Gordon Lim

Associate Director

+65 6027 2385

Gordon Lim

gordonlim@focuslawasia.com

Areas of Practice

  • Commercial Litigation

  • Employment Law

  • Privacy and Data Protection

  • Property and Tenancy Law

  • Public Law

  • Regulatory Advice

  • Disciplinary Tribunals

Admissions

  • Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore

Qualifications

  • LL.B (Hons) Nottingham University

  • Certified Information Privacy Professional (Asia)

Gordon was called to the Singapore bar in 2013. He has advised and represented multi-national corporations, banks and other clients in a wide range of matters including shareholder disputes, commercial disputes, tenancy disputes, employment disputes, as well as front-end employment and tenancy work.

In addition, Gordon is also experienced in public law and regulatory matters, having advised and represented various Singapore Government ministries and agencies as a State Counsel with the Attorney-General's Chambers of Singapore. In 2020, Gordon was selected for secondment to leading technology law silks at 4 Pump Court Chambers, London.

Gordon is a SAFRA volunteer, and currently serves on the executive committee of SAFRA Tampines.

Being a caffeine-fueled litigator, Gordon is also a keen home barista. He has spent more time and money than he cares to admit chasing the perfect shot of espresso.

Commercial Litigation

  • Advised and represented the Singapore Government in High Court proceedings concerning novel issues of directors’ duties and company law. See Bijynath s/o Ram Nawal v Innovationz Pte Ltd [2020] 4 SLR 534; Kardachi, Jason Aleksander v Attorney-General [2020] 2 SLR 1190; Re Haeusler, Thomas [2021] 4 SLR 1407. The former two cases were discussed in Company Law, Koh, Puchniak & Tan (2020) 21 SAL Ann Rev 224.

  • Represented companies in the Samwoh Group in a shareholder dispute in High Court proceedings involving minority oppression. See Koh Keng Chew and others v Liew Kit Fah and others [2016] SGHC 140.

  • Represented a professional in successfully raising a novel defence of change of position against a claim for trespass arising from an agent’s fraud. See Cavenagh Investment Pte Ltd v Kaushik Rajiv [2013] SGHC 45.

Employment Law

  • Represented DHL in achieving the favourable settlement of an ex-employee’s claim for wrongful dismissal.

  • Advised and represented the Singapore Government in judicial review proceedings concerning work injury compensation. See Temasek Polytechnic & Anor v Poh Peng Ghee & Ors (AG, intervener) [2019] 3 SLR 305; Agilah a/p Ramasamy v Comr for Labour [2019] 4 SLR 972.

  • Regularly advised clients including MNCs on a wide range of employment law matters, including recruitment, termination, retrenchments, compensation, restraints of trade, industrial relations, employee transfers, data protection, and internal investigations.

Privacy and Data Protection

  • Regularly advised MNCs and international counsel on Singapore’s nascent data protection laws. For example:

    • Advised a leading multinational tech company on data protection obligations, and the implementation of practical and sustainable compliance measures.

    • Vetted group-wide data protection policies, notices and template agreements for various tech MNCs.

Property and Tenancy Law

  • Advised on and amended lease agreements for various clients.

  • Advised on and amended lease agreement templates for Jurong Town Corporation (JTC).

Public Law

  • Regularly advised and represented the Singapore Government in highly sensitive front-end and back-end land acquisition claims and disputes (See e.g., YCH Distripark Pte Ltd v Collector of Land Revenue [2019] 2 SLR 695).

  • Advised and represented the Singapore Government in judicial review proceedings concerning work injury compensation. See Temasek Polytechnic & Anor v Poh Peng Ghee & Ors (AG, intervener) [2019] 3 SLR 305; Agilah a/p Ramasamy v Comr for Labour [2019] 4 SLR 972.

Regulatory Matters

  • Assisted in spearheading the development and implementation of new Government-wide procedures for conducting independent privilege reviews of investigation and enforcement material.

  • Advised and represented various Government agencies on the management of regulatory breaches, including the recovery of financial penalties, revenue and other public monies.

Disciplinary Tribunals

  • Advised and represented various Government agencies in respect of confidential and sensitive disciplinary frameworks and processes, disciplinary and internal affairs investigations, disciplinary inquiry proceedings, imposition of penalties, and terminations.