Leading Family Law Firm in Singapore
Yuen Law’s divorce lawyers advise on the full range of matrimonial proceedings, from uncontested divorce and mediation to contested proceedings in the Family Justice Courts. Every divorce matter is handled by senior practitioners who collectively bring decades of specialist experience in family law. Clients work directly with the lawyers who know their case, from the first consultation through to resolution.
The firm’s Private Wealth and Family Practice is led by Amos Cai, Director and Acting Head of the practice group, Jaspreet Kaur, Director and Lim Fung Peen, Consultant, a family law practitioner with over 25 years of experience, serving as key contacts. The team approaches each case with legal rigour and personal sensitivity, working to achieve fair, durable outcomes as efficiently as circumstances allow.
Yuen Law is ranked Tier 2 for Family and Matrimonial in Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific, and Tier 3 in Private Wealth and Family Law in the Legal 500. The firm is also recognised by The Straits Times as one of Singapore’s best law firms for inheritance and succession.
“Yuen Law provides advice which is well thought through;
they communicate clearly, and produce results.”
– Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific
Guiding You Through Divorce with Expertise and Care
Divorce is one of the most significant decisions a person faces. Our approach begins with understanding your specific circumstances, the reasons for the breakdown, the assets involved, your children’s welfare, and your longer-term needs, before advising on the most appropriate course of action.
A divorce need not be acrimonious or protracted. Where parties are prepared to engage constructively, we work to achieve an amicable settlement that protects your interests, saves time and cost, and reduces conflict. Where proceedings are contested, we represent clients robustly through mediation, negotiation, and trial.
Family law requires more than legal expertise, it demands empathy to understand emotional complexities, clear communication to guide clients through tough decisions, and strategic thinking to navigate toward fair resolutions. We stand with our clients through every challenge.
-Amos Cai, Director
Our Divorce & Family Law Services
Yuen Law’s Private Wealth and Family Practice advises on the full range of matrimonial and family law matters, including:
- Uncontested divorce and Divorce by Mutual Agreement
- Contested divorce proceedings
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- Deed of separation
- Child custody, care, control and access
- Division of matrimonial assets
- Spousal and child maintenance
- Enforcement and variation of court orders
- Personal protection orders
- Mediation and collaborative family practice
Reviews from Clients
Our divorce lawyers have good reviews from clients across multiple platforms:
Highly Rated on Google.
Thousands of clients have trusted Yuen Law with their most personal legal matters. A reflection of the care and expertise we bring to every case.
“Fung Peen is very warm and talkative, he explains very thoroughly.”
“Fung Peen comes across as a very knowledgeable, yet humble person. He conveys his well-thought-out advice in a way that a common person without a legal background understands. He is friendly and very likeable, and this takes away any anxiety or hesitation that a person seeking legal advice may have.”
“I appreciate their understanding each customer’s unique needs, being patient, and guiding the client through each stage with clear deliverables.” – Family and matrimonial
“Great follow-up. Able to explain legal terms to a layman like myself.” – Family and matrimonial
“The team helped me navigate through very emotional and difficult situations. Their understanding and guidance were crucial for the successful outcome of my trial. The demand from the opposing party was challenged and mitigated with great acumen following the concepts of therapeutic justice and I felt that, with the team, they were not only lawyers but individuals that understood my situation and circumstances on a personal level.” – Family and matrimonial
Representative Divorce and Family Matters
Family litigation requires both technical precision and sound judgment. We approach contested proceedings with clear strategy, careful preparation, and a focus on achieving practical outcomes for our clients. Here are some of the ways we have done so:
Contested Ancillary Matters: Care and Control, Division of Assets and Child Maintenance
In VDF v VDG [2019] SGFC 135, we acted for the Wife in heavily contested ancillary proceedings arising from a marriage of less than five years. Apart from joint custody, all ancillary issues were disputed, including care and control of the parties’ two young children, division of matrimonial assets, and child maintenance.
The Husband sought care and control and alleged that the Wife had neglected the children, exposed them to harm, and undermined his relationship with them. The Court rejected these allegations in full, finding that both parties were equally capable parents and that the incidents relied upon did not reflect adversely on the Wife.
We secured sole care and control of both children, a 55% division of the matrimonial asset pool (approximately $352,000), and an order allowing the Wife to retain the matrimonial flat.
The Husband appealed. We successfully defended the decision in the High Court, with all orders upheld.
Contested Child Maintenance: Backdated Maintenance and Quantum in Dispute
In XSR v XSS [2025] SGFC 108, we acted for the Father in contested child maintenance proceedings involving two children born outside marriage.
The Mother sought monthly maintenance of $6,000 and the maximum permissible period of backdated maintenance.
We successfully argued that the Father had not neglected his maintenance obligations, as he had not known he was the children’s biological father before paternity was established.
The Court limited backdated maintenance to the date of the application and reduced the monthly maintenance award by 40%, from $6,000 to $3,600.
Read the case summary.
International Child Abduction: Hague Convention Proceedings and Expert Evidence
In Colin John Blanch (Commissioner of Police, Western Australia Police) and Morgan [2024] FCWA 88, our Consultant Lim Fung Peen was appointed as an expert witness on Singapore law in Hague Convention proceedings before the Family Court of Western Australia concerning the wrongful removal of two children from Singapore to Australia.
He gave expert evidence on the Father’s custody rights and the children’s habitual residence in Singapore.
The Mother argued that returning the children would expose the children to a grave risk of psychological harm and that Singapore’s legal framework would not provide adequate protection. The Court rejected these arguments and accepted the expert evidence that protective remedies, including applications for Personal Protection Orders under Singapore law, were available.
Following a three-day trial, the Court ordered the children’s return to Singapore.
Read the case summary.
Information About Divorce
Requirements for Divorce in Singapore
To file for a civil divorce under the Women’s Charter 1961 (Cap. 353), you must satisfy three threshold requirements.
- Three-Year Rule: You must generally have been married for at least three years before filing for divorce.
- Residency: Either you or your spouse must be a Singapore Citizen, or must have been habitually resident in Singapore for at least three continuous years immediately before filing.
- Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme: Where you and your spouse have children below 21 years of age, both parties must complete the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme before proceedings are filed.
Once these requirements are met, you must satisfy the court that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. Under the Women’s Charter, this can be established by any one of six facts:
- adultery;
- unreasonable behaviour;
- desertion for at least two continuous years;
- separation of three years with the other party’s consent;
- separation of four years (without consent); or,
- Divorce by mutual agreement, where both parties jointly agree that the marriage has broken down without the need to assign fault.
Uncontested Divorce / Simplified Track
An uncontested divorce proceeds where both parties agree both on the fact establishing irretrievable breakdown and on all ancillary matters, including the arrangements for children, division of matrimonial assets, and maintenance. Where full agreement is reached, divorce can proceed on the simplified track, which is generally faster and more cost-effective.
Our lawyers assist parties in negotiating and documenting a settlement agreement, ensuring that all consent orders, covering the matrimonial home, CPF, children’s arrangements, and maintenance, are properly drafted and enforceable. We review all proposed terms with you before any agreement is signed.
Contested Divorce
Where parties are unable to agree on the grounds for divorce or on ancillary matters, we advise and represent clients through contested proceedings. Even in a contested matter, opportunities for mediation arise at various stages, the Family Justice Courts actively encourage parties to resolve disputes through the Court Dispute Resolution process and mediation. Where only certain issues remain in dispute, it is often possible to settle selected matters through mediation while reserving the more contentious issues for trial.
Our lawyers are experienced in the full spectrum of contested family proceedings, including disputes involving complex asset structures, multiple properties, business interests, substantial CPF assets, and cross-border elements. Where a spouse has failed to make full and frank disclosure of assets, we advise on asset tracing and take appropriate steps to address dissipation of matrimonial assets. Where litigation is necessary, we take a firm and considered approach in your best interests.
Post-Divorce Matters
Following the completion of divorce proceedings, we assist clients with the sale or transfer of the matrimonial property, including HDB and private residential properties. Where circumstances change after the divorce is finalised, whether in terms of the parties’ financial positions, employment, relocation, or the children’s arrangements, we advise on and conduct variation applications before the courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does divorce take in Singapore?
A simplified uncontested divorce in Singapore typically takes around 4 to 6 months to complete. Approximately 1 to 2 months from filing the application to Interim Judgment, followed by a mandatory three-month period before the Final Judgment can be extracted.
Contested divorces take longer, ranging from several months to over a year depending on the complexity of the ancillary matters in dispute.
What is divorce by mutual agreement?
Introduced on 1 July 2024, is a no-fault divorce option under the Women’s Charter. Both spouses must jointly agree that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and file a written agreement addressing reconciliation efforts and arrangements for children and finances. The court must be satisfied the agreement is fair before granting the divorce.
Can I get a divorce if my spouse refuses?
Yes. A spouse’s refusal to consent does not prevent you from filing for divorce. You may proceed on a contested basis by establishing that the marriage has irretrievably broken down through one of the facts recognised under the Women’s Charter, such as unreasonable behaviour, desertion, or four years’ separation, which does not require the other party’s consent. Our lawyers will advise you on the most suitable ground and guide you through the process.
How is the HDB flat dealt with in a divorce?
The HDB flat is generally treated as a matrimonial asset and may be subject to division in divorce proceedings.
Where the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) has been fulfilled, the flat may ordinarily be sold on the open market or transferred to one party, subject to agreement between the parties.
Where the MOP has not been met, the flat cannot be sold on the open market. In such cases, any retention of the flat will depend on whether the retaining party satisfies HDB’s eligibility criteria. This may include, for example, where a party is granted care and control of the children, or where the party qualifies under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme (generally for Singapore citizens aged 35 and above). Alternatively, the flat may have to be surrendered to HDB.
Parties should also take into account the practical and financial consequences of any division or transfer, including any cash-over-valuation (“COV”) (where applicable), CPF refund obligations (including accrued interest), and outstanding mortgage liabilities.
What is the difference between "custody" and "care and control"?
“Custody” refers to the authority to make major decisions about a child’s upbringing, education, and welfare.
“Care and control” refers to the day-to-day living arrangements, that is, which parent the child primarily resides with.
Joint custody is the norm in Singapore, while care and control may be granted to one parent or, less commonly, shared.
What are the grounds for divorce in Singapore?
The legal ground for divorce is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, established by one of six facts:
- adultery,
- unreasonable behaviour,
- desertion,
- three years’ separation with consent,
- four years’ separation, or
- divorce by mutual agreement.
Do I need to attend court for my divorce?
Where you are represented by a lawyer, court attendance for an uncontested divorce is generally not required, your lawyers handle all filings and represent you throughout. For a contested divorce, attendance at hearings and mediation sessions is likely to be required. We prepare you fully for any court appearance.
What are your legal fees for divorce matters?
Our fees reflect the complexity and nature of each matter. An uncontested divorce is generally more straightforward and cost-effective than contested proceedings, where costs will vary depending on the issues in dispute. We provide a clear and honest assessment of fees at the outset, and keep you informed throughout.
