Melissa Leong

Melissa is a Director of Chevalier Law LLC’s Commercial Litigation practice, and heads the firm’s Private Client practice.

Prior to joining Chevalier Law LLC, Melissa worked in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution department of reputable law firms where she was involved in a broad range of general litigation and arbitration disputes. Melissa has appeared as lead and assisting counsel in all levels of the Singapore Courts.

Melissa’s focus is on general litigation work and her practice includes family law, probate and administration and estate planning. Melissa also acts for clients in contentious and non-contentious divorces, including advising on domestic and international family law issues, issues of child custody, division of matrimonial assets, separation, enforcement of maintenance orders, and family violence.

Melissa’s practice also includes non-contentious matters. She has advised local businesses and small medium enterprises on corporate advisory matters, restructuring and employment matters. She also regularly handles conveyancing work for corporate and individual clients involving commercial, private and public (HDB) properties.

Notable Matters

• Involved in complex matrimonial dispute concerning jurisdictional challenges and disclosure and preservation of assets spanning over 3 jurisdictions.
• Involved in Court of Appeal hearing in relation to the division of matrimonial assets worth in excess of S$6 million.
• Acted for the wife in a contentious divorce involving discovery orders and asset-tracing. Wife was successful in drawing an adverse inference against the husband for non-disclosure of shares in various companies.
• Acted for a homemaker husband in successfully obtaining shared care and control of the children and an equal division of matrimonial assets.
• Acting as assisting counsel in a claim against a co-executor and trustee for breach of fiduciary duties and account of profits on behalf of the deceased’s estate worth in excess of S$16 million.
• Acted for a local food and beverage chain in a dispute with its franchisee in a SIAC arbitration.
• Acting as assisting counsel for Japanese majority shareholders in a coffee plantation and coffee chain company in minority oppression claim, where disputes were agreed to be resolved in a SIAC arbitration.
• Assisted in a professional negligence action brought by a company that was formerly listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange against one of Singapore’s largest professional accounting firms.

Work Experience

• Acted for clients in contentious and non-contentious divorces and judicial separation.
• Advising on issues of child custody orders, variation of parenting agreements, relocation of custodial parent and child, international abduction / unlawful retention of child, and family violence.
• Represented clients in applications made under the Adoption of Children Act and Guardianship of Infants Act.
• Drafting, reviewing and advising on residential and commercial leases and tenancies.
• Drafting, reviewing and advising on wide range of commercial contracts including distributorship agreements, licensing agreements, shareholders’ agreements, loan agreements, non-disclosure agreements and share sale agreements.
• Representing and advising corporate and individual clients in the sale, purchase, mortgage and refinancing of commercial and residential properties.
• Representing and advising financial institutions in financing on secured lending.
• Advising clients on asset management including drafting of Wills, appointment of donees pursuant to a Lasting Power of Attorney and acting for clients in the appointment of Deputies pursuant to the Mental Capacity Act.

*For a more detailed & comprehensive list of Melissa’s professional background and experience, please request for a copy of her curriculum vitae.