Partners

Joelle Tan

Associate Director, Dispute Resolution

Key Practices

Qualifications

  • LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore (2017)
  • Advocate & Solicitor, Singapore (2018)

Joelle is a disputes lawyer specialising in corporate and commercial litigation.

She has advised on and acted in commercial litigation matters at all levels of the Singapore Courts, encompassing a wide range of issues including professional misconduct or negligence, breach of fiduciary duties, fraud, breach of confidence, and bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. She regularly advises insurers and insureds on coverage issues, and has experience with probate proceedings.

Joelle has also acted as counsel in arbitrations, as well as in arbitration related applications before the Singapore Courts.

Joelle is admitted to the Singapore Bar, and obtained a distinction in Insolvency Law and Practice in Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.

Some of the matters which Joelle has acted in include:

Commercial and Civil Disputes:

  • Acted for a company formerly listed on the Singapore Exchange against its former auditors, Deloitte & Touche LLP, in relation to a claim of professional negligence.
  • Acted for a Russian oligarch in a dispute spanning over multiple jurisdictions (Cyprus, BVI, Russia, Singapore and Belize) involving a major Russian-based bank. The dispute involved a sum in excess of EUR 120 million as well as freezing injunctions in multiple jurisdictions, and the appointment of receivers and managers over assets.
  • Acted for two directors of a subsidiary of a Hong Kong-listed company in claims brought against them by an investor alleging fraudulent misrepresentations and conspiracy in relation to an aborted sale of shares.
  • Acted for a Singapore-based fund management company in a dispute relating to the purchase of a shopping mall in Malaysia – Tonny Permana v One Tree Capital Management Pte Ltd and another [2021] 5 SLR 477 and Tonny Permana v One Tree Capital Management Pte Ltd and another [2021] 2 SLR 1103.

Arbitration:

  • Acted for one of Southeast Asia’s largest fabric manufacturers in a SIAC arbitration involving a dispute over commissions payable on account of fabrics supplied to an international sporting brand.
  • Acted for a subsidiary of Gunvor Group in resisting an application to set aside an arbitral award concerning the breach of two contracts for the sale and purchase of gasoil – Year Sun Chemitanks Terminal Corp v Gunvor Singapore Pte Ltd [2022] 3 SLR 1271.
  • Acted for a building material distributor in resisting an application to set aside an arbitral award concerning the breach of a long-term supply contract – CIM v CIN [2021] 4 SLR 1176.

Insurance:

  • Acted for a Singapore public hospital in a dispute involving an insurance claim for losses suffered as a result of fraudulent acts perpetrated by one of its employees which resulted in losses in excess of SGD 5 million.
  • Acted for a private equity fund in a coverage dispute involving an insurance claim under a commercial crime policy in respect of losses suffered as a result of a sophisticated social engineering fraud carried out by a third party.

Restructuring and Insolvency:

  • Acted for the joint provisional liquidators of a Bermuda-licensed insurer in an application for recognition of foreign proceedings under the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency – Re Thresh, Charles and another (British Steamship Protection and Indemnity Association Ltd and another, non-parties) [2023] SGHC 337.
  • Member, Law Society of Singapore
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Co-author, Singapore Annotated Statutes: Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act
  • Co-author, Singapore Annotated Statutes: Misrepresentation Act
  • Co-author, Chambers Global Practice Guide: Insurance Litigation 2022 (Trends and Developments, Singapore chapter)