OUR TEAM
ABOUT US
Guiding individuals and families through life’s most important decisions with clarity, care, and a steady sense of direction.
Our team brings together experience across family, wills and estates matters, offering thoughtful and practical legal guidance tailored to your circumstances. We understand that every situation is unique, and we take the time to listen, support, and provide clear direction—so you can move forward with confidence at every step.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Dorothy is a multi-award winning, leading family law practitioner. She is known for her working high-stakes, contentious matrimonial proceedings spanning acrimonious children matters to ultra-high net worth, multi-jurisdictional cases. Dedicating her life work to family law, she has won landmark Court of Appeal cases since her early days in practice.
A familiar presence in the Family Justice Courts, Dorothy is consistently recognised by leading legal directories for her advocacy, strategic insight, and depth of expertise in family law. She has been conferred the inaugural Law Society Practice Excellence Award 2025 for her work in Family Law, which recognises leaders in the industry as assessed by their technical legal ability, service to the profession, reputation and character, and peer recognition and professional achievements.
Dorothy is also consistently ranked as a leading family & divorce lawyer, including as a Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer - Singapore (2026) in the recently published Doyle’s Guide.
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At age 25, she was one of the youngest lawyers to appear as lead counsel in the Court of Appeal and crystallised Singapore’s new law on the structured approach in the division of matrimonial assets.
In another landmark Court of Appeal case, she successfully increased a client’s share of matrimonial assets from 25% to 75%, with the client obtaining $10.2million from an original decision of $3.4million. This is one of the largest increases on appeal in a divorce proceeding.
At the heart of her practice is a simple belief: that individuals have the ability to shape their lives, regardless of the circumstances they face. She works closely with her clients to guide them through difficult transitions, helping them move forward with clarity and confidence, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.
Dorothy is also a strong advocate for early, constructive conversations, and advises on pre-nuptial agreements as a means of setting clear expectations and reducing the potential for future conflict.
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Dorothy acts across the full range of family law matters, with a strong focus on complex asset division, appellate litigation, and privacy-sensitive disputes. She has led landmark appellate cases and high-value contested proceedings, achieving significant outcomes in both asset division and financial relief. Her practice regularly involves advising high-net-worth individuals where strategic clarity and discretion are critical.
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Law Society Practice Excellence Award for Family Law (2025) – Recipient of the inaugural award recognising outstanding professional excellence in family law by the Law Society of Singapore. One award in each specialisation is given annually to lawyers who have demonstrated professional excellence, technical mastery, and peer recognition in their field of law.
Litigation Star – Family & Matrimonial Law (2026, 2025, 2024, 2022, 2021) – Recognised by Benchmark Litigation for sustained client and peer recognition in family and matrimonial litigation.
Finalist, Woman Lawyer of the Year (2025, 2024, 2018) – Southeast Asia Law Awards by Asian Legal Business, acknowledging excellence and leadership among senior female practitioners in the region.
Top 40 Under 40 (2024) – Named by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific as part of its annual list highlighting leading litigators of the next generation.
Top 100 Women in Litigation, Asia-Pacific (2022, 2021) – Recognised by Benchmark Litigation for impact, professional standing, and peer respect in complex litigation matters.
Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer (2016–2026) – Ranked by Doyle’s Guide for ten consecutive years.
Young Lawyer of the Year (Finalist) (2017) – Asian Legal Business.
Asia’s Brightest Young Lawyers – 40 Under 40 (2016) – Asian Legal Business.
Singapore’s Most Influential Lawyers Aged 40 and Under (2016) – Named by Singapore Business Review in recognition of professional leadership and influence.
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Member, Discharge Committee (Women’s Charter), Ministry of Social and Family Development
Member, Review Board (Children and Young Persons Homes), Ministry of Social and Family Development
Accredited Family Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre
Accredited Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre
Accredited Collaborative Family Practitioner (CFP), Singapore Mediation Centre
Associate Mediator, Law Society Mediation Scheme Panel of Mediators.
Appointed by the Chief Justice to the Inquiry Panel of the Law Society of Singapore
Co-Chairperson, Middle Category Committee, Law Society of Singapore
Member, Mentorship Working Committee, Law Society of Singapore
Course Facilitator (Family Law), Singapore Institute of Legal Education
Mentor, Singapore Law Society Mentorship Scheme
DIRECTOR
Charlene is an experienced family law practitioner with a focused practice in matrimonial and family-related disputes. She has advised clients across a broad range of matters, including divorce, maintenance, custody, and ancillary proceedings, and is known for her steady, structured approach to resolving sensitive family issues.
Charlene also advises on estate and succession matters, allowing her to take a holistic view of clients’ family and personal circumstances.
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Charlene acts in both contested and non-contentious family law matters, with particular experience in complex asset division and disputes involving allegations of non-disclosure or dissipation of assets. She regularly assists clients in navigating emotionally charged proceedings with clarity and pragmatism, and is experienced in advising on negotiated settlements where appropriate. Her practice also includes wills and estate planning, enabling continuity in advising families across different life stages.
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Leading Family Lawyer – Recognised in the 2025 Doyles Guide list of leading family and divorce lawyers in Singapore.
Family Law Rising Star – Listed by Doyles Guide for three successive years (2022, 2023, 2024) in family law, signalling consistent peer and market recognition.
Singapore Rising Star (2023) – Named by Asian Legal Business as one of Singapore’s rising legal talents in family law, highlighting exceptional performance and client service.
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Accredited Family Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre
Accredited Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre
Accredited Collaborative Family Practitioner (CFP), Singapore Mediation Centre
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WGG v WGH [2022] SGHCF 25– Acted for the wife in High Court proceedings involving extensive allegations of asset dissipation and non-disclosure by the husband. After going through extensive discovery, Charlene successfully persuaded the High Court to claw back a substantial sum of more than $3.7 million into the pool of matrimonial assets for division between parties.
WOS v WOT [2024] SGHC(A) 11 – Acted for the wife in a significant appellate decision concerning the operative date for identifying matrimonial assets. Successfully argued that assets acquired after the parties' separation but before Interim Judgment should remain part of the matrimonial pool. The decision, affirmed by the Appellate Division, resulted in approximately S$20 million of additional assets being available for division, with the wife receiving more than S$6 million.
Resealing Foreign Grant of Probate – Acted for the next-of-kin of a deceased high-profile individual in obtaining recognition in Singapore of a non-standard Commonwealth grant of representation, enabling the administration of Singapore assets exceeding S$29 million.
Personal Protection Order (“PPO”) – Acted for the mother in her application for a personal protection order for the child against the father who had care and control of the child. In the course of the trial, notwithstanding the lack of direct evidence, Charlene successfully proved to the Court that the father’s actions towards the child constituted violence that warranted the granting of the personal protection order for the child’s safety.
Deputyship and Sanction of Court - Acted in complex proceedings involving deputyship, estate administration and court sanction to obtain approval for the sale of property worth more than S$20 million, notwithstanding that more than six years had elapsed since the deceased owner's death and one beneficiary had subsequently lost mental capacity.
DIRECTOR
Mathea is a family law practitioner with extensive experience in complex and high-conflict matrimonial matters. She regularly advises clients on divorce proceedings involving substantial assets, intricate financial arrangements, and sensitive child-related issues.
Mathea is recognised for her strategic thinking and strong advocacy, and has experience appearing in both contested hearings and appellate matters.
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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 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.
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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.
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Member, Law Society of Singapore
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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.
DIRECTOR
DARRYL CHEW
Darryl is a family law practitioner with a broad litigation practice spanning civil, commercial, and criminal matters, alongside significant experience in contested and non-contentious family proceedings.
Darryl graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Southampton in 2016. During his practice, he has appeared or assisted in a range of matters at various forums, including the Court of Appeal, High Court, State Courts and Family Justice Courts.
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Darryl's family law practice covers contested and uncontested matrimonial proceedings for high-net-worth private clients, including complex divorces with cross-border issues and matrimonial assets in excess of $100 million. His practice also extends to maintenance, personal protection order, and children-related proceedings, as well as general probate matters and estate planning.
His civil and commercial litigation work includes Mareva injunctions, domestic arbitration, insolvency proceedings, and disputes involving local banks that raised novel questions of law. He also maintains an active criminal defence and public interest litigation practice, including acting for the Law Society of Singapore in landmark admissions matters.
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Family Law Rising Star – Recognised in the 2024 Doyle's Guide list of rising stars in Singapore for the area of family law.
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Previous
Member, Continuing Professional Development Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2023 and 2024)
Member, Media Focus Group, Law Society of Singapore (2023)
Member, Complaints Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2024)
Member, Ethics and Professional Standards Committee (2024)
Current
Council Member, Law Society of Singapore (2022 to date)
Exco Member, Law Society of Singapore (2026)
Co-Chairperson, Task Force on the Fulfilment and Sustainability of Younger Lawyers, Law Society of Singapore (2026)
Co-Chairperson, Middle Category Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2026)
Co-Chairperson, Young Lawyers Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2023 to date)
Chairperson, Japan Chapter of the Foreign Bar Liaison Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2024 to date)
Council Representative, Admissions Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2023 to date)
Council Representative, Mentorship Working Group, Law Society of Singapore (2024 to date)
Council Representative, Hong Kong Chapter of the Foreign Bar Liaison Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2026)
Member, Coordinating Committee for the Advancement of the Legal Profession, Law Society of Singapore (2026)
Member, Court Practice Chairpersons Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2023 to date)
Member, International Relations Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2026)
Member, Small Law Firms Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2023 to date)
Member, Judiciary–Law Society Joint Working Committee (2026)
Member, Training and Adult Educator Professional Pathway (2025 to date)
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Matrimonial Litigation
CYH v CYI [2023] SGHCF 4 – This was one of the pilot cases under the Panel of Financial Expert Scheme. Acted for the husband in high court proceedings and secured 60% of the matrimonial assets for the husband. In doing so, the Court rejected the wife's attempt to value the husband's group of private-company shares at its pre-Covid 19 value of approximately $6.8 million and provided practical guidance on valuing and dividing illiquid assets.
WBU v WBT [2023] SGHCF 3 – Successfully represented a mother to increase child maintenance on appeal. It was affirmed that, there should not be a presumption that parents bear a child's expenses equally, and the Court should adopt a broad-brush approach to quantifying a child's needs (including providing a roof for the child) rather than require proof of every expense by individual receipts.
Public Interest Litigation
Acted for the Law Society of Singapore on unprecedented issues in the admission of advocates and solicitors, including Re Tay Quan Li Leon [2022] SGHC 133 and related matters through to Re Gabriel Silas Tang Rafferty [2024] SGHC 82.
Criminal Defence
Public Prosecutor v Tan Kah Heng [2021] SGMC 46 – successful acquittal on outrage of modesty charges.
Abdul Aziz bin Mohamed Hanib v Public Prosecutor and other appeals [2022] SGHC 101 – defence of an individual charged with bribery of a foreign embassy official.
Civil & Commercial Litigation
PEX International Pte Ltd v Lim Seng Chye and another and another appeal [2019] SGCA 82 – acted for a company before the Court of Appeal on private nuisance and the rule in Rylands v Fletcher.
Successfully obtained a mareva injunction against 34 entities in aid of a domestic arbitration, and defended subsequent applications to set aside the injunction and fortification.
LEGAL MANAGER
BERNICE TAN
With five years of experience in the legal industry, Bernice has a strong background in case management and client support. She finds great fulfilment in helping people navigate difficult and often deeply personal situations, and believes in taking the time to listen, understand, and support each client through their legal journey.
