As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to drag on, for most countries, vaccination has come to be viewed as the only viable approach to bringing back a sense of normality. Singapore, which recently experienced another COVID spike, is eager to return to normal, with business travel back on the agenda, and important cultural and business events planned for next year. However, with vaccination rates having plateaued at around 85 percent of the population, health professionals in the city-state have called for mandatory vaccination.

Lucy Reed was recently appointed president of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). Reed says she isn’t planning big changes; instead, she wants to refine SIAC’s winning formula.

It’s a familiar story: an immense leak of data that expose an intricate web of the elites’ hidden investments. Various celebrities, politicians, billionaires, and drug dealers were named recently in the Pandora Papers leak, as the rich and powerful poured money into a variety of assets from beachfront property, mansions to yachts, across various jurisdictions.

With another pandemic-impacted year drawing to a close, and lawyers globally reconsidering their career plans, firm leaders know that they must make burnout and employee support an urgent priority.

The year 2021 was undoubtedly tough for law firms, but with vaccinations on the rise and border restrictions loosening, there is hope on the horizon. As firms attempt a return to normalcy, they find the needle has shifted when it comes to the expectations of lawyers. As a result, firms are increasingly looking inward, carefully considering their needs, and how to ensure they can retain the talent they seek.

In this inaugural ranking, ALB honours leading women lawyers in Asia who have continuously made their mark in the market despite the disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic. This list highlights 15 women who have consistently delivered high-quality work and set high standards in their respective legal space, while earning accolades from their colleagues, superiors and clients.

In September, the Singapore Exchange (SGX) announced it would allow the listing of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), as the city-state looks to attract more IPO listings. SGX, which has introduced a new framework, is hopeful the changes will create new opportunities.

Singapore’s already competitive legal market has seen multiple new entrants this year, including India’s Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Khaitan & Co, China’s Allbright, Korea’s Bae Kim & Lee, and the U.S. firms Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and McDermott Will & Emery. While the city-state’s pandemic resilience has certainly been a draw, the firm’s see it as a hub for the fast-emerging Southeast Asian region.

The world is seeing an IPO frenzy at the moment, and India is no exception. According to Bloomberg, companies globally have raised a record $476 billion as of the third week of September, and India’ share is $10.2 billion. At least 64 Indian businesses have hit the equity capital markets in 2021, taking the S&P BSE Sensex to a record, Bloomberg added.

Mediation had already been growing in prominence as a dispute resolution method in the past years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has placed it firmly in the spotlight. And with the Singapore Convention on Mediation having been adopted two years ago, the city-state is now clearly at the forefront when it comes to mediation regionally, if not globally.