27 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – AUGUST 2024 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM terparts in other jurisdictions. Meritus Law is well placed to assist clients in this regard as we are connected to a network of tried and tested practitioners from various jurisdictions. Christopher Huang, managing director, CHP Law: As a relatively new law firm in the Singapore industry – brand recognition is always a challenge. It is common for many clients, especially established clients who have been using lawyers for many years, to want to “return” to established and traditional brands. As such, when the name “CHP” comes up – more often than not (especially in earlier years), clients would go “who is this?”. Another related issue is fee pressure. It is becoming an increasingly competitive market, with the entrance of foreign law firms and the nature of marketing evolving – whether online or offline marketing. As such, we start to see big established firms slashing their prices and fees substantially to match or compete with the smaller boutique law firms in Singapore. This creates a quandary for many of our clients – who previously were “cost-constrained” and unable to instruct big firms – now being offered the opportunity to use big firms for materially the same price as boutique law firms. Lastly, it relates to manpower. In a society like Singapore where branding matters, new graduates tend to want to apply to bigger firms to get experience and the perception is that bigger firms are “better”. This leads to the talent availability being somewhat restricted, especially in the new graduate “Strategic priorities are to fortify and build the firm’s regional presence, particularly, the ASEAN region. Singapore has always been a commercial hub and increasingly, we see Singapore playing a role as regional headquarters for enterprise looking to enter the SEA region. Accordingly, familiarity with the local law and having strong law firms that we can tap on for expertise will become almost a necessity of practice in the region.” — Christopher Huang, CHP Law BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHP LAW LLC A conversation with Christopher Huang How does your firm’s emphasis on simplicity and efficiency translate into practical benefits for clients dealing with complex legal matters? At its core, our firm’s approach focuses on distilling our clients’ fundamental concerns to their essence. This allows us to develop an in-depth understanding of their priorities and tailor our advice to address what matters to them most. We aim to process each matter efficiently, translating legal complexities into clear and actionable strategies for our clients. We also strive to speak our client’s language, enabling them to make informed choices and implement the solutions effectively. In adopting a simple and efficient approach, our goal is to bridge the gap between legal intricacies and the practical commercial reality, providing our clients with a competitive advantage in their respective fields. Can you elaborate on how your client-centric approach and focus on effective communication have contributed to successful outcomes in recent cases or transactions? Our client-centric approach involves having candid discussions about the client’s broader circumstances and objectives, often extending beyond legal and commercial considerations. Recently, we were engaged to represent an elderly client, who was contemplating the commencement of proceedings for a Our client-centric approach and focus on effective communication extended to the negotiation process, leading to a speedy and amicable resolution of the matter. This outcome is particularly rewarding as it not only represents a legal victory for our client but also demonstrates our commitment to delivering practical advice that truly aligns with our client’s priorities. CHP Law offers a wide range of practice areas, from corporate law to family matters. How does this diversity allow you to provide comprehensive, client-tailored solutions across various legal needs? Our firm’s diverse practice areas form the foundation for delivering comprehensive and tailored solutions to our clients. By fostering a culture of open communication and knowledge sharing among our partners, we identify potential synergies and provide solutions that address the complex and multi-disciplinary legal issues of our clients effectively. Our management team is committed to breaking down silos and promoting a truly collaborative environment. This approach, while perhaps ambitious, is fundamental to our firm’s identity. We view ourselves as partners not just in name, but in spirit, working together to deliver exceptional service for our clients. I believe it is this mentality that sets our firm apart and allows us to understand and address the unique needs of each of our clients. complex matter that would likely result in protracted litigation. Through conversations with our client, we learnt that preserving family relations and resolving the matter swiftly were of greater importance to our client than maximising monetary compensation. Despite the strong legal merits of our client’s case, we recommended a more nuanced approach that was better aligned with our client’s priorities. We explained that litigation could prove to be emotionally taxing and time-consuming, and advocated for the client to pursue a negotiated settlement instead. Christopher Huang Managing Director E: chrishuang@chp.law CHP Law LLC 20 Cecil Street, #10-03 PLUS, Singapore 049705 W: www.chp.law
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