DIRECTOR
MATHEA LIM
Mathea is a family law practitioner with extensive experience in complex and high-conflict matrimonial matters.
Overview
Mathea combines sharp strategy with relentless courtroom advocacy. She is a seasoned trial lawyer with a strong track record in contested divorce cases and appellate matters. She also regularly advises clients on divorce proceedings involving substantial assets, intricate financial arrangements, and sensitive child-related issues.
Notable Experience / Focus Areas
Mathea’s practice focuses on complex asset division, high-conflict custody disputes, and matters with cross-border or jurisdictional elements. She has acted in High Court proceedings involving significant asset pools and contested financial claims, and has been involved in appellate family law work.
Mathea also has extensive experience in Personal Protection matters, having acted successfully represented both complainants and respondents in such matters. Notably, Mathea was the lead counsel in a fiercely contested PPO case, and after a three-day trial, secured a decisive win by resisting a PPO sought against her client by the client’s spouse on behalf of their child.
Mathea is particularly adept at managing cases that require careful strategy, rigorous preparation, and a measured approach to litigation, especially where privacy and long-term outcomes are key considerations.
Awards and achievements
Legal Aid Bureau Novo Award (2025) – Awarded for contributions to access to justice and commitment to family law practice by the Legal Aid Bureau.
Singapore’s Rising Stars (2024) – Recognised by Asian Legal Business as part of its annual list highlighting outstanding emerging lawyers in Singapore.
LexisNexis Family Law Prize (2018) – Conferred by the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law to the top-performing student in family law.
Wee Chong Jin Scholarship in Law (2018–2019) – Prestigious scholarship awarded for academic excellence and leadership potential.
Professional memberships and appointments
Member, Law Society of Singapore
Notable cases
XIK v XIL [2025] SGHCF 16 - Acted for the husband in High Court proceedings concerning the division of matrimonial assets involving complex issues including the valuation of overseas business interests, trust arrangements and add-backs. The husband was awarded 72.5% of the matrimonial asset pool, amounting to approximately S$2.75 million.
Contested maintenance: Mathea was the lead lawyer in a widely publicised case where she successfully represented her client in securing preschool fees from her ex-husband for their son ("Court orders man to pay son's preschool fees to ex-wife").
Contested care and control: Successfully represented a father in securing sole care and control of his child in a highly contentious and emotionally charged dispute, by establishing that it was status quo for the father to act as the child’s primary caregiver.
XCZ v XDA [2024] SGFC 78 - Acted for the Wife in a novel evidentiary dispute, compelling inspection of a critical document which the Husband claimed was lost. Successfully resisted the Husband’s subsequent appeals at two further hearings, reinforcing the integrity of the decision at first instance.
XCZ v XDA [2025] SGHCF 38 – Acted for the Wife in securing 34% of the matrimonial asset pool with a gross value of more than $8million. The Court agreed to exclude the Wife’s inheritance monies, and importantly, decided that sole care and control of the two children should be granted to the Wife, despite the Husband’s strenuous arguments for shared care and control.
