Civil & Commercial Litigation Lawyers

4.9

Based on 3455 reviews

Leading Litigation Lawyers in Singapore – Fixed Fees

At PKWA Law, our civil litigation lawyers represent individuals and businesses across a wide range of civil and commercial disputes, including court proceedings and arbitration. Our lawyers have experience in Singapore High Court litigation as well as international arbitrations conducted under SIAC and ICC rules.

We provide clear legal advice, strategic representation and practical solutions aimed at resolving disputes efficiently while protecting our clients’ commercial and personal interests.

Whether you’re an individual or business, we offer clear, fixed-fee litigation services with sound strategic advice at every step.

Where possible, we seek to resolve disputes through negotiation or settlement. When litigation or arbitration becomes necessary, our lawyers take a firm and strategic approach to protecting your interests.

Some of Our Litigation & Arbitration Cases

Our litigation lawyers bring experience across complex commercial disputes, High Court proceedings and international arbitration, including substantial cross-border and corporate matters.

Complex Corporate Litigation Worth US$300 Million: Represented an Indonesian company in the Singapore High Court in one of the largest corporate bond defaults in emerging markets history. The US$300 million claim involved legal experts from the US and Indonesia, with hearings in three different countries, including the Supreme Court of New York, the Supreme Court of Indonesia, and the Singapore High Court (OCM Opportunities Fund II, LP and Others v Pt Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Corporation and Another [2008] SGHC 73).

International Arbitration Worth US$150 Million: Our lawyers have experience in major international arbitrations conducted under the rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), including an arbitration that resulted in an award of damages exceeding US$150 million.

High-Value Corporate Arbitration: Our lawyers have acted in an international arbitration arising from the proposed S$3.8 billion acquisition of an SGX-listed company, involving complex commercial and corporate issues.

Global Corporate Advisory: Advised the leading global operator of water services on employment matters and general corporate advice for its Asia Pacific office.

Property Disputes: Acted for a government statutory board to resolve property disputes and secure possession from errant tenants.

Multi-Claim Defence: Successfully defended all eight defendants in a US$27 million multi-cause of action claim for breach of contract, breach of agency, and conspiracy to defraud. The case was upheld by the Court of Appeal (Fornet Enterprise Co Ltd v Howell Universal Pte Ltd and Others [2006] SGHC 33).

Employment Litigation: Represented Propnex, one of Singapore’s largest property agency companies, in claims against former employees and agents for staff poaching and breach of contract.

Defamation Defence: Defended former students in a defamation suit brought by a well-known options trading trainer.

Construction Disputes: Acted for a US-listed MNC in litigation over the construction of a wafer fab plant in Singapore.

Debt Recovery: Represented DBS Bank in the recovery of credit card and housing loans.

Bankruptcy Protection: Successfully sought bankruptcy protection under the Bankruptcy Act for two directors of a Singapore-listed company, allowing them to restructure personal liabilities of about $51 million from corporate guarantees.

Hotel Dispute: Advised a major international hotel chain in their dispute with a Singapore landlord.

Electronic Discovery Litigation: Acted in the Singapore High Court for an international construction and engineering company in one of the first cases in Singapore involving electronic discovery of documents stored on servers.

Our Areas of Expertise

Our litigation lawyers regularly represent clients in disputes involving:

Will disputes
Executor and beneficiary disputes
Bankruptcy and insolvency matters
International and domestic arbitration
Contractual and commercial disputes
Corporate and shareholder disputes
Debt recovery and enforcement actions
Construction and building disputes
Landlord and tenant disputes
Property and real estate disputes
Employment disputes between employers and employees
Defamation and reputation claims
Harassment claims under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA)

How Civil Litigation Works in Singapore

Civil disputes in Singapore generally follow a structured process. Understanding the stages early allows you to make informed decisions about cost, timing and strategy.

Pre-Action Stage

Most disputes begin with a formal letter of demand. This sets out the legal basis of the claim and gives the opposing party an opportunity to resolve the matter before court proceedings are commenced. In many cases, early negotiation can achieve a commercially sensible outcome without litigation.

Commencing Court Proceedings

If settlement is not possible, formal proceedings may be initiated by filing the appropriate originating process and statement of claim with the court. These documents set out the legal and factual basis of the claim and are served on the defendant.

The defendant will then file a defence, after which the matter proceeds through case management conferences, discovery of documents, exchange of evidence and, if necessary, trial.

Our litigation team advises you at every stage to ensure procedural compliance while maintaining strategic advantage.

Which Court Will Hear Your Litigation Claim?

The court in which a civil claim is filed depends largely on the monetary value and complexity of the dispute. Selecting the correct forum is important, as it affects procedure, timelines and costs.

Magistrates’ Courts

Civil claims between S$20,000 and S$60,000 fall within the jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Courts. These courts handle a broad range of private disputes and apply structured procedural timelines to facilitate efficient resolution.

District Courts

Claims between S$60,000 and S$250,000 are generally heard in the District Courts. These matters often involve more detailed legal arguments, fuller discovery obligations and more substantial evidentiary requirements.

High Court

Where the claim exceeds S$250,000, proceedings are commenced in the High Court. The High Court deals with complex, high-value and often multi-party disputes. Matters before this court typically require comprehensive preparation, detailed legal submissions and expert evidence.

Our lawyers advise you on the appropriate forum at the outset to ensure your claim is filed correctly and strategically positioned.

Our Civil Litigation Process

1. Initial consultation

We review your dispute and advise on your legal position.

2. Strategy and negotiation

Where possible we attempt to resolve disputes through negotiation.

3. Court proceedings

If necessary, we represent you in litigation before the Singapore courts.

4. Resolution and enforcement

Strategic Considerations Before Starting Litigation

Before commencing proceedings, it is important to evaluate:

Strength of evidence and legal merits
Financial position of the opposing party
Likely legal costs versus potential recovery
Risk of adverse cost orders
Availability of settlement or mediation

Litigation should be a strategic decision, not an emotional one. We conduct a realistic case assessment so that you understand both upside and risk before taking action.