Ranked in Chambers High Net Worth, Legal 500, and Benchmark Litigation for family and private wealth law.
Leading Divorce & Family Law Firm in Singapore
Yuen Law’s divorce lawyers advise on the full range of matrimonial matters in the Family Justice Courts, from uncontested divorce and divorce by mutual agreement to contested proceedings involving custody, asset division, and maintenance. Every matter is handled by experienced practitioners, led by Director Amos Cai, Director Jaspreet Kaur, and Consultant Lim Fung Peen, who collectively bring decades of specialist experience in family litigation.
Recognition
The firm’s Private Wealth and Family Practice is led by Director and Acting Head Amos Cai, with Director Jaspreet Kaur, and Consultant Lim Fung Peen, 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 Band 3 for Private Wealth Law in Chambers and Partners High Net Worth, 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.
"A Singaporean firm with a growing presence in domestic private wealth legal work and family law matters."
"The team is well-equipped to advise HNW individuals on complex disputes concerning custody, divorce and asset division."
"Advice which is well thought through; they communicate clearly, and produce results."
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
Why Clients Choose Our Divorce Lawyers
Our divorce lawyers have good reviews from clients across multiple platforms:
What stood out most was their compassionate approach and genuine empathy during what was a challenging time for us. We are deeply grateful for their hard work, patience, and kindness.
They are a credit to the legal profession and truly embody the values of integrity, respect, and compassion. We highly recommend Yuen Law LLC to anyone looking for a law firm that not only delivers excellent service but does so with heart and principle.
Their knowledge and application of the facts & circumstances to the law was first class and their desire to prevail, felt as strong as ours!
Our whole dealings with Yuen Law, stretching over 15 months was extremely satisfying and delivered by a tremendous positive energy from their team..at all times.
Thank you Amos, Denise and Yuen Law!
They were responsive, strategic, and helped me stay grounded and focused throughout the process. I especially appreciated the clear guidance, practical advice, and calm approach during difficult moments.
Thank you for helping me navigate a very challenging chapter.
Despite the legal sensitivity and complexity of the situation, communication was consistently prompt and transparent. The team provided clear, practical guidance focused on achieving a realistic resolution, which helped us minimize unnecessary conflict and conclude the matter smoothly.
I would confidently recommend their services, particularly for cases involving negotiations or dispute resolution, where their expertise clearly stands out.
Rather than any single individual, what impressed me most was the team’s overall coordination and cohesion. Their strong teamwork and consistent approach built a high level of trust throughout the engagement.
During my most recent session, Mr. Lim’s advice was grounded and pragmatic, helping me find the most sensible path forward for my case. I trust them implicitly because of their integrity and the way they treat their clients with real care. If you need legal help from people who actually listen and provide honest solutions, Yuen Law is the firm to go to.
Mr Lim is highly knowledgeable and from the onset, he was able to understand my case and provide key considerations on my circumstances from a legal standpoint. He has a calming and wise persona and he represented me well in court. The outcome of my case was favourable and much thanks to the effort of Mr Lim and his team. I like how meticulous and detailed his team prepared for court and the flexibility to discuss and manage the work to be done so as to manage the total legal fee.
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.
“There is transparency in billing, efficiency in communication, patience and understanding from various members of the team from administrative staff to the finance team. Work gets done instead of just discussion.”
“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.”
“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, Acted for the Wife in heavily contested ancillary proceedings. Secured sole care and control of both children, a 55% share of the matrimonial asset pool (approximately $352,000), and retention of the matrimonial flat. Decision upheld on appeal to the High Court.
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.
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Our Divorce Lawyers
Our team advises on both straightforward and contested matters, with the legal rigour and personal sensitivity each case demands.
