Daniel Chia is a corporate and commercial trial and appellate litigator who represents clients in complex, cross-border, and multidisciplinary high-value disputes. Daniel acts as counsel for clients in court hearings, international arbitrations, and other dispute resolution forums. He is sought for his experience—both as legal advisor and trial counsel—in devising and executing litigation strategies for disputes relating to commercial crime, professional indemnity insurance, shareholder litigations, insolvency claims, and securities and regulatory enforcement.
He also represents clients, either as defendants or plaintiffs, in a wide range of white collar criminal proceedings, involving allegations of money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion.
Daniel provides clients with tailored, tactical advice that adds value to their corporate strategy. He regularly handles matters relating to regulatory, commercial fraud, and business crime defense. These include matters of fraudulent fundraising, and prosecuting and defending against allegations of corruption, money laundering, and commercial crime. As a trial lawyer, Daniel also regularly acts in professional liability cases where he represents professionals, consultants, and insurers in all matters relating to professional negligence suits. He also acts for clients in the epayment industry and advises on various regulatory and competition legislation. In all these matters, he acts as lead trial and appellate counsel arguing both in court and international arbitration cases. Daniel is also an active member of the firm’s crisis management team and its labor and employment practice, which specializes in global mobility issues of clients.
Daniel is recognized as a leading lawyer in major legal directories like Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Benchmark Litigation where clients have commended him for not just his technical ability in the law but also his business acumen and his ability to manage disputes and problems and structure solutions efficiently and effectively.
Client and peer accolades across legal directories recognize that he is “excellent” and “a terrific litigator” who is “able to hold his own against much more senior advocates, including senior counsel.” He has been praised as being a partner who is “hands on”, “diligent and has a great work ethic" and a “delight to work with”. The Legal 500 additionally recognizes his “strategic vision and on the ground advocacy” and his deep knowledge of “big ticket litigations.” He is also credited for leading an “outstanding team” that provides an “impeccable service.”
He was named a “Future Leader” in Litigation by Who’s Who Legal in 2018 to 2020 and was ranked for the third consecutive year, as the most highly regarded in the Asia Pacific region. He was also quoted by clients in the publication as an “experienced commercial litigator” who “provides valuable strategic advice to corporate clients which considers both legal and commercial realities”. In 2018, he was also nominated as a finalist for Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year by Asian Legal Business.
Daniel is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
The Supreme Court of Singapore appointed Daniel as a Young Amicus Curiae in 2009.
He is also regularly appointed as pro bono counsel by the Law Society of Singapore and the Supreme Court of Singapore, in a wide variety of criminal matters.
Future Star, Dispute Resolution and Commercial and Transactions, Singapore, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific (2020)
A-List, Top 100 Lawyers in Singapore, Asia Business Law Journal (2019)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360 (2017)
Ranked, Dispute Resolution: Litigation, Singapore, Chambers Asia-Pacific (2017–2020)
Ranked, Dispute Resolution: Litigation, Singapore, Chambers Global (2017–2020)
Recommended, Litigation – Future Leader, Who’s Who Legal (2018–2020)
Recommended, International Arbitration: Local Firms (Singapore), The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (2019–2021)
Recommended, Shipping: Local Firms (Singapore), The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (2018)
Recommended, Dispute Resolution: Local Firms; Labor and Employment: Local Firms (Singapore), The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (2015–2021)
Recognized, Benchmark Asia-Pacific: The Definitive Guide to the Leading Disputes Firms and Lawyers in the Region (2013, 2014, 2018, 2019)
Finalist, Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year, Asian Legal Business (2018)
Recognized, Asialaw Leading Lawyers (2015, 2019)
40 Under 40, Asian Legal Business (2019)
20 Most Influential 40 and Under Lawyers, Singapore Business Review (2014)
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