Former Essex Court chambers silk Jern-Fei Ng KC has joined Duxton Hill Chambers, a Singapore Group Practice of specialist commercial advocates.

Ng, the fourth King’s Counsel to be admitted to the Singapore Bar, is the only English KC to have triple affiliation to London, Hong Kong and Singapore.

He joins Duxton Hill, which was created in March 2021 following the dissolution of Essex Court Chambers Duxton (Singapore Group Practice), which was associated with Ng’s former London set.  

While the two shared common branding following the launch in 2017, the now-dissolved practice was legally separate and independent from Essex Court, while Ng himself left that set immediately before it was sanctioned by China to join 7 Bedford Row.

Singapore advocates practice under a novel English-style chambers model where they practice in limited liability corporations, who are in turn members of a Singapore Group Practice. Ng himself will practice from JFN Chambers LLC as a member of Duxton Hill Chambers.

Members include former Singapore Attorney-General VK Rajah SC, leading international arbitrator and advocate Toby Landau KC and Chan Leng Sun SC, well known for his work at Baker McKenzie in the region.

Landau was recently successful in set-aside litigation before the Singapore International Commercial Court involving oil majors Repsol and Sinopec, which ultimately led to a significant commercial settlement following a ruling in Sinopec’s favour. Landau was instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills.

Ng’s arrival brings the practice’s membership to 9. He adds heft to the set, with the Malaysian-born advocate active in promoting regional arbitration across China, including Hong Kong – through his membership of Temple Chambers as an arbitrator member – and Singapore, since deciding to relocate last year. He also covers the wider Asia market and key offshore jurisdictions, as well as London.  

Ng has previously worked with advocates from Duxton Hill Chambers in his own appearances before the SICC, as well as in tribunals appointed by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, among other leading arbitral centres, like HKIAC.

He was awarded the Singapore Academy of Law’s Merit Award in August 2022 by Singapore’s Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon for his contribution in raising the profile of foreign lawyers in Singapore, as well as initiatives in promoting access to the English Bar for Singaporean law students and to applicants from underrepresented groups in general.

Menon later appointed Ng to an ethics and professional standards committee, chaired by Justice Valerie Thean and Jimmy Yim SC, to develop a strategy aimed at "re-establishing the moral centre and the values" of the profession.

The committee will look at the impact of the changes arising from events in the last three years “from the perspective of the professional and ethical well-being of the profession”, Menon said in his opening of the legal year address in January. The review follows an increase in professional disciplinary hearings involving the local legal profession, which have attracted media attention.