancy Disputes

Yuen Law acts for property owners, co-owners and landlords in disputes over title, boundaries, co-ownership and lease terms, including applications for the sale of jointly owned property where co-owners cannot agree on its future.

Defamation

Yuen Law advises individuals and businesses on protecting their reputation, from pre-action correspondence and takedown demands through to court proceedings, and defends clients against defamation claims brought against them.

Employment Disputes

Yuen Law represents employers and C-suite and senior management executives in employment disputes before the civil courts, including wrongful dismissal claims, breach of employment contract, and disputes over executive service agreements and post-employment restrictions.

Negligence and Professional Liability Claims

Yuen Law acts for clients pursuing and defending negligence claims, including professional negligence against advisers and service providers who fall short of the standard of care owed to their clients.

Insurance Disputes

Yuen Law advises policyholders in disputes with insurers over disputed or declined claims, and on coverage questions across life, property and liability policies.

Partnership Disputes

Yuen Law acts in disputes between business partners, including disagreements over profit-sharing, breach of contract, management and the dissolution of a partnership.

Medical Negligence and Professional Discipline

Yuen Law represents clients pursuing medical negligence claims, and advises professionals facing disciplinary tribunal inquiries before bodies including the Singapore Medical Council, the Singapore Dental Council and the Law Society of Singapore.

White-Collar Crime and Regulatory Investigations

Yuen Law advises individuals and companies facing white-collar crime allegations and regulatory investigations, including matters involving financial impropriety, fraud and breaches of statutory and regulatory obligations.

Financial Services Disputes

Yuen Law acts in disputes arising in the financial services sector, including claims between customers and financial institutions and disputes over financial products and services.

Technology, Media and Telecommunications Disputes

Yuen Law acts in disputes across the technology, media and telecommunications sectors, including disagreements over technology contracts, service agreements, licensing and the ownership and use of data.

Litigation, Mediation and Enforcement

Yuen Law advises on the full range of routes to resolution, from court litigation before the District Court, the General Division of the High Court and the Court of Appeal to mediation and negotiated settlement. The team enforces judgments against assets in Singapore, and works alongside foreign law firms to pursue enforcement against assets located abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a party consider before starting litigation in Singapore?

Before commencing proceedings, it is worth weighing the strength of the claim, the remedy realistically available, the likely time and cost involved, and whether the other party has the means to satisfy a judgment. Litigation is one route among several, and in many disputes an early letter of demand or a negotiated settlement achieves the desired outcome without the need for trial. Yuen Law assesses these considerations at the outset so that a client commences proceedings on an informed footing.

What are the ways to enforce a judgment in Singapore?

Once judgment is entered, the judgment debtor is expected to pay the sum ordered. Where there is no payment, enforcement proceedings can be taken up. The available methods include a writ of seizure and sale over the debtor’s property, a garnishee order attaching money owed to the debtor by a third party such as a bank, the attachment of the debtor’s earnings, and, in appropriate cases, examination of the judgment debtor and bankruptcy or winding-up proceedings. Yuen Law advises on the most effective route to enforce against assets in Singapore, and works with foreign law firms to pursue enforcement where a debtor’s assets are located abroad.

Can a civil dispute be resolved without going to court?

Many civil disputes are resolved through alternative dispute resolution, principally negotiation and mediation, which are often faster and less costly than a trial and allow the parties to preserve a commercial or personal relationship. Under the Rules of Court 2021, parties are expected to consider amicable resolution, and the court may take a party’s refusal to do so into account when deciding costs. Yuen Law advises on when alternative dispute resolution serves a client’s interests and when the matter is better pursued through the courts.

Can a successful party recover its legal costs from the other side?

A successful party is usually awarded party-and-party costs, which cover a portion of legal fees incurred. This framework is designed to keep the cost of litigation proportionate and to avoid deterring parties from pursuing or defending genuine claims.

Cost awarded is guided by published Costs Guidelines, being Appendix G of the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 for High Court matters and Appendix H of the State Courts Practice Directions 2021 for District Court matters. These provide indicative cost ranges for different types of proceedings.

The precise amount remains at the court’s discretion. Under Order 21, Rule 2(2) of the Rules of Court 2021, the court has regard to all relevant circumstances when fixing or assessing costs, including the parties’ efforts at amicable resolution, the complexity and novelty of the issues, the skill and time required of the solicitor, the urgency and importance of the matter, the number of solicitors involved, the conduct of the parties, the principle of proportionality, and the stage at which the proceedings concluded.