Jump to content

Eugene Thuraisingam: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Angel422 (talk | contribs)
71 edits
No edit summary
Angel422 (talk | contribs)
71 edits
No edit summary
Line 6: Line 6:


== Career ==
== Career ==
Thuraisingam is qualified to practice as a lawyer in Singapore. He was admitted to the [[Singapore Bar]] in 2001. He has also practiced at various international arbitration tribunals. Thuraisingam practised law at [[Allen & Gledhill]] in Singapore for 9 years and at Stamford Law Corporation for a further 3 years before founding the law firm, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thuraisingam.com/our_team/eugene-thuraisingam|title=Eugene Thuraisingam|website=Eugene Thuraisingam LLP|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-14}}</ref>
Thuraisingam is qualified to practice as a lawyer in Singapore. He was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 2001. He has also practiced at various international arbitration tribunals. Thuraisingam practised law at [[Allen & Gledhill]] in Singapore for 9 years and at Stamford Law Corporation for a further 3 years before founding the law firm, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thuraisingam.com/our_team/eugene-thuraisingam|title=Eugene Thuraisingam|website=Eugene Thuraisingam LLP|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-14}}</ref>


== Notable Cases ==
== Notable Cases ==

Revision as of 03:07, 16 January 2019

File:Thuraisingam in the office.jpg
Thuraisingam in his law offices at No. 1 Coleman Street, Singapore

Eugene Thuraisingam (born 1975) is a Singaporean lawyer at Eugene Thuraisingam LLP, specialising in International Commercial Litigation and Arbitration.[1] He is also a prominent human rights lawyer[2][3][4][5][6] and a staunch opponent and outspoken critic of the death penalty.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] He defended Roy Ngerng, a Singapore Citizen who was sued by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.[15] Davinder Singh acted for the Prime Minister.[16] He also successfully represented The Online Citizen, an independent online media platform in protecting its right to free speech against the Government of Singapore.[17][18] He is currently challenging the constitutionality of the law in Singapore which criminalizes sex between men.[19] [20][21][22]

Education

Thuraisingam attended the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in Singapore. He then studied at the National University of Singapore. Thuraisingam graduated with an LLB in 2000 from the National University of Singapore, where he was placed on the dean’s list.[23]

Career

Thuraisingam is qualified to practice as a lawyer in Singapore. He was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 2001. He has also practiced at various international arbitration tribunals. Thuraisingam practised law at Allen & Gledhill in Singapore for 9 years and at Stamford Law Corporation for a further 3 years before founding the law firm, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP in 2012.[24]

Notable Cases

Thuraisingam acted for the Japanese trustee-in-bankruptcy of Masahiko Nishiyama in the Singapore High Court in seizing assets worth USD 90 million hidden by Nishiyama in various banks in Singapore. Nishiyama, who had dissipated and hidden his assets before his bankruptcy, was a creditor to the Resolution and Collection Corporation (RCC), a government-owned subsidiary of the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan to the sum of Yen 43 billion.[25][26]

In 2015, Thuraisingam acted for one of the defendants in a suit by Credit Suisse Group to recover USD 80 million in damages pursuant to alleged fraudulent loans obtained by REI Agro Ltd.[27]

Also in 2015, Thuraisingam had on behalf of three Hindu Singaporeans, challenged in the Singapore High Court, the government's decision to ban the playing of musical instruments during the Hindu procession, Thaipusam. Justice Tay Yong Kwang who heard the case made clear that, while the playing of instruments in the course of the procession is a religious practice protected by the Constitution, such a provision is restricted by public order concerns as provided in the same laws. Justice Tay accepted that the playing of instruments is an essential part of the procession, based on a Hindu expert's report and the applicants' submissions, but found it is not a universal practice. The judge also accepted that the trio had the legal standing to mount the court judicial review application. But he however found that the police had shown there were legitimate concerns based on their ground intelligence and were in a better position than the court to decide what was necessary for public order and safety.[28]

He acted for Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim's ex-wife, Ms Teo Geok Fong, against HSBC Holdings for losses arising out of financial products which she alleged were negligently sold by the bank to her.[29]

Thuraisingam is the personal lawyer for the co-founder of The Hour Glass, Jannie Chan in her various Court cases against the Australia & New Zealand Banking Group and her ex-husband, Henry Tay.[30][31][32]

In 2017 Thuraisingam represented an ex-financial services director Ramesh Krishnan in successfully claiming damages against AXA Life Insurance Singapore resulting from AXA providing a bad reference costing Ramesh his new job.[33][34]

He also acted for a wealthy widow who had been duped into signing over control of her assets to her China tour guide. Thuraisingam succeeded before the Court in enabling the widow to revoke the legal document that gave the tour guide control over her assets.[35][36][37]

Thuraisingam in 2017 also convinced the Court of Appeal (the highest court in Singapore) to order a rare review of its own decision two years ago. The Court of Appeal had two years before, overturned a trial judge's acquittal of a Nigerian man and instead convicted him of bringing into Singapore nearly 2kg of methamphetamine into Singapore, enough to warrant the death penalty. The Court of Appeal after reviewing its decision to convict the man two years before, sent the case back to the trial Judge who acquitted the man, for the trial judge to evaluate new evidence.[38]

He is currently acting for well-known local model and club DJ Tenashar who has been taken to court on drug charges. DJ Tenashar was the first Singaporean to be featured on the cover of Playboy Thailand magazine in October 2013. That same month, she also became the first Singaporean to make British music magazine DJ Mag's list of Top 100 DJs, snagging the No. 87 spot. She was the only solo female DJ to make the list that year.[39]

Thuraisingam is also acting for Jolovan Wham, a Civil activist in Singapore who was found guilty of contempt of court and who is also facing a slew of criminal charges in relation to his civil activism.[40][41][42][43][44]

Awards

Thuraisingam was presented with the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Cases award by the Chief Justice of Singapore, Sundaresh Menon in 2016 for his work in defending accused persons charged with capital cases.[45][46]

References

  1. ^ "Eugene Thuraisingam LLP - Specialists in Criminal & Commercial Disputes". Eugene Thuraisingam LLP. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  2. ^ hermes (2019-01-02). "Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam taking on five high-profile cases this year". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  3. ^ "Criminal and Human Rights Lawyer Fined $6,000 for a Poem on Death Penalty that "Scandalised the Judicary"". The Online Citizen. 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  4. ^ "Gay sex ban divides Singaporeans". news.cgtn.com. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  5. ^ "'I Am Not a Criminal': This DJ Is Fighting to Overturn Singapore's Ban on Gay Sex". www.intomore.com. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  6. ^ "The Cruelty of Fate: The Case of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam". The Online Citizen. 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  7. ^ hermes (2016-11-07). "Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam defends people who might face the death penalty". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  8. ^ Loh, Ronald (2016-11-02). "He gives hope to those on death row". The New Paper. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  9. ^ "Court of Appeal to review own judgment in drug trafficker's conviction after psychiatric report". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  10. ^ "The Cruelty of Fate: The Case of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam". The Online Citizen. 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  11. ^ "The Big Read: Capital punishment — a little more conversation on a matter of life and death". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  12. ^ "[Debate Closed] Motion: We should abolish the death penalty in Singapore (12 Oct – 2 Nov 2015)". www.ipscommons.sg. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  13. ^ hermesauto (2017-08-07). "Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam fined $6,000 for contempt of court over Facebook post on death penalty". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  14. ^ hermesauto (2018-10-29). "Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam fined again over poem that was in contempt of court". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  15. ^ hermesauto (2016-03-14). "Blogger Roy Ngerng to pay $150,000 in damages to PM Lee in instalments". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  16. ^ "Roy Ngerng breaks down in tears during questioning by Senior Council Davinder Singh". The Business Times. 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  17. ^ hermesauto (2015-12-09). "Government cannot invoke harassment Act to make website remove statements on Mindef: High Court". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  18. ^ hermes (2017-01-17). "Is Government a person? Court rules on anti-harassment law provision". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  19. ^ LUM, SELINA; CORRESPONDENT, LAW (2018-09-12). "Court challenge filed by Singapore DJ against Section 377A". The New Paper. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  20. ^ "Singapore DJ mounts challenge of colonial-era anti-gay law". Associated Press. 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  21. ^ Press, Associated (2018-09-12). "Singapore DJ Prepares To Challenge Nation's Law Banning Gay Sex". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  22. ^ hermes (2019-01-02). "Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam taking on five high-profile cases this year". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  23. ^ "Eugene Thuraisingam". Eugene Thuraisingam LLP. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  24. ^ "Eugene Thuraisingam". Eugene Thuraisingam LLP. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  25. ^ hermes (2016-10-13). "Japan govt agency seeks $570m from man who hid assets here". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  26. ^ hermes (2017-06-05). "Court okays seizure of $124m of bankrupt Japanese director's assets". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  27. ^ migration (2015-01-20). "Credit Suisse sues REI Agro in Singapore over alleged loan fraud". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  28. ^ hermes (2015-09-20). "Thaipusam instrument ban legitimate: High Court". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  29. ^ migration (2014-02-12). "Billionaire Peter Lim's ex-wife sues HSBC". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  30. ^ hermes (2016-04-10). "Hour Glass co-founder loses appeal against ANZ". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  31. ^ Lum, Selina; Times, The Straits (2017-07-06). "Hour Glass co-founder Jannie Chan in court for harassing ex-husband again". The New Paper. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  32. ^ hermes (2018-04-25). "2 weeks' jail for Hour Glass co-founder to take effect for flouting court order". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  33. ^ hermes (2017-08-15). "Man awarded $4m after bad reference cost him new job". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  34. ^ VIJAYAN, K. C. (2018-10-04). "Ex-insurance agent gets to keep $4m in damages, less 20 per cent". The New Paper. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  35. ^ "Widow to revoke guide's control of her assets". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  36. ^ "Court to cancel Yang Yin's legal powers over widow's assets". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  37. ^ hermes (2015-08-30). "The extent of Yang Yin's manipulation". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  38. ^ "Court of Appeal to review own judgment in drug trafficker's conviction after psychiatric report". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  39. ^ hermes (2018-06-23). "Model-DJ Tenashar faces drug-related charges". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  40. ^ hermesauto (2018-07-17). "Court hears contempt cases against activist Jolovan Wham and SDP's John Tan". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  41. ^ hermesauto (2018-10-09). "Activist Jolovan Wham and SDP's John Tan found guilty of contempt of court". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  42. ^ "Jolovan Wham on trial for allegedly organising public assembly where Hong Kong's Joshua Wong gave speech". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  43. ^ hermes (2018-10-03). "Jolovan Wham trial adjourned: Defence calls no witness". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  44. ^ hermes (2019-01-04). "Activist guilty of holding illegal public assembly". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  45. ^ Loh, Ronald (2016-11-02). "He gives hope to those on death row". The New Paper. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  46. ^ "Singapore lawyer wins award for pro bono work in capital offence cases". Singapore lawyer wins award for pro bono work in capital offence cases. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eugene_Thuraisingam&oldid=878646780"