Singapore (asialaw)

Bih Li & Lee is a Singapore law firm distinguished by its longstanding disputes heritage, broad corporate capability and partner-led approach to complex commercial matters. Founded in 1992 by former Allen & Gledhill practitioners, the firm combines established experience before the Singapore courts with a growing cross-border disputes practice and a corporate team active across healthcare, renewable energy, private capital and family-office investments. Its compact structure enables senior lawyers to remain closely involved while drawing together transactional, litigation and sector-specific expertise.

Dispute resolution is a defining strength of the firm. The practice handles matters throughout the contentious lifecycle, from pre-dispute strategy and negotiation to litigation, arbitration and enforcement. Its lawyers appear before the State Courts, General Division of the High Court, Appellate Division and Court of Appeal, advising on contractual claims, shareholder and partnership disputes, insolvency, complex torts and contentious intellectual-property matters.

The firm has a notable judicial pedigree. Co-founder Justice Woo Bih Li has served as a Justice of the Court of Appeal and President of the Appellate Division of the High Court. This heritage is reflected in the practice’s emphasis on rigorous legal analysis, procedural strategy and courtroom advocacy. Recent matters involve developing questions relating to investment-management duties, vicarious liability, agency, restitution, contractual termination and civil procedure.

The disputes team also brings depth to copyright and music-licensing matters. It acts for collective management organisations in claims involving licence agreements and tariff schemes and has appeared before the Copyright Tribunal. This specialist contentious experience complements the wider commercial practice and enables the firm to advise where contractual, intellectual-property and regulatory considerations overlap.

Cross-border capability is another important feature of the disputes offering. The team handles mandates involving foreign claimants, overseas assets and international investment arrangements, including claims governed by more than one legal system. Its lawyers are experienced in interlocutory applications, asset-preservation measures and procedural questions arising when parties or evidence are situated across jurisdictions.

The corporate and M&A team advises buyers, sellers, investors, portfolio companies, venture-capital firms, asset managers and family offices. Although sector-agnostic, the practice has developed meaningful experience in healthcare, energy, real estate, construction, fintech and media. It supports clients with structuring, due diligence, negotiation, transaction documentation, completion and continuing corporate matters.

Healthcare has become an important area of activity. The firm acts on acquisitions involving specialist healthcare practices and advises on the contractual and governance arrangements required when clinicians remain involved following completion. This requires the team to address not only the transfer of ownership but also continuing employment, management and shareholder relationships.

The energy practice has a strong cross-border dimension. The corporate team advises on Singapore-law matters arising from the ownership and financing of offshore wind projects in Taiwan and has handled acquisitions of renewable-energy assets across Southeast Asia. Its experience includes working with international and local counsel on transactions involving Singapore holding structures and assets situated in several jurisdictions.

Family offices represent another developing area. The firm advises on investments, corporate holding structures and partnership arrangements, including acquisitions of Singapore commercial property. Its combined corporate and disputes capabilities allow it to assist family offices with both investment execution and disagreements concerning partnership rights, capital commitments and exit arrangements.

Deputy managing partner Aaron Kok leads the M&A practice and advises on transactions across healthcare, energy, real estate and private capital. The disputes practice was strengthened by the arrival of Priscilla Lua as partner and head of dispute resolution from Oon & Bazul in December 2025. Lua brings more than 15 years of experience, including earlier work with Clifford Chance and Cavenagh Law, and acts on commercial, investment and cross-border disputes. Partner Aileen Chua is another key member of the contentious team, while Anthony Lee and Liansheng Wang contribute experience in copyright and music-licensing disputes.

Through its combination of disputes pedigree, direct partner involvement and expanding transactional capability, Bih Li & Lee offers clients an integrated platform for significant commercial disputes and corporate transactions in Singapore and across the region.

Client feedback

“The team is attentive and proactive, and delivers sound legal results.” – Corporate and M&A

“The partners are entrepreneurial and are hands-on. They get involved in the work with their associates which greatly benefits the client. Notwithstanding this, they price their services reasonably.” – Corporate and M&A

Aaron Kok

“He is attentive and proactive.”

“He is friendly, down to earth, easy to work with, and explains matters clearly.”