|
|
 |
Gopinath Pillai
LL.B. (Hons.) University of Hertfordshire, (1994).
Barrister-at-Law, Lincolns' Inn, United Kingdom (1995)
Admitted as Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 1996
About Gopinath
Gopinath was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 1996, having been called to the English Utter Bar in 1995. Prior to Gopinath's joining the firm, he practiced in several large firms in Singapore.
Areas of Practice
Gopinath is a general litigator and is actively engaged in trial and appellate advocacy in the fields of civil, criminal and matrimonial litigation at all levels of the Singapore Courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations.
Professional Highlights / Experience
Some of the more notable cases that Gopinath was involved in, involved :-
- An appeal again the IRAS on the imposition of property tax on common property in shopping centres;
- A very prominent member of the Malaysian Royalty in relation to several lawsuits involving forum non-conveniens and sovereign immunity issues;
- An appeal in a matrimonial matter involving shares worth S$2 million which had been gifted to the client by his parents and which it was successfully argued, ought not be available for division;
- A suit and appeal against a government agency in a claim for damages for breaches of contract in the construction of a military camp, which matter led to development of the law on pure economic loss, and the tests were applicable on recoverability of pure economic loss;
- Acting for a Singapore Bank which held a security interest over cargo that was subject of a multi-jurisdictional dispute, pursuant to a multi-currency trade finance facility given to a borrower;
- Acting for a listed Malaysian entity in a Mareva Injunction against one of its former directors, which injunction was ordered to conmtinue despite the action in Singapore being stayed on the basis of forum non conveniens;
- A protracted partnership dispute between three brothers running a rag-and-bone business over assets worth some S$14 million, involving difficult issues of implied agreements, presumptions of equality, laches, and acquiescence;
- A SIAC Arbitration where a Singapore company was sued by a Malaysian company, for inter alia, breaches of a joint venture agreement. The dispute centered on various breaches of duties owed by joint-venture parties to one another, non-competition clauses and agency and exclusive distribution rights;
- Acting successfully for Malaysian individuals in as SIAC arbitration against a Singapore company for breaches of contract, and for a refund of monies invested by the individuals in a joint venture;
- The manager of a discotheque charged with contravening the conditions of her public entertainment licenses by permitting "bar-top" dancing. The implications arising from the case generated much public interest to the extent that a Parliamentary sub-committee and other sub-committees were set up to consider changes to the licensing regime;
- The housekeeper of a local discotheque being charged for aiding and abetting the employment of an illegal foreign worker; after a three-day trial the accused was acquitted;
- A Singapore law firm in their defamation suit against the directors of a company;
- A Singapore law firm in an action involving stakeholders' funds, and the entitlement to interest arising therefrom;
- An appeal to the High Court on the interpretation, inter alia, of Section 17 of the Workmen's Compensation Act.
Seminars / Talks / Lectures
- "Workmens' Compensation and SARS" - presented at AHRALS' Centre for Business Forums Conference "Essentials of Employment Law 2006";
- "Can you risk ignoring your safety responsibilities and legal liabilities?" presented at the Singapore Manufacturer's Association Conference "Workplace Safety & Health - Sustainability or Prosecution";
- "Structuring a Contract involving Foreign Parties" presented at the Asia Business' Forum Conference "Resolving Disputes in Construction Contracts", in Kuala Lumpur;
- Guest speaker for the ChannelNewsAsia "Prime Time Morning" discussion on new regulations affecting Spas and Massage Centres;
- Guest Speaker for the ChannelNewsAsia "Prime Time Morning" discussion on the "Good Samaritan Law";
- "Debt Recovery Techniques and Strategies" presented at a LEXIS-NEXIS Seminar;
- Talk on the Building Maintenance Strata Management Act 2004 at LegalNet Asia's Conference;
- Various medico-legal talks, lectures and seminars for various organizations from 2001 to-date.
Apart from his legal work, Gopinath also tutors at the Postgraduate Legal Course and the National University of Singapore. Gopinath currently chairs the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme Committee administered by the Law Society of Singapore. He also sits on the Family Practice Committee of the Law Society of Singapore.
|
|
|
