When a law firm slashed its fees for handling uncontested divorces to $990 per case, from the market rate then of between $2,000 and $3,000, other firms cried foul. Undeterred, Regent Law pressed on with its game-changing move to increase access to justice and affordability for man-in-the-street clients.

Its efforts, which were hewn over a decade on word-of-mouth referrals and 24-hour service availability, have not gone unnoticed, with the firm clinching the top spot in the family law and criminal law categories in Singapore’s Best Law Firms 2024 list.

The fourth annual survey to find Singapore’s best 100 firms in 18 categories of legal practice saw those such as seven-lawyer Regent Law sharing the spotlight with heavyweights like Rajah & Tann and Dentons Rodyk.

Conducted from June 5 to July 31, 2023, by The Straits Times and German-based international research firm Statista, the survey drew more than 5,900 respondents, comprising lawyers and clients, including in-house counsel.

Topping the rankings overall, as it did last year, was Big Five firm Rajah & Tann, which was listed in 17 of the 18 categories and led eight of them. Dentons Rodyk was the only other firm listed in 17 categories, also a repeat of its performance last year. The 18th category was solely for foreign law firms operating offshore practices here.

Among the 18 categories, arbitration and dispute resolution (ADR) and company and commercial law were the two that drew the most recommendations, with each getting close to 1,400 participants. Rajah & Tann topped both categories.

Next were the categories of family law and criminal law, where Regent Law outdid both large firms and niche practices alike. Family law cases comprise just 30 per cent of its work, said firm director Mathew Kurian. Uncontested divorces make up some 70 per cent of the family law caseload, he added.

Of the divorce cases handled under family law, he said: “Like some of my colleagues, I was raised in modest HDB homes, and that grounded our understanding and empathy for spouses trapped in broken marriages and unable to break out because of legal fees.”

Many of the firm’s cases in criminal law involve drug-related offences, and some also include family law.

“In criminal work, the main thing is in managing expectations about what we can do and what can be done. We tell them upfront this is what we can do, what you can expect,” said Mr K. Kalaithasan, a lawyer in the firm.

This has meant declining to act for accused persons who insist on contesting the charges when the firm finds there is no case, added Mr Kurian.

About 65 per cent of the recommendations in both the criminal and family law categories came from clients and 35 per cent from lawyers, said Statista. Overall, about 70 per cent of the survey recommendations came from clients, and 30 per cent from lawyers. 

In insolvency and restructuring, clients accounted for about 55 per cent of the recommendations, reflecting close parity with lawyer recommendations. On the other extreme, client recommendations accounted for over 80 per cent in the charities category.

That the most recommendations were made for ADR and company and commercial law is a sign of how Singapore has purposefully developed an ecosystem essential for a world-class financial hub, said Oon & Bazul partner Bazul Ashhab. 

Oon & Bazul was recommended in eight categories.

“Key to this development are pillars of transparency, predictability, and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law and the significant investments and efforts made towards that end,” he noted.

The robust framework has attracted users outside of Singapore to tap the firm’s expertise in corporate and ADR services for what they need, especially in regional matters, he said. “The local industry understands this development and is constantly seeking ways to better themselves in these areas.”

Mr Ashhab, head of dispute resolution, international arbitration and litigation at the firm, said ADR contributes a significant portion of its revenue stream, and the firm expects it to grow even more, given the current global climate.

Singapore’s 100 best law firms were chosen from some 1,000 law practices here. Six of the firms were returnees that did not make the cut last year but had been in earlier lists. Twelve were listed for the first time, including Grace Law, RCL Chambers Law Corporation (formerly Remy Choo Chambers) and Nine Yards Chambers.

Lawyer Remy Choo, who started Remy Choo Chambers in August 2022, said he was heartened “to get support from clients and industry to make it to the rankings in our first year, in the company of very established firms”. Renamed RCL Chambers in July 2023 when it gained a new partner, Mr John Lo, the young firm was among the 30 names in the ADR category.

“It shows that in the field of dispute resolution, clients look out for quality representation, regardless of firm size,” said Mr Choo. 

Mr Nichol Yeo, whose firm Nine Yards Chambers is the youngest firm to be on the list, having started last November, said: “We are extremely grateful for our clients’ trust in our abilities, and also our mentors, who have provided us with invaluable guidance in our formative year.”

Overall leader Rajah & Tann’s managing partner Patrick Ang said the consistent ranking of the firm in each instalment of the survey since its inception four years ago is a strong endorsement of the work it is doing for its clients.

Noting that it was the only law firm recognised in The Straits Times Singapore’s Best Employers 2023 survey, Mr Ang said a priority for the firm was the mentoring and nurturing of its younger lawyers, “to not just equip them with the skills and know-how, but also imbuing in them the values that are the hallmark of the firm”.

In May 2023, the firm set up a Data and Digital Economy (DDE) group to support clients in this field. Deputy managing partner Ng Kim Beng said its lawyers and allied professionals from Rajah & Tann Technologies and Rajah & Tann Cybersecurity collaborate to offer a full spectrum of DDE services. 

Dentons Rodyk global vice-chair and Asean chief executive officer Gerald Singham said the results “are a testament to the high regard in which we are held by both our clients and industry peers”.

As a part of the world’s largest global law firm, Dentons, with a presence in more than 82 countries, including in Asean, the firm is constantly seeking to strengthen its practice areas with a “strong and increasing bench of talent”, said Mr Singham.

On the strong response for the survey, Statista’s team lead for sector analysis Christian Leve said: “Our aim is to bring together as many evaluations and experiences of both experts and clients and thus provide a good insight into the legal market. The more participants we have, the better for the results, and especially in Singapore, we are at a really strong level of participation.”

Top 10 law firms and number of categories placed

Rajah & Tann        - 17 categories

Dentons Rodyk      - 17 categories

Allen & Gledhill - 16 categories

Drew & Napier      - 16 categories

Adsan Law           -  15 categories

WongPartnership -   13 categories

CNPLaw              -  13 categories

Wee Swee Teow   - 11 categories

Oon & Bazul        -   8 categories

Shook Lin & Bok   -    7 categories

How Singapore’s best law firms were chosen

The Singapore’s Best Law Firms 2024 list was based on recommendations from lawyers, in-house counsel and clients in a survey covering 18 different fields of law.

Research firm Statista looked at company websites and other publicly available sources to identify the list of participants for the survey. Invitations were sent by e-mail with a personalised link that could be used only once.

The survey was conducted online between June 5 and July 31, 2023. A total of 5,906 respondents were asked to recommend law firms in all fields of law. More than 11,500 recommendations were received. Self-recommendations (recommendations from one’s own, associated or allied law firm) were prohibited and not included in the evaluation.

The recommendations were analysed in every field of law. The country’s 100 best law firms were identified and ranked according to how many recommendations they gained within the different fields. Further research was done on these law firms for verification.