Top Conveyancing Lawyers in Singapore: The Ultimate Guide

Singapore will continue to be a sought-after location for investors, companies, and traders who want to settle down in Asia. Some people claim that the Singapore real estate market has stagnated and that you have better options in places like Cambodia.

But the fact is that J.P. Morgan predicts that prices will increase as much as 8% in 2018 and that prices will double by 2030. Sure, maybe you can find better yields in some other places in Asia, but if you have the money, Singapore is not a bad bet.

Ownership regulations can be somewhat tricky though, for example, you can generally not buy a landed house as a foreigner. A Conveyancing lawyer can help you through a lot of hurdles and guide you through the purchasing process.

A problem is that you rarely find summarized information about the biggest Conveyancing lawyers in Singapore. Therefore, I’ve written this article, where I list some of the biggest firms.

Introductory remark

The firms are listed in random order.

1. PKWA Law Practice LLC

PKWA Law Practice, LLC is a leading full-service law firm in Singapore and has been ranked among the “Singapore top 1000 SME Companies” for 2016, 2017, and 2018. The company was established in 2004 when it took over a law firm established in 1988.

You’ll find some of the leading real estate and Conveyancing lawyers working for the firm, like Michelle Boudville, Leong Li Lian, and more.

PKWA Law Practice, LLC has received many awards in different categories from ACQ5 Global Awards, SE Asia Law Awards, Corporate Intl Magazine Global Awards, Singapore 1000, Global Law Experts Magazine and Asian Legal Business.

Services offered

Include conveyancing and real estate services to corporate clients like ANZ Bank, DBS Bank, HSBC, CPF Board, and other financial institutions, developers, and property managers.

The services cover commercial property, residential property, industrial sales, leases, purchases, and mortgages for example. They help individual clients to buy or sell private properties like condominiums and HDB apartments.

Prices/fees

Some examples of the fees charged by PKWA are as follows:

• SGD 1,800 on purchase of HDB resale flat
• SGD 1,500 on sale of HDB resale flat
• SGD 1,600 on refinancing of HDB resale flat

Address

480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, #16-01 HDB East Wing Singapore 310480

2. Allen & Gledhill

Allen & Gledhill is one of the largest full-service commercial law firms and currently has around 300 lawyers. Their services are designed for premier corporate and commercial clients, including large financial institutions, and multinational corporations.

It’s one of the oldest law firms in the country, founded in 1902. Allen & Gledhill also owns a subsidiary, Rehmat Lim & Partners, working in several Southeast Asian countries.

Christina Ong is the co-chairman and senior partner and has worked with the firm since 1987. She’s also a member of the Singapore Bar (since 1975), and board of directors for several other companies like Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation, Singapore Telecommunications Limited, and SIA Engineering Company Limited.

Penny Goh is working as co-chairman and partner since 1982. She’s an Honorary Legal Advisor for the Real Estate Developers Association of Singapore, and a member of the Singapore Bar since 1977.

Allen & Gledhill is an award-winning law firm that won several awards at IFLR Asia Awards 2018 and also named as Singapore Law Firm of the Year 2018 by Chambers & Partners.

It’s also a Tier 1 law firm for Real Estate, according to Legal 500.

Services offered

They offer real estate services under categories like corporate real estate, mergers & acquisitions, and real estate investment funds.

Address

One Marina Boulevard #28-00 Singapore 018989

3. Withers Khattarwong

Withers Khattarwong is a century-old law firm established in 1896. It’s one of the leading full-service law firms globally with 16 offices in different countries, including Singapore. The head office of the law firm is based in London, UK.

They currently have 1000 employees and 220 partners, where 88 of these professionals work in Singapore’s office.

Some of their biggest clients include multinational companies in Singapore like Singapore Airlines, MaxMara, Marriott, SOHO House, and Goldsmith Chambers.

They’re also a well-recognized law firm around the world and have won several awards, including Top Law Firms 2018 by ePrivateClinic. Several individual lawyers have also won awards.

It was ranked as the employer of the year by The Sunday Times in 2012.

Services offered

Withers Khattarwong offers real estate services for farms and estates, residential and commercial property, constructions, and more

Address

80 Raffles Place, #25-01 UOB Plaza 1, 048624

4. JLC Advisors

JLC Advisors is a well-known law firm based in Singapore with an additional office located in Tokyo. It was founded in 2008.

They have around 25 partners and lawyers working at their Singapore head office. Jeffrey Ong is the managing partner at JLC Advisors, who is also a solicitor at the Supreme Court of Singapore.

Services offered

JLC Advisors offers services to both individual and corporate clients. The services provided include preparations for sale and purchase contracts, commercial and residential property leases, mortgages, and loan refinancing.

Address

#43-03 UOB Plaza 1, 80 Raffles Place, Singapore 048624

5. Braddell Brothers

Braddell Brothers LLP was founded in 1883, which makes it the third-oldest law firm in Singapore. In 2017, the firm joined Legalink to expand its reach, which is an international legal network of 60 law firms and 3,000 legal professionals.

The company is known as Braddell Brothers because it was founded by two brothers, Thomas and Robert Braddell, who were also the sons of the first attorney general of Singapore.

They currently have around 10 partners and associates. Edmund J Kronenburg is the managing partner, who joined the company in 2009.

He has 17 years of experience working as a lawyer and arbitrator in Singapore. He also won several awards that include Asialaw Leading Lawyers in 2013 and Best Lawyers International in 2014.

The company is ranked as a tier 4 law firm by the Legal 500, where it’s also referred to as a “small but long-established” law firm.

Services offered

The main focus of the law firm is to offer services related to dispute resolution & arbitration.

Address

11 Beach Road #04-01 | Singapore 189675

6. Dentons Rodyk

Dentons Rodyk is the oldest law firm in Singapore, and one of the largest. It was established in 1861 as Rodyk as a small law firm but now has more than 200 lawyers. Dentons Rodyk was formed in 2016 when Singapore’s oldest law firm (Rodyk) merged with a leading global law firm, Dentons.

Dentons has a presence in 66 countries and employs more than 8,500 lawyers working in 85 offices. Dentons Rodyk is based in Singapore, but it also has an additional office in Myanmar.

The CEO of Dentons Rodyk is Philip Jeyaretnam. He was referred to as a “star and a master technician” by the Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

He is also serving as a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, and Singapore’s Public Service Commission. He’s also ranked as the leading lawyer in the Asia Pacific.

According to Legal 500, it is a tier 1 law firm under the Real Estate category. Dentons Rodyk won several awards in the last few years, that include awards from The Asia Legal Awards 2018 in two different categories. It is also ranked as the leading firm by IP Stars 2018.

Services offered

The firm mainly serves corporate clients, including legal advice for complex and high-value property transactions. They also advise individual clients on estates, trusts, and wealth planning.

Address

80 Raffles Place, #33-00 UOB Plaza 1, Singapore 048624

7. Lee & Lee

Lee & Lee is one of the biggest law firms in Singapore, with 90 lawyers on their payroll. The full-service law firm was founded in 1955 by three lawyers, out of which, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew later become the first Prime Minister of Singapore.

Kwa Kim Li is the managing partner of the law firm and a member of the Singapore Bar.

She’s been with the firm since her graduation in 1979 and has been ranked among the Top Property Lawyers in Singapore, by the Asian Legal Business Legal Who’s Who 2003 list.

Services offered

Lee & Lee represents both corporate and individual clients. They offer a wide range of services including sales of properties, leases, tenancies, and mortgages.

Address

50 Raffles Place
#06-00 Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 048623

8. Shook Lin & Bok

Shook Lin & Bok is one of the largest commercial law firms with over 100 lawyers. They’re based in Singapore, but they also have a global reach and presence in China, Indonesia, and India. The firm is ranked as a tier 2 real estate law firm by Legal 500.

Services offered

They offer services under the corporate real estate category, including sales, leases, property development and financing, property funds, joint ventures, real estate disputes, and real estate investment trusts.

Address

1 Robinson Road
#18-00 AIA Tower
Singapore 048542

9. Rajah Tann Asia

Rajah & Tann Asia is ranked among the largest full-service law firms in Singapore and in the Asia Pacific. They have around 600 lawyers working for them in 9 different countries.

Rajah & Tann Asia was established in 2014 as one of the largest networks of law firms and lawyers in Asia. Rajah & Tann Asia has a presence in Singapore, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Lao, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

More than 300 lawyers currently work at the Singapore office.

The firm was ranked as the Best Asian Law Firm by the International Legal Alliance Summit. In addition, it’s rated as a tier 2 real estate law firm by Legal 500 and has won an award for the Most Innovative Law Firm in ASEAN award.

Services offered

They offer services to corporate clients and handle some of the largest real estate transactions in Singapore. Services include real estate development, leasing, real estate financing and refinancing.

Address

9 Battery Road, #25-01, Singapore 049910

10. CNP Law

CNP Law, also known as “Colin Ng and Partners LLP” was founded in 1988 as a full-service law firm. It has now more than 35 lawyers.

It’s a well-recognized law firm and endorsed by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and IFLR1000. They have specialist lawyers in various practice areas including real estate.

The founder and the chairman of CNP Law is Colin Ng. Before founding his own law firm, he worked as an Independent Non-Executive Director for some of the leading publicly listed companies in the country.

Services offered

They offer services to individual and corporate clients for residential, commercial, and industrial property transactions.

Address

600 North Bridge Road #13-01
Parkview Square (Parkview 2), Singapore 188778

11. Drew & Napier

Drew & Napier is one of the oldest and largest law firms in Singapore and founded in 1889 by two British partners, Sir Walter John Napier and Alfred Henry Drew.

They currently have more than 250 lawyers. The head office is based in Singapore, but they also have an additional office in Jakarta, Indonesia.

According to Legal 500, it’s a tier 2 real estate law firm. In 2018, it won several awards, including Top Ranked Law Firm by Asia Pacific Chambers, Top Tier Firm by IFLR1000, Outstanding Firm by AsiaLaw Profiles, and Employer of Choice Award (for past 8 years) by Asian Legal Business.

Services offered

They offer services for residential, commercial, and industrial property transactions to corporate and individual clients. Some examples are real estate financing, consumer banking, contract preparation for sale, purchase, and lease.

Address

10 Collyer Quay
10th Floor Ocean Financial Centre
Singapore 049315

How much do I need to pay my Conveyancing lawyer in Singapore?

Fixed fees normally land between around SGD 1500 – 3000, depending on the property type and service you need. Below I’ve included some ballpark costs when hiring a Conveyancing lawyer in Singapore.

• Private Property Sale: SGD 2,300 – 2,800
• HDB Purchase: SGD 1,800 – 2,500
• HDB Sale: SGD 1,300 – 2,000
• Refinance: (Private/ HDB): SGD 2,000 – 2,800
• Private Property Resale Purchase: SGD 2,500 – 3,000
• Private Property BUC Purchase (EC/ Private): SGD 2,500 – 3,200