Covenant Chambers LLC

26/09/2026

With business closures in Singapore exceeding 38,000 in the first seven months of 2026, live corporate takeovers involving rented commercial premises are increasingly common.

When a business changes hands or operates through a non-signatory sister company, however, landlords often face legal enforcement hurdles.

In a BT Explains piece by The Business Times, our Managing Director Lee Ee Yang shared legal mechanisms and safeguards for commercial property owners:

1) Under the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (IRDA), liquidators can apply to reverse transactions involving unfair preferences or undervaluation conducted up to three years before winding up.
2) Individuals or affiliated entities knowingly involved in siphoning assets to defraud creditors can be ordered to make personal contributions to the insolvent company’s assets.
3) Landlords can protect themselves by securing parent company guarantees and director indemnities.

Read the full article by The Business Times here: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/business-takeover-how-can-landlords-singapore-protect-themselves

More commercial establishments are closing this year, with many attempting to sell their operations first Read more at The Business Times.

23/09/2026

Tech conglomerate Sea Group recently notified its Singapore workforce that, starting from the October payroll, it would be mandatory for salaries to be credited into accounts with its digital banking subsidiary MariBank.

This move has raised questions regarding payroll mandates and employer obligations. In a report by The Straits Times, our Director Khelvin Xu shared his perspective on the statutory framework governing salary payment methods under local law.

While companies may request that staff receive salaries through accounts with a specific bank, employers in Singapore cannot compel employees to do so unless explicitly provided for in their employment contract. Khelvin shared that if asked, “employees could politely decline on the basis that they are under no obligation to comply.”

Regarding employer obligations, Khelvin highlighted that “employers cannot legally delay, withhold nor restrict payment of an employee’s salary if they refuse to open an account with the designated bank,” adding that failing to pay salary in accordance with the Employment Act is a criminal offence.

Read the full article by the Straits Times here: https://www.straitstimes.com/business/eyebrows-raised-as-tech-giant-sea-tells-spore-staff-to-credit-salaries-into-maribank-accounts

Sea Group will credit Singapore staff salaries to MariBank accounts but employees can discuss alternatives with HR if needed. Read more at straitstimes.com.

15/09/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 is happening this Friday! ⚖️✨

This year's competition has showcased exceptional advocacy, and we are thrilled to welcome our top 4 grand finalists to the final stage.

Presiding Panel of Judges:

• The Honourable Justice Andre Maniam – Judge, Supreme Court of Singapore
• Professor Yip Man – Professor of Law, SMU Yong Pung How School of Law
• Lee Ee Yang – Managing Director, Covenant Chambers LLC

Event Details:
📅Date: 18 September 2026 (Friday)
🕔Time: 5 pm – 7.30 pm (Followed by a dinner buffet)
📍Venue: Wee Chong Jin Moot Court, NUS

The Grand Finals are open to the public. We warmly invite legal counsel, academics, students, friends, and family to support our grand finalists as they compete for the championship!

02/09/2026

Someone owes you money and you want it back. What comes next?

Taking that initial first step towards debt recovery can often feel daunting. To help navigate this process, our Deputy Managing Director Ronald JJ Wong has published a comprehensive legal guide on debt recovery in Singapore.

In this article, Ronald provides a clear roadmap of actionable steps to guide you through a debt recovery claim, including:
• Considerations before initiating legal action
• Commencing a claim and what to expect from the court process
• Enforcing a judgment and securing the recovery of debt

Adopting a structured approach to debt recovery from the outset saves valuable time and resources in the long run. If you have a debt recovery matter that needs assistance, reach out to us today.

Read Ronald’s full guide here: https://www.covenantchambers.com/articles/debt-recovery-in-singapore-the-complete-legal-guide

A guide to debt recovery in Singapore by our Deputy Managing Director Ronald JJ Wong. Discover effective steps, court processes, and enforcement options to reclaim what you're owed.

01/09/2026

Our Director Khelvin Xu authored the “Legal Profession” chapter for the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL)’s Annual Review of Singapore Cases.

Marking his seventh consecutive year contributing to this publication, Khelvin’s latest chapter analyses Singapore court decisions from the preceding year, including:

1. Singapore’s first reported decision imposing sanctions against counsel for relying on AI-generated fictitious authorities.
2. Lessons drawn from cases involving false attestations, non-supervision, and regulatory breaches.
3. Cases where non-disclosure of past academic misconduct during Bar admission applications led to significant exclusionary periods.

For members of the legal community, at any stage of practice, this read offers a thoughtful look at the ethical and regulatory expectations of the legal profession.

Find the other chapters published on SAL here:

25/08/2026

Is discussing your salary with co-workers a workplace taboo?

The Straits Times’ Headstart On Record podcast recently explored salary transparency in the Singapore workplace and its impact on company culture, professional dynamics, and employees’ perceived self-worth.

Hosts See Kai Wen and Sue-Ann Tan were joined by ST manpower correspondent Sharon Salim, who shared legal perspectives provided by our Director Khelvin Xu.

When an employment contract includes an express confidentiality clause, disclosing pay details can constitute a breach of contract. Although the hosts noted the poor optics of taking legal action against an employee over salary disclosures, the legal risk cannot be entirely ruled out.

Listen to the episode of the Headstart on Record podcast to hear the full conversation on salary transparency:

Learn how to navigate salary transparency, benchmark pay, and negotiate raises while managing workplace dynamics effectively. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

19/08/2026

Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报 recently reported on the unpaid wages dispute involving 407 foreign workers, after the common director of three affected companies filed for personal bankruptcy.

Our Director Khelvin Xu was quoted in the piece, sharing that even when corporate directors face personal insolvency, claims against the employer corporate entity remain legally distinct: “Regardless of whether [the director] is declared bankrupt, it will not affect the workers’ right to file civil claims against the companies involved. However, if the companies do not have sufficient assets, pursuing claims against them may not be practical.”

The Migrant Workers’ Centre, alongside the Ministry of Manpower and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, continues to assist affected workers, with the vast majority having since secured new employment.

Read the full coverage here:

涉及407名客工遭拖欠薪资的涉事公司共同董事拉姆申请破产，引起外界担忧客工能否追回欠薪。

07/08/2026

⚖️ The Covenant Chambers Equity & Trusts Moot Competition 2026 ⚖️

Hi law students! 👋 Jointly organised by Covenant Chambers LLC and NUS Law Mooting & Debating Club, The Covenant Chambers Equity & Trusts Moot Competition is back this September! 🏛️

We invite eligible law students from NUS, SMU, SUSS, and qualifying overseas institutions to register and access the competition problem.

Why participate?
✅ Practice oral advocacy in a realistic court environment
✅ Benefit from evaluations by seasoned legal professionals
✅ Deepen your grasp of Equity & Trusts jurisprudence

Find the moot problem and competitions at www.covenantchambers.com/moot2026 🔗

Follow and for the latest updates!

04/08/2026

Covenant Chambers LLC is a Company of Good!

We are proud to be conferred as a Company of Good – 2 Hearts by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, recognising our commitment to driving impact through corporate purpose.

This marks our second successive conferment, maintaining our designation as a Company of Good across the five-year period from 2024 through 2028.

Coincidentally, both Covenant Chambers and the Company of Good celebrate our 10th Anniversary this year! As we commemorate a decade of legal practice, we remain dedicated to delivering a lasting, positive value on the community we serve.

30/07/2026

What makes legal practice a career that lawyers want to build for the long haul?

In a recent feature by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL), our Associate Timothy Hsu sat down with Preetha Pillai (Director and local head of Conyers) to share their perspectives on the future of the Bar.

While discussions around talent retention often highlight poor workplace culture and mentorship gaps, Timothy offered a fresh, forward-looking takeaway:

“[S]ustaining a legal career is not solely the responsibility of firms or senior leaders. Young lawyers, too, have a role to play.”

From adapting firm dynamics to empowering junior practitioners with room to lead, their conversation shows that future-proofing the profession requires commitment across all levels of seniority.

We are proud to see junior lawyers like Timothy taking an active role in these vital discussions across Singapore’s legal community!

Read the full SAL feature here:

Ms Preetha Pillai and Mr Timothy Hsu More than 30 years separate Ms Preetha Pillai and Mr Timothy Hsu’s calls to the Bar. But when they sat down to compare notes on a life in the law, they found they had more in common than either expected. Preetha entered practice in 1993, when the arrival […]