Chooi Jing Yen

Eugene Thuraisingam LLP (“ETLLP”) is a premier dispute resolution practice specialising in disputes and investigations. ETLLP is the choice firm for any client seeking an experienced, committed and conflict-free team of counsel to conduct a broad spectrum of cross-border and domestic commercial and civil disputes. The team of dedicated counsel comprises of Eugene Thuraisingam, Suang Wijaya, Chooi Jing Yen, Syazana Yahya, Johannes Hadi, Hamza Malik, Genghis Koh, and Joel Wong. 

Criminal defence litigation is one of the firm’s core practice areas, along with commercial litigation and international arbitration. 

The firm has a strong track record in criminal law practice and has expertise in criminal defence at all levels of the Singapore Courts and have successfully obtained acquittals, reduction or withdrawal of charges through robust representations, and defended clients accused of a wide range of offences including, White-Collar Crimes, Criminal Breach of Trust, Securities & Futures Act Offences, Fraud & Cheating, among other serious offences. 

As commercial litigators with an established criminal practice, the firm brings their specialist trial skills to bear in their client’s civil disputes, particularly where the factual or expert evidence is strongly contested. 

The firm is regularly instructed to act for professionals being investigated or disciplined by the Law Society of Singapore, Singapore Medical Council, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.  

The highly reputable disputes-focused law firm provides professional legal services to a wide-ranging client base, including private and public companies, businesspersons, high-net-worth individuals, amongst others. The team of counsel assists clients in complex, high-value, and multi-jurisdictional disputes in the Southeast Asia region. The firm is well-placed to handle the full spectrum of international arbitration across a wide range of industries including, International Trade, Shipping, Oil & Gas, Banking and Financial Services, and Insurance. 

ETLLP has been recognised for ‘Commercial and Transactions’, ‘Dispute Resolution’, and ‘White-Collar Crime’ practice areas by various leading legal publications. The firm has been listed as a leading criminal law firm in Singapore and Eugene Thuraisingam and Suang Wijaya have also been identified as leading criminal lawyers in Singapore by Doyle's Guide 2020. Asian Legal Business has also named the firm as one of the “Firms to Watch 2019”. Most recently, ETLLP has been named as one of “Singapore’s Best Law Firms 2021” by the Straits Times and Statista.

One Of Singapore’s Best Law Firms 2022 – Eugene Thuraisingam LLP

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Jing Yen graduated cum laude from the Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2015, placing on the final year Dean’s List.

Equally adept appearing at all Court levels, Jing Yen has been endorsed by clients for his “sharp mind” and “calm demeanour”. His keen eye for detail and ability to juggle competing perspectives gives him a particular strength in civil litigation and arbitration matters. He has published in the Singapore Law Gazette on the striking out of frivolous and vexatious lawsuits.

Jing Yen’s pro bono practice includes assignments from the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences (LASCO) and the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) as well as the occasional appearance at a community legal clinic.

Publications:-

• October 2020, Asian Legal Business: Singapore’s Disputes
• September 2020, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP publication: Recognition of Indonesian bankruptcy orders in Singapore, Insolvency Case Update: Paulus Tannos v Heince Tombak Simanjuntak and others [2020] SGCA 85
• May 2020, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP publication: Keeping Up With COVID-19: A commentary on the pace of legislative change
• September 2019, Singapore Law Gazette: Legal Unsustainability and Order 18 Rule 19 of the Rules of Court

Selection of Significant Matters:-

• White collar investigations: Advised clients investigated by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of the Singapore Police Force following the alleged criminal breach of trust of SGD 33 million by a former managing partner of a Singapore law firm.
• SIAC arbitration involving a dispute over legal fees: A novel dispute engaging the question of whether a dispute over legal fees charged to a Singapore entity by a foreign law practice was arbitrable on the ground of public policy, or should be sent for taxation in the Singapore High Court.
• SIAC involving a construction project: A US$6m cross-border arbitration involving the jurisdictions of Singapore and Myanmar. At issue was whether the agreements in question were in any way varied by new policies introduced by a change in government in Myanmar, and whether an implied term under Singapore law was consequently introduced into these agreements.
• Jay Machinery Pte. Ltd. v C T Environmental Services Pte. Ltd. & Another [2018] SGDC 246: Discharged a Mareva injunction on the basis that the opposing party had not produced solid evidence that there was a real risk that our client was about to dissipate $2.9m worth of assets. The opposing party’s appeal to the High Court was dismissed.
• Public Prosecutor v Low Ji Qing [2019] SGHC 174: Defended an appeal brought by the prosecution against a sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment meted out to a repeat theft offender suffering from Fetishism. The judgment written by the Honourable Chief Justice grapples with the principles of proportionality and specific deterrence and is now an important part of the jurisprudence on criminal sentencing. Media coverage: Chief Justice dismisses appeal for higher sentence for man with fetish for stealing women’s wallets

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“Jing Yen is an effective litigator. He has a good mastery of the law and is able to plan his long term litigation strategy very early into the suit.”

– Dispute Resolution, Asialaw Profiles 2021

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