Davinder Singh (lawyer)

This article is about the Singaporean lawyer. For the Indian field hockey player, see Davinder Singh (field hockey). For the Indian footballer, see Davinder Singh (footballer).
Davinder Singh
SC
Member of Parliament
for Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC
(Toa Payoh East)
In office
2 January 1997 – 6 May 2006
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byJosephine Teo (PAP)
Member of Parliament
for Toa Payoh GRC
(Toa Payoh)
In office
3 September 1988 – 31 August 1991
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Davinder Singh Sachdev s/o Amar Singh

(1957-08-01) 1 August 1957 (age 67)
Singapore
Political partyPeople's Action Party
Alma materNational University of Singapore (LLB)
OccupationLawyer

Davinder Singh Sachdev s/o Amar Singh SC (born 1 August 1957), more commonly known simply as Davinder Singh, is a Singaporean lawyer and former politician. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Toa Payoh division of Toa Payoh GRC between 1988 and 1991 and the Toa Payoh East division of Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC between 1997 and 2006.

Singh has worked at the law firm Drew & Napier for 37 years, spending 17 years as its chief executive officer, and the last two as executive chairman.[1] In 2019, Singh left Drew & Napier to start his own law firm, Davinder Singh Chambers. Singh is widely regarded as Singapore's top litigator,[2] he is best known for representing Singapore prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong in civil lawsuits, as well as acting for Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) in the National Kidney Foundation scandal. More recent cases Singh has been involved in, include the Iswaran corruption court proceedings and the trial involving the founder of Hin Leong Lim Oon Kuin.

In 1997, Singh was appointed to the first batch of Senior Counsels (SCs) in Singapore. He is the Chairman of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.[3]

Singh has been widely acknowledged as Singapore's top litigator and being without peer.[4] Amongst the many honours and accolades he has received include winning the ALB South East Asia "Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year" award twice[5] and being the first lawyer from the Asia-Pacific region to be inducted into the Benchmark Litigation Hall of Fame.[6] Some others have called him "legendary" and "the best cross-examiner in Singapore".[7]

Singh has two sons, who work in his Chambers.[8]

  1. ^ Tay, Peck Gek (24 January 2019). "Davinder Singh to leave Drew & Napier and set up own practice". Business Times. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. ^ Lum, Selina (24 January 2019). "Top litigator Davinder Singh to leave Drew & Napier and set up own firm". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2021. Mr Singh was in the pioneer batch of senior counsel appointed in 1997, is widely considered Singapore's top litigator. He was once described by Asia Pacific Legal 500 as being "without peer at the bar".
  3. ^ "SIAC Announces Appointment of New Chairman". Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  4. ^ Lum, Selina (24 January 2019). "Top litigator Davinder Singh to leave Drew & Napier and set up own firm". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Mr Davinder Singh, SC". Siac Symposium 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  6. ^ "S'pore's top litigator Davinder Singh inducted into hall of fame for lawyers". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Iswaran corruption case: Who are the lawyers leading the prosecution and defence?". TODAY. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Father's Day 2021: In Their Fathers' Footsteps". www.sal.org.sg. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.