Category: Corporate & Commercial
Protecting Your SME: Navigating Director and Shareholder Disputes in Singapore
In my practice at OTP Law Corporation, I regularly meet business founders who built their companies on complete trust. Early on, agreements are sealed with a handshake over coffee. Roles stay fluid. Everyone works toward a shared vision. Then revenues grow, investors enter, or cash flow tightens, and that initial alignment quietly dissolves. Disputes rarely…
Singapore Online Gambling Laws Part 1: Is Online Gambling Legal?
Singapore’s approach to online gambling has changed substantially since this topic was last examined. This series updates and replaces our original 2005 article on this topic, which discussed the law as it stood under the since-repealed Betting Act, Common Gaming Houses Act and MDA class licensing regime. The old patchwork of the Betting Act, the…
Managing Underperforming Employees Part 2: Performance Failure or Misconduct – The Legal Distinction
When an employee isn’t delivering, frustration can build quickly. As a business owner or manager, it is natural to want a swift resolution when deadlines are repeatedly missed or targets fall short. But in the heat of the moment, it is easy to blur two very different workplace issues: poor performance and misconduct. At OTP…
The Life-Cycle of a Start-Up: From Cradle to Grave (Part 4)
We have covered quite a bit of ground in this series so far. In Part 1, we talked about being born — incorporating the company, splitting equity fairly among founders, and raising those first few dollars from family and friends using CARE. In Part 2, we talked about growing up — hiring your first employees…
The Modern Ledger – Contracts and Liability in the AI Age
AI cannot be held accountable in a court of law. This article covers how Singapore contract law governs AI-assisted decisions and how to draft agreements that allocate AI-related risk clearly between vendor and customer.
Why Singapore Still Wins as Your APAC Launchpad
In April 2026, AI company Cognition opened its Singapore office as its Asia Pacific headquarters, following an earlier expansion into Japan, with its regional leadership team based here to oversee growth across Southeast Asia, Australia, India, and Korea. This follows a pattern that has held for years. Singapore has hosted regional headquarters for well over…
Can Insurers Deny a Claim Over a Clause You Didn’t Notice? Singapore Court Says Yes
A District Court has dismissed a policyholder’s claim that an insurer hid a key exclusion in her policy, offering a useful reminder of how Singapore courts read insurance contracts and what actually counts as fair disclosure. The Case: Cai Yanhong v Prudential Assurance Company Singapore In Cai Yanhong v Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Limited…
Unhealthy PSI Levels in Singapore: Workplace Safety and Legal Duties for Employers
When the Pollutant Standards Index breaches 100 and central Singapore hits 154, business operations cannot continue with ‘business as usual’. Smoke haze returning to Singapore often catches some employers off guard, especially when we have not seen haze at these levels for some years. While HR managers scramble to find leftover N95 masks in storage,…
Managing Underperforming Employees Part 1: Fire, Retrain, or Talk It Out – The Decision Tree
Behind every growing business in Singapore is a team of people. And where there are people, misalignments happen. Few things weigh heavier on a manager than an employee who simply isn’t performing. You want your business to succeed, but you also care about doing right by your team. When work falls short, it is easy…
Managing Underperforming Employees: A Guide for Singapore SMEs
When an employee falls short of expectations, business owners and managers face a delicate balancing act. Moving too quickly can trigger costly claims at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) or the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT). Waiting too long damages team morale, client trust, and your bottom line. This 5-part guide from OTP Law…
Bonus Criteria in Singapore Employment Contracts
A recent District Court decision shows why performance bonus clauses that promise a payout “subject to criteria to be agreed later” can leave both employers and employees exposed, and why an employee who unilaterally redefines what was agreed will lose. The Case: Ngai Nai Ping Jango v Banshing Industrial Co (Pte) Ltd In Ngai Nai…
Safeguarding Your Singapore Business: Navigating Complex Cross-Border Commercial Disputes
Singapore’s economy thrives on international trade and cross-border collaborations. For many SME owners, venturing into global markets offers immense opportunities for growth. However, this expansion also brings with it an elevated risk of complex commercial disputes. These disputes are becoming increasingly intricate, influenced by a confluence of factors including geopolitical shifts, evolving international sanctions, and…
