Desmond Chong

Experience

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  Singapore Army

  Feb 2011 - Jun 2013

  Commissioned Infantry Officer

  - For my military re-service, I am a Captain commanding a company comprising over 120 soldiers in training and security operations.- During my National Service, I won the following awards:1) 2nd best graduate at Company Tactics Course ("CTC")2) Best in knowledge at CTC3) 2nd best graduate at Officer Cadet School (awarded the Sword of Merit (Silver Bayonet))

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  Attorney-General's Chambers, Singapore

  Jan 2018 - Dec 2019

  Deputy Public Prosecutor / State Counsel

  - I conducted criminal prosecutions - both as sole counsel and as assisting counsel in trials, plead guilty mentions, and appeals - in both the Supreme Court and the State Courts of Singapore. - I successfully defended a Magistrate's Appeal in the General Division of the High Court.- I successfully conducted four trials as sole counsel in the State Courts of Singapore.- I assisted in four appeals in the Court of Appeal.- I assisted in four trials in the General Division of the High Court and one trial in the State Courts.- I assisted the State Coroner in Coroner’s Inquiries as State Counsel. Show less

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  Supreme Court of Singapore

  Jan 2020 - Jun 2023

  - I was a judicial officer (Assistant Registrar and Magistrate) in the General Division of the High Court. As a judicial officer, I adjudicated a wide variety of complex commercial cases in the General Division of the High Court, such as applications for summary judgment and stay applications. - My representative judgments include:1) Application to strike out defences to a US$ 63 million claim: TA Private Capital Security Agent Ltd and another v UD Trading Group Holding Pte Ltd and another [2023] SGHCR 1 (available at: https://www.elitigation.sg/gd/s/2023_SGHCR_1)2) Application to set aside the registration of a Hong Kong judgment concerning over US$ 220 million: Guanghua SS Holdings Ltd v Lim Yew Cheng and another [2023] SGHCR 7 (available at: https://www.elitigation.sg/gd/s/2023_SGHCR_7)3) Application to set aside a default judgment concerning a construction dispute: Management Corporation Strata Title Plan No 4572 v Kingsford Development Pte Ltd and others [2023] SGHCR 8 (available at: https://www.elitigation.sg/gdviewer/s/2023_SGHCR_8)- I also conducted Case Management Conferences to manage appeals before the Court of Appeal and the Appellate Division of the High Court. - I was an Assistant Registrar in all three of the key Supreme Court Registry teams: the Court of Appeal and Appellate Division Registry; the Singapore International Commercial Court Registry; and the Crime Registry. - I was also in the Disciplinary Tribunal Secretariat and in the team of Assistant Registrars in charge of appointments of young independent counsel in cases heard in the Supreme Court. Show less

  • Assistant Registrar and Magistrate

    Jan 2022 - Jun 2023

  • Justices’ Law Clerk

    Jan 2020 - Dec 2021
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  Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

  Jul 2023 - now

  Associate (International Arbitration)

  I am a mid-level associate in the dispute resolution practice group, specialising in complex international commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration.