May Ning is a Senior Associate with the Firm. Clients have described her as “very attentive to the case and very prompt in providing detailed feedback, as well as clear and strategic advice on the way forward” (Asialaw 2022).
Since joining LVM Law Chambers, May Ning has appeared before the highest court in Singapore. She has acted in matters before the Court of Appeal and argued as first chair in matters before the High Court. Some of these matters have led to landmark decisions rendered that relate to commercial and arbitration law, such as Charles Lim Teng Siang v Hong Choon Hau [2021] SGCA 43 (involving “no oral modification” clauses) and CVG v CVH [2022] SGHC 249 (involving the enforceability of emergency arbitration awards).
May Ning is also familiar with arbitration rules across various institutions, having played an active role in high value arbitrations before the SIAC, AAA, ICDR, ICC and JCAA. One of May Ning’s arbitration matters involve a Singapore health products company against a global multinational company supplying health supplements.
May Ning has worked with a number of clients specifically in the distribution sector – leading supermarkets, wholesalers, franchisees and franchisors. Her experience working with such clients has led her to be familiar with the legal nuances of wholesale and retail trade, such as jurisdictional challenges, stay of proceedings pending hearings in concurrent forums, cross-border business operations, and internal disputes between shareholders.
Prior to joining LVM Law Chambers, May Ning trained at the commercial disputes group at one of Singapore’s largest law firms under two leading Senior Counsel. She graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 2019. In university she was the winner of numerous Best Memorial and Best Speaker prizes in moots such as the Willem C. Vis East Arbitration Moot, the Drew & Napier Advocacy Cup, the Allen & Gledhill Mallal Moot and the Dentons Rodyk Moot. May Ning was also Chief Editor of the Singapore Law Review, Singapore’s oldest student run legal publication, and obtained Distinction in Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.
Outside of the law, May Ning enjoys dancing and scuba diving.
Case Highlights
- Advising and representing a Singapore-based distributor and retailer with over 200 stores in Asia in an ongoing franchisee dispute with a US nutritional company worth around US$770 million. This involves representing the distributor in 3 Singapore High Court actions, managing and assisting in the 6 concurrent ICDR and AAA arbitrations and emergency arbitrations in the United States, engaging with instructed counsel in Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines and the United States on legal issues and strategy, and advising on cross-border business operations.
- Successfully resisted enforcement of a foreign arbitral award in the Singapore High Court on grounds of breach of natural justice (CVG v CVH [2022] SGHC 249). The case was notable in that it is the first judgment in Singapore considering the enforceability of emergency arbitral awards, and it was a rare instance where a Singapore court declined to enforce an arbitral award.
- Acted for the appellants in Charles Lim Teng Siang and another v Hong Choon Hau and another [2021] 2 SLR 153, a decision by a 5-judge Court of Appeal notable for clarifying the Singapore legal approach to “no oral modification” contractual clauses in light of differing schools of thought.
- Acted for the majority shareholders of Mustafa Centre, one of Singapore’s largest and oldest departmental stores worth US$240 million, in a minority oppression suit (Ayaz Ahmed and others v Mustaq Ahmad (alias Mushtaq Ahmad s/o Mustafa) and others and other suits [2022] SGHC 161). The case was notable in that it involved 3 different sets of plaintiffs across 3 separate lawsuits, 6 defendants, and 6 law firms. The complexity of the case culminated in a 20-day trial before the Singapore High Court and a 392-page judgment.
- Instructed counsel in one of Singapore’s complex fraud cases involving an SIAC arbitration worth US$39 million, multiple interpleader lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings regarding cargo on board oil tankers.
- Defending the majority shareholder of Singapore-based supermarket with properties worth SG$20 million in an ongoing lawsuit against the minority shareholder regarding breach of alleged agreement to transfer shares.
- Assisted in expert opinion on appropriate governing law and jurisdiction for a JCAA arbitration between a Japanese cosmetics and dietary supplements franchisor and their Chinese franchisee.
- Successfully obtained a settlement agreement in mediations, such as in a dispute between the majority shareholder of an aerospace supplier and its related company, and a separate dispute between an aerospace engineering company and its former employee.
Appointments
- Member, Law Society of Singapore
- Member, Singapore Academy of Law
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