Education/Qualifications
LL.B (Hons), University of Nottingham
LL.M in Maritime Law,
University of Southampton
Barrister, Middle Temple,
London
Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court of
Singapore
Solicitor, Supreme Court of England and Wales
(re-qualified)
Summary Profile
Dennis read his Masters in Maritime Law at the University of
Southampton as an inaugural Maritime & Port Authority of
Singapore’s Joint Maritime Postgraduate Scholar. The scholarship
is usually awarded to working members of the shipping industry. He
obtained a distinction in his research dissertation relating to
air transportation legislation.
He has an active practice in both contentious and
non-contentious shipping matters. This unique blend brings an
added dimension to the firm’s practice. Dennis’ contentious
shipping practice includes admiralty, charterparty disputes, cargo
claims, P & I matters, marine insurance disputes, enforcement
of ship mortgages, bunker disputes, international trade disputes,
crew wages and shipboard personal injury claims.
His non-contentious shipping practice includes ship sale and
purchase transactions, ship financing, ship registration and
de-registration, ship tax leases, and incorporation of shipping
companies. It also extends to the advice and drafting of
shipbuilding contracts, ship sale agreements, ship or oil rig
management contracts, crew contracts, sale of goods contracts,
letters of credit wording, charterparties and bills of lading.
His non-shipping practice extends to insurance litigation,
personal injury claims, employment law and general commercial
litigation.
Languages and dialects: English, Mandarin, Hokkien
Major Transactions
Acted for one of the world’s largest oil rig builders and their
insurers in a successful claim against a leading marine paints
manufacturer in the world in the High Court of Singapore for
damages resulting from the failure of paint system on a floating
dock, including being the counsel for all the numerous
interlocutory proceedings. Recovery of about US$7million was made.
Advised a Singapore-Norwegian oil rig management company in the
negotiation of an oil rig management contract with the Thai
owners.
Acted for the Thai owners of an oil rig which was arrested by
their previous managers in Singapore.
Acted for the owners of an oil rig in a dispute with a
Singaporean supplier.
Acted for the owners of a large container vessel which caught
fire after her mis-declared cargo of calcium hypochlorite exploded
whilst the vessel was sailing in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Acted for a Ukrainian dredging company in an agency dispute
with their Singapore-based agents.
Acted for numerous local and international banks in ship
mortgage enforcement actions in the High Court of Singapore.
Acted for a prominent Singapore airliner and their insurers in
defending numerous claims arising from inflight or other workplace
accidents.
Acted for one of the world’s largest steel company in Korea in
an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration brought by
an Indian company regarding a shipment of steel.
Acted for the owners of a vessel in respect of the claims and
prosecution arising from the collision with a tanker leading to
one of the most serious oil pollution incidents in Singapore
waters.
Acted for the cargo interests in an action in the Singapore
High Court where the cargo owners disputed the shipowner’s rights
to lien the oil cargo onboard for demurrage and detention
charges.
Acted for seaman’s unions and ship crew in crew wage claims
against their employers including arrest of ships in Singapore for
security of their claims.
Acted for the owners of a vessel in their claim against a
Singapore shipyard for damages arising from defective design and
construction in the High Court of Singapore.
Acted for a Chinese shipyard in a LMAA arbitration against
American owners relating to vessel construction
contracts.
Acted for a Swiss buyer in their purchase of a
tanker costing US$30 million.
Regularly acts for the managers, owners and charterers of deep
sea fishing vessels in all matters including international and
domestic regulatory issues.
Professional Bodies and
Associations
The Singapore Academy of Law
The Law Society of
Singapore
The Law Society of England and Wales
The
Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
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