The revised Code of Governance for Charities

Singapore: This article discusses the Revised Code of Governance for Charities, and highlights the new guidelines to strengthen the governance practices of charities in Singapore, as well as the key amendments which the Code introduces.

Streamlining enforcement in Singapore of foreign judgments

Organisations may be held vicariously liable for their employees’ acts of copyright infringement

Singapore: The Singapore’s General Division of the High Court (GDHC) ruled in Siemens Industry Software Inc. (formerly known as Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc) v Inzign Pte Ltd [2023] SGHC 50 that an organisation may be vicariously liable for its employees’ acts of copyright infringement. This decision demonstrates the importance of putting in place strong intellectual property policies, and operationalising such policies in the course of business operations.

SIAC’s revised model arbitration clause 2023: Two features you need to know

Singapore: The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) recently revised its model arbitration clause on 12 January 2023. This article deals with two features of the model clause, namely, the need to include a specific choice-of-law for the arbitration clause in view of recent case developments, and the option to select the Singapore International Commercial Court as the supervisory court of the arbitration.

Going green with leases

Singapore: This article aims to explain the relevance of green leases, unpack the key ingredients of a green lease in Singapore and discuss some of the considerations Landlords should bear in mind when drafting a green lease. This article will be a useful starting point for Landlords in Singapore looking to implement green leases.

Attracting the best: changes to the global investor programme

Singapore: In a bid to attract higher quality investors and individuals interested in obtaining Singapore Permanent Residence status, the Singapore Economic Development Board announced on 2 March 2023 several changes to the Global Investor Programme’s (GIP) application criteria which will take effect on 15 March 2023. In this client alert, we will outline the key changes to the GIP’s criteria and comment how the more stringent criteria might affect high-net-worth individuals who are interested to migrate to Singapore under the GIP.

When is interest and default interest under a loan a penalty?

Singapore: The penalty doctrine can have significant impact on default interest rates and “make whole” interest clauses, potentially rendering them unenforceable. In this article, we explore why the Singapore Court of Appeal found these clauses unenforceable in the case of Ethoz Capital Ltd v Im8ex Pte Ltd and others [2023] SGCA 3, and how this affects all banks and lenders.

Discerning the truth – determining the nature of payments in tax

Singapore: In this client alert, we discuss how the Income Tax Board of Review in GFG and another v. Comptroller of Income Tax [2023] SGITBR 1 looked at the substance of a transaction to determine the nature of certain transaction payments and corresponding tax implications.

Case Development Update - Anupam Mittal v Westbridge Ventures II Investment Holdings [2022] SGCA: Towards a new era of arbitration agreements (in Japanese)

Singapore: On 12 January 2023, Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”) made amendment on its model clause without pomp and pompous. In this article, we look into the recent case, Anupam Mittal v Westbridge Ventures II Investment Holdings [2022] SGCA which has impacted the arbitration model clause , and discuss the importance for contracting parties to choose both a seat of arbitration and a governing law for the arbitration agreement with a pro-arbitration policy and limited non-arbitrability doctrine, such as Singapore.

Budget 2023: Employment law updates

Singapore: On 14 February 2023, the 2023 Singapore National Budget (2023 Budget) was unveiled. This client alert highlights the key employment changes introduced in the 2023 Budget that are relevant to our clients, including but not limited to an increase in leave entitlements for parents of infants, implementation of flexible work arrangements, raising the Central Provident Fund (CPF) monthly salary ceiling and changes in the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme.