Our Philosophy
At Beacon, we believe that prevention is better than cure. As such, dispute avoidance is very much our priority when advising clients; be it while helping a client se t up a business entity or while helping a client resolve a conflict.
It has been said that "it is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls" (Aristophanes 446 - 386 B.C.). Thus, very often, clients come to us only when a dispute has already arisen; by which time, great expense, time and resources would probably have to be expended to resolve the dispute.
We wish to change that mindset. We want to help our clients lay a solid foundation for their business, by understanding both their short-term and long-term visions and drafting sound employment contracts, shareholder agreements or business contracts, so that their businesses can grow without the unnecessary distraction of potentially costly litigation.
Starting a Business
Whether you are starting a business from scratch or entering into a joint venture or partnership, or bringing your business into Singapore, we are here to ensure that the foundations for your business and working relationships are sound so that you can concentrate on growing your business.
In-House Counsel on call
We also offer attractive fee packages to second our lawyers to your offices on a periodic basis to resolve your legal issues on-site.
Business Contracts
A business contract sets out the nature of the business relationship between parties and the rights or obligations of the parties. A properly negotiated and well-drafted contract can ensure that disagreements in the business relationship are kept to a minimum and the business relationship can be a long and fruitful one; while a hastily negotiated and poorly drafted contract could give rise to disputes over ambiguous clauses and a breakdown of the business relationship before it has a chance to flourish. Thus, it is imperative for any business owner to ensure that the core contracts with key business associates; like shareholder or partnership agreements, loan agreements, sale & purchase of shares and assets; are carefully negotiated and drafted with the help of experienced legal professionals.
We are aware that there are now sample contracts readily available on the internet; but one size does not fit all, and those sample contracts are not tailored to your particular business needs. Indeed, the laws of every country differ and contract templates originating from other countries may contain clauses that are unenforceable in Singapore. There are also regulatory laws that may apply to specific contracts in Singapore. At Beacon, we believe every client should have tailor-made business contracts drafted only after we fully understand your particular business needs.
Employment Issues
When hiring an employee, a business owner would have multiple concerns. First, there is the issue of regulatory compliance with the relevant employment laws. Secondly, the termination process needs to be well-defined; and thirdly there is the fear of an employee stealing trade secrets or leaving to join a competitor.
While the regulatory framework could possibly be navigated without legal assistance (albeit with great difficulty), the law is not cast in stone with regards to confidentiality clauses and non-solicitation/non-competition clauses in employment contracts. This is where we can help, by first understanding your unique business model and needs and then tailoring employment agreements to your needs.
Landlord and Tenant Issues
Whether you are start-up company or a multi-national company entering the Singapore market, it would probably make more sense to rent your business premises in the beginning. For most businesses, the rental of business premises forms a substantial part of the business expenses and it is thus imperative that tenancy agreements are carefully negotiated and vetted before signing on the dotted line. At Beacon, we bring our considerable experience in dispute resolution as well as real estate transactions to the negotiation table when advising you on tenancy issues. We also take time to understand the nature of your business first before entering into negotiations on your behalf to ensure that your entering into a tenancy agreement would not cause any regulatory compliance issues.
Regulatory Compliance
While it is relatively easy to start a business in Singapore, the rules and regulations governing both business entities in general and specific businesses can be a regulatory 'minefield'. Fortunately, it's a 'minefield' that we can help you navigate through safely.
We also work closely with our partners in audit and tax firms on financial compliance issues so that you have peace of mind knowing that all your compliance issues are taken care of by professionals.
We can also conduct workshops for your staff on compliance with new laws.
At Beacon, we believe that prevention is better than cure. As such, dispute avoidance is very much our priority when advising clients; be it while helping a client se t up a business entity or while helping a client resolve a conflict.
It has been said that "it is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls" (Aristophanes 446 - 386 B.C.). Thus, very often, clients come to us only when a dispute has already arisen; by which time, great expense, time and resources would probably have to be expended to resolve the dispute.
We wish to change that mindset. We want to help our clients lay a solid foundation for their business, by understanding both their short-term and long-term visions and drafting sound employment contracts, shareholder agreements or business contracts, so that their businesses can grow without the unnecessary distraction of potentially costly litigation.
Starting a Business
Whether you are starting a business from scratch or entering into a joint venture or partnership, or bringing your business into Singapore, we are here to ensure that the foundations for your business and working relationships are sound so that you can concentrate on growing your business.
In-House Counsel on call
We also offer attractive fee packages to second our lawyers to your offices on a periodic basis to resolve your legal issues on-site.
Business Contracts
A business contract sets out the nature of the business relationship between parties and the rights or obligations of the parties. A properly negotiated and well-drafted contract can ensure that disagreements in the business relationship are kept to a minimum and the business relationship can be a long and fruitful one; while a hastily negotiated and poorly drafted contract could give rise to disputes over ambiguous clauses and a breakdown of the business relationship before it has a chance to flourish. Thus, it is imperative for any business owner to ensure that the core contracts with key business associates; like shareholder or partnership agreements, loan agreements, sale & purchase of shares and assets; are carefully negotiated and drafted with the help of experienced legal professionals.
We are aware that there are now sample contracts readily available on the internet; but one size does not fit all, and those sample contracts are not tailored to your particular business needs. Indeed, the laws of every country differ and contract templates originating from other countries may contain clauses that are unenforceable in Singapore. There are also regulatory laws that may apply to specific contracts in Singapore. At Beacon, we believe every client should have tailor-made business contracts drafted only after we fully understand your particular business needs.
Employment Issues
When hiring an employee, a business owner would have multiple concerns. First, there is the issue of regulatory compliance with the relevant employment laws. Secondly, the termination process needs to be well-defined; and thirdly there is the fear of an employee stealing trade secrets or leaving to join a competitor.
While the regulatory framework could possibly be navigated without legal assistance (albeit with great difficulty), the law is not cast in stone with regards to confidentiality clauses and non-solicitation/non-competition clauses in employment contracts. This is where we can help, by first understanding your unique business model and needs and then tailoring employment agreements to your needs.
Landlord and Tenant Issues
Whether you are start-up company or a multi-national company entering the Singapore market, it would probably make more sense to rent your business premises in the beginning. For most businesses, the rental of business premises forms a substantial part of the business expenses and it is thus imperative that tenancy agreements are carefully negotiated and vetted before signing on the dotted line. At Beacon, we bring our considerable experience in dispute resolution as well as real estate transactions to the negotiation table when advising you on tenancy issues. We also take time to understand the nature of your business first before entering into negotiations on your behalf to ensure that your entering into a tenancy agreement would not cause any regulatory compliance issues.
Regulatory Compliance
While it is relatively easy to start a business in Singapore, the rules and regulations governing both business entities in general and specific businesses can be a regulatory 'minefield'. Fortunately, it's a 'minefield' that we can help you navigate through safely.
We also work closely with our partners in audit and tax firms on financial compliance issues so that you have peace of mind knowing that all your compliance issues are taken care of by professionals.
We can also conduct workshops for your staff on compliance with new laws.