contact
DID: +65 6499 0642
Mobile: +65 9754 2039
Email: thianseng.oon@cornerstonelaw.com.sg
Tel: +65 6499 0649
Fax: +65 6499 0648
Accolades
- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific recommends Thian Seng under "Leaders in Their Field". He is praised by clients as a "thorough, practical and accessible" practitioner. Clients also praised TS Oon & Partners, Malaysia as "commercially grounded and definitely know their stuff" and admired "their responsiveness and the options that they provide".
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific recommends Thian Seng as a "Leading Individual" and has commended his advice as "practical, commercial and delivers value".
- Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific recommends him as a "Dispute Resolution Star" for his work in Shipping (Malaysia).
- Asia Business Law Journal ranks Thian Seng as one of Singapore's top 100 lawyers and Malaysia's top 100 lawyers.
- Best Lawyers recognises Thian Seng as one fo the "Best Lawyers in Singapore" for his work in Shipping & Maritime Law.
- Asialaw Leading Lawyers recognises Thian Seng as a "Distinguished Practitioner" for his work in Shipping (Malaysia). The title is defined by the publication as lawyers who are highly regarded by their peers and possess a strong record and positive client feedback.
OON THIAN SENG
consultant
BACKGROUND
Oon Thian Seng is the Managing Partner at the firm's associated Malaysian office, TS Oon & Partners in Kuala Lumpur.
Thian Seng is noted for his ability to handle transactions involving highly technical issues and is regularly instructed by clients in the banking, oil & gas, international trade, insurance, shipping and construction industries.
Professional experience
He is experienced in banking advisory and transactional work, structured trade, trade finance and project finance. He has experience in restructuring inward acquisitions, investment and joint ventures in Singapore, Malaysia and around the region. He regularly acts for commodities traders and banks in disputes involving letters of credit, bills of exchange and other financial instruments.
He also has extensive experience appearing as counsel in trials and appeals in the superior courts in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as in international arbitrations.
Thian Seng also acts for the building, sale and purchase, and charter of vessels and rigs, ownership structures for oil and gas vessel owners to set up businesses and joint venture agreements for projects in Malaysia (including Labuan offshore structures) and Singapore.
He advises regional and international underwriters on liability under various classes of insurance including marine, property, CAR, professional indemnity and public liability cover.
notable cases
- Acted for a Chinese state-owned enterprise in an ownership dispute in relation to a drillship valued at US$700 million in Malaysian court proceedings.
- Acted for a bunker supplier in a claim in Malaysian Court proceedings under which the claimant succeeded in arresting and proceeding to an In rem judgement against a Vessel, which had been shown to have been transferred fraudulently for the purpose of defeating any judgment.
- Acted in an arbitration under SIAC representing a shareholder in the then largest Brunei offshore vessel owner in a joint venture dispute and obtained an award for substantial damages.
- Acted for various shipowners in defending against misdelivery claims for oil cargo of value of US$25 million arising from the Hin Leong collapse.
- Acted for various charterers to resist and/or mitigate LOI claims from shipowners facing misdelivery claims amounting to US$40 million arising from the Hin Leong collapse.
- Acted for the Owners of the Jack-up Rig Naga 7 which sank in 53m waters 240 nautical miles off the coast of Miri with an insured value of US$135 million in advice and negotiations with P&I underwriters, Hull underwriters, Marine Department, employers and various stakeholders in handing the marine casualty.
- Acted in a US$150 million claim involving water ingress into a submarine pipeline advising on liability issues and on insurance and reinsurance aspects of the claim.
- Acted for property and liability insurers defending policy liability arising from an explosion at a tank farm in Johore for sums payable under the policy and other business losses valued at US$50 million.
- Acted for two large Japanese shipowners and operators NYK and K-Line in joint venture and lease negotiations with local authorities to establish a ro-ro port terminal in Singapore.
- Acted for a major Japanese shipowner and operator in joint venture with a large Indian corporate to establish a bulk carrier ship owning and operating company for mainly coal and steel cargoes.
- Acted for claimants in loss and damage to a methanol cargo on board the vessel “Bunga Alpinia” which exploded in Labuan.
- Acted for Owners in establishing the right to limitation in an allision between a bulk carrier and a cargo unloader in which claims for damage and loss of business exceeded US$70 million.
- Acted for claimants in relation to the theft of oil cargo due to piracy on board tankers in the South China Sea.