RHT Law, Formed in May 2011
14 September 2012
RHT Law, formed in May 2011 after more than 100 staff left major Singapore player KhattarWong, has established four key practice areas: intellectual property and technology, litigation and dispute resolution, corporate and securities, and finance and real estate.
Local media reports in Singapore indicate that seven equity partner and 17 salaried partners followed former KhattarWong managing partner Tan Chong Huat to the new firm. Partners Jonathan Kok and Wun Rizwi lead the firm’s intellectual property and technology practice.
Rizwi has been in practice for 15 years and has developed an indepth and practical understanding in the areas of entertainment and media law, franchising law, and laws regarding the internet. Rizwi also advises on regulatory issues including, in particular, competition law in Singapore. He previously worked as in-house legal officer and company secretary to a Singapore Government linked company and legal counsel in a multi-national consumer electronics company.
Kok has been in practice for 20 years and has acquired extensive experience in intellectual property, information technology, sports, media and entertainment and general corporate and commercial transactions. He advises clients on the strategic protection and commercialization of their intellectual property rights, information technology (software development and licensing) and transfer of technology (technology licensing and technical assistance).
The split was apparently the result of a difference of opinion on KhattarWong’s future direction. Members of the new firm have a more international outlook, say local media report, and are considering future expansion of RHT Law into Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. “We are not content to be a local player,” Tan said at a Singapore press conference. “We intend to be a local international law firm.”
