Lim Chong Boon is Head of Family Law at PKWA Law, one of the most established family law practices in Singapore.

Chong Boon’s expertise has earned him recognition as one of Singapore’s leading family and divorce lawyers by leading legal publications such as Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific and Doyles Guide to Leading Singapore Family and Divorce Lawyers.

Having commenced his career at Allen & Gledhill, Lim Chong Boon had the privilege of working closely with some of Singapore’s finest legal minds. Over the course of more than 25 years, he has honed his skills in various practice areas, including family and divorce law, probate, commercial litigation, company law, construction litigation, corporate debt recovery, directors and shareholders’ disputes, employment law, intellectual property, immigration matters, insolvency, landlord-tenant disputes, and property disputes.

Chong Boon and his team have garnered numerous accolades. Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific has consistently recognized him as a Litigation Star for family law in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Doyles Guide has also ranked him as a Leading Family and Singapore Divorce Lawyer for several consecutive years in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Global Law Experts commends his knowledge and experience in family and civil law matters, describing him as a practical, streetwise, and empathetic attorney who places a strong emphasis on mediation while remaining ready to advocate aggressively in court.

PKWA Law’s Family Law Group, under Lim Chong Boon’s leadership, has been consistently lauded as one of the top family law practices in the region. Their excellence has been recognized by The Straits Times, which ranked PKWA Law as one of “Singapore’s Best Law Firms” for family law. The firm’s achievements also include significant successes in Court of Appeal decisions on the division of matrimonial assets, achieving remarkable results for their clients.

Apart from his legal expertise, Lim Chong Boon is an active member of various legal organizations, including the Law Society of Singapore and the Singapore Academy of Law. He has served on the Council of the Law Society of Singapore and the Inquiry Panel of the Law Society, displaying his commitment to professional development and the legal community.

Chong Boon is the co-author of the divorce book “Divorce Done Right: A Guide to Family Law in Singapore” published in 2021.

Media outlets have sought Lim Chong Boon’s insightful opinions on family law matters, reflecting his influence and expertise in the field.

Chong Boon’s practice areas include family and divorce law, probate, commercial litigation, company law, construction litigation, corporate debt recovery, directors and shareholders’ disputes, employment law, intellectual property, immigration matters, insolvency, landlord-tenant disputes, and property disputes.

Awards and Accolades

Chong Boon is named a Litigation Star for family law by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific editions in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The respected publisher is the definitive guide on the leading litigation lawyers internationally and in the region.  Benchmark Litigation recognizes “litigation stars” in each country as individuals who were recommended consistently as reputable and highly effective litigators by their clients and peers.

Chong Boon is also ranked by Dolyes Guide to Leading Singapore Family Lawyers as a Leading Family and Singapore Divorce Lawyer in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Chong Boon is also recommended by Global Law Experts 2015 edition as someone who “is valued by clients in civil and family law matters for his knowledge and experience in the law” and for being “practical and streetwise”.  Global Law Experts describe him as “a good listener”, able to “cut through the issues quickly”. In addition, he is known “to favour mediation over litigation in divorce matters, but will litigate aggressively in court”.

The Family Law Group at PKWA Law has been consistently recognised as one of the top family law practices in the region.  The list of accolades includes:

• The Straits Times ranks PKWA Law as one of “Singapore’s Best Law Firms” for family law in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
• PKWA law has won two important Court of Appeal decisions on the issue of division of matrimonial assets, including one described by the judges as “complicated,” “challenging” and “highly unusual” in which our client won 75% of $13.6 million in matrimonial assets, up from 25%. The swing in matrimonial assets from 25% to 75% is arguably one of the highest in divorce cases in Singapore.
• PKWA Law is ranked as one of the leading Family Law Firms in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific.
• Lim Chong Boon is ranked by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 as a Dispute Resolution Star.
• Lim Chong Boon is ranked by his peers as a “Leading Family and Divorce Lawyer” in Doyles Guide to Leading Singapore Family & Divorce Lawyers in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
• Dorothy Tan is listed in the “Top 100 Women in Litigation” in Asia-Pacific by Benchmark Litigation 2021 and 2022.  She is among several Singapore female lawyers who are recognised as leading litigators in the Asia Pacific. Dorothy is recognised as a leading lawyer in family and matrimonial law.
• Recognised as one of the leading Family Law Firms in Singapore by Asian Legal Business at the annual ALB Southeast Asia Law Awards in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
• Doyles Guide – PKWA Law is ranked as a leading family law firm. Lim Chong Boon is ranked as a leading family lawyer in Singapore.
• PKWA Law is ranked as a “Leading Family and Divorce Law Firm in Singapore” in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 by Doyles Guide to Leading Singapore Family & Divorce Lawyers.
• Doyles Guide of Leading Singapore Family Lawyers 2016 – Lim Chong Boon is ranked as a Leading Family and Divorce Lawyers in Singapore. PKWA Law is also ranked as a recommended Leading Family Law Firm.
• Charlene Nah is named one of Family Law Rising Stars 2022 and 2023 by Doyles Guide.
• PKWA’s family lawyers Dorothy Tan and Low Jin Liang are named Singapore’s “Most Influential Lawyers Under 40” by Singapore Business Review 2016.
• Dorothy is shortlisted for “Woman Lawyer of the Year” by Asian Legal Business at the SE Asia Law Awards 2018. She was selected by an independent panel of 30 legal experts and is the only family lawyer on the shortlist.
• Dorothy Tan is named one of Asia’s top young lawyers by Asian Legal Business 2016.
• Dorothy Tan is nominated for “Young Lawyer of the Year” at the SE Asia Law Awards 2017.
• Global Law Experts 2015 Edition — Lim Chong Boon is a recommended lawyer in “Family and Civil Law”.
• Low Jin Liang is included in the Asian Legal Business listing of Singapore Rising Stars 2022.

Commercial & Civil Cases

Lim Chong Boon has an extensive track record of handling high-profile cases involving substantial claims in both commercial and civil matters. Some notable instances include:

• Leading complex litigation in the Singapore High Court for one of the largest corporate bond defaults in emerging markets history concerning Asia Paper and Pulp. The claim, valued at US$300 million, involved legal experts from the US and Indonesia and necessitated decisions from the Supreme Court of the State of New York and the Supreme Court of Indonesia (OCM Opportunities Fund II, LP and Others v Pt Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Corporation and Another [2008] SGHC 73).
• Providing counsel to the leading global operator of water services on employment matters and general corporate advice for its Asia Pacific office.
• Representing a government statutory board in obtaining urgent interlocutory injunctions against occupiers for causing nuisance and breaching contracts.
• Acting on behalf of Jurong Town Corporation in property disputes and securing possession of property from errant tenants.
• Defending all 8 defendants in the High Court and Court of Appeal successfully, in a multi-cause of action claim amounting to US$27 million. The claim involved allegations of breach of contract, breach of agency, and conspiracy to defraud (Fornet Enterprise Co Ltd v Howell Universal Pte Ltd and Others [2006] SGHC 33).
• Representing Propnex, one of Singapore’s largest property agency companies, in legal action against former employees and agents for staff poaching and breach of contract.
• Defending former students against a defamation suit brought by a trainer.
• Acting for a US-listed multinational corporation in litigation related to the construction of a wafer fab plant in Singapore.
• Representing DBS Bank in the recovery of credit card and housing loans.
• Successfully seeking bankruptcy protection under the Bankruptcy Act for two directors of TT International Ltd, a company listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. This strategic move allowed the directors to restructure personal liabilities of approximately $51 million arising from corporate guarantees they had executed in connection with the company’s debts.
• Handling a dispute between a major international hotel chain and a Singapore landlord.
• Representing a case in the Singapore High Court involving an international construction and engineering company regarding the construction of a plant. This case was notable for being one of the first in Singapore to involve the electronic discovery of documents stored in servers.

Some of Chong Boon’s reported cases include Fornet Enterprise Co Ltd vs Howell Universal Pte Ltd & others [2006] 2 SLR 349; [2006] SGHC 33 and OCM Opportunities Fund II, LP and others vs PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Corporation [2008] SGHC 73

Family Law Cases

• Successfully representing a mother in a bitter custody battle over her two children. The High Court ruled in favor of his client, granting her care and control of the children. The court also issued an order for the father to hand over the children within 7 days, with the threat of facing contempt action if he failed to comply. This highly contested case spanned three years and involved extensive documentation of over 2,000 pages.
• Providing representation for a prominent and wealthy Singapore businessman in his divorce proceedings and related ancillary matters.
• Acting on behalf of a prominent senior Singapore lawyer in a highly contentious divorce case, which encompassed complex issues concerning the division of assets and custody arrangements for the children.
• Representing the CEO of a listed company in his divorce proceedings and related ancillary issues.
• Acting for a wife seeking to recover half of her ex-husband’s lottery win in the context of divorce proceedings.
• Handling pre-nuptial agreements for high net-worth clients, ensuring their interests and assets are protected before marriage.