SILVESTER LEGAL LLC
About Us
Silvester Legal LLC is a Singapore law firm specialising in shareholder disputes, civil and commercial litigation, as well as domestic and international arbitration. We act for business owners, founders, investors and corporate entities across Singapore and the region, with a proven track record of resolving corporate deadlock and boardroom disputes before the Singapore Courts. We also have an excellent corporate team to support our Clients.
Shareholder & Minority Rights Disputes
Our shareholder disputes practice covers minority oppression claims, joint venture breakdowns, share buy-outs and derivative actions under Section 216 of the Companies Act 1967 before the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal. These disputes often arise after a business relationship has broken down. Our job is to keep the company running through a dispute, or help unwind it cleanly if that is the better outcome for our Client.
Civil & Commercial Litigation
We are experienced in civil and commercial litigation. Among others, we handle breach of contract, civil fraud, defamation, business torts and professional negligence claims arising from business and shareholder disputes. We also act for liquidators against former directors and for companies against directors, appearing before the Singapore Courts.
Arbitration & SICC Disputes
Our team regularly resolves cross-border and international commercial disputes before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), UNCITRAL arbitration in Singapore and the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), including complex multi-jurisdictional claims.
Corporate, Business & Regulatory Advisory
We advise on corporate governance, employment disputes, commercial agreements and transactional structuring, with a focus on identifying risk before it becomes litigation.
What Sets Us Apart
Corporate disputes rarely end with a court judgment. They end when a business owner can move forward with certainty over who controls what. We build our strategy around that outcome, beyond the litigation itself.
Every shareholder dispute is different. Where litigation is the right call, our directors take it through to High Court judgment. Where a negotiated settlement better protects the Client’s commercial position, we pursue that instead. That decision is made strategically on each matter.
At Silvester Legal, we fight for our Clients, whether that means driving a case to High Court judgment or negotiating a settlement that protects what you have built.
Facing a shareholder deadlock, a boardroom dispute or a commercial claim? Silvester Legal is ready to act.
Our Lawyers
Walter Silvester
Founder & Managing Director
E-mail: walter@silvesterlegal.com
Qualifications:
LL.B. (Hons) (Law), National University of Singapore
B.A. (Business Administration), National University of Singapore
Areas of Practice:
Shareholder Disputes
Walter founded Silvester Legal LLC and leads the firm’s practice in shareholder deadlocks, director duty claims and high-stakes boardroom conflicts, both in Singapore and across international jurisdictions.
Clients come to Walter for prompt, direct communication and a clear-eyed read on how a dispute is likely to play out, whether that means High Court litigation or a negotiated exit.
Notable case highlights:
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- Overturned the striking out of a Client’s claim at the Court of Appeal, restoring their right to a fair trial (Mitora Pte Ltd v Agritrade International (Pte) Ltd [2013] SGCA 38).
- Resisted an appeal in a minority oppression claim under Section 216 of the Companies Act, increasing the damages awarded to the Client from S$636,000 to S$916,000 and securing a S$1.2 million share buy-out, for a total recovery of over S$2.4 million.
- Co-lead counsel in [2023] SGHC 183 in a successful minority oppression claim.
- Co-lead counsel in [2024] SGHC 177 in a successful minority oppression claim.
- Led the appeal in [2025] SGHC(A) 9 and successfully overturned a judgment of over S$4m. The final award was reduced to S$1,000 and our Clients were awarded costs of S$70,000.
Robert Raj
Director
E-mail: robert@silvesterlegal.com
Qualifications:
LL.B. (Hons), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
Areas of Practice:
Civil & Corporate Dispute Resolution, Arbitration & Corporate Advisory.
With over two decades in commercial litigation and corporate advisory across Singapore and Malaysia, Robert brings a litigator’s instinct to shareholder disputes, contract breaches and arbitration matters. His background spans top-tier firms, his own practice, and in-house counsel work at a multinational, giving him a practical read on both sides of a dispute.
Clients value Robert for his precision in drafting and his ability to frame a case for the strongest possible negotiating position, often resolving matters before they reach trial.
Notable case highlights:
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- Acted for the COO of a prominent company in a defamation claim against a former employee.
- Led a UNCITRAL arbitration in Singapore in relation to a pipeline project undertaken by an international oil and gas pipeline corporation involving claims exceeding US$20 million.
- Handled SIAC arbitrations for a global marine solutions company and related contractual disputes.
- Handled SIAC arbitration relating to contractual disputes and return of deposits.
- Suing an international financial institution and its former Relationship Manager for losses suffered by the former Clients as a result of breaches of duty of care and misrepresentation
- Acting for two individuals against the Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”) in a first case of its kind in Singapore relating to civil penalties claim by MAS under the Securities and Futures Act.
- Acting for Hollywood movie producers against copyright infringers in Singapore.
- Drafting and/or reviewing the various contracts relating to the Scorpions and Guns N’ Roses concerts in Singapore.
Siraj Shaik Aziz
Director
E-mail: siraj@silvesterlegal.com
Qualifications: LL.B. (Hons), Singapore Management University
Areas of Practice:
Arbitration & Dispute Resolution, Corporate & Commercial, Criminal Defence
Siraj leads a team in the dispute resolution practice at Silvester Legal LLC and heads its criminal defence practice.
Siraj has acted successfully as lead counsel before all levels of the Singapore State Courts and Supreme Court in relation to contractual, tortious, employment, investor and shareholder disputes as well as intellectual property infringement claims. Siraj has also acted as lead counsel representing close to 160 accused persons at the State Courts and Supreme Court for Penal Code and other regulatory offences; securing acquittals and reduced charges and sentences including non-custodial and community-based sentences.
Notable case highlights:
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- Successfully acted as lead counsel for minority shareholders in several minority oppression claims in the High Court and obtained the following after trial:
– Buy out of S$3.43 million shareholding in a dormitory operator in which the majority shareholder was represented by senior counsel: [2024] SGHC 177.
– Buy-out of S$1.5 million in a successful security services company.
– Reverse buy-out of 50% shareholding in a cybersecurity software company which has operations in Australia, the US and Singapore.
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- Successfully defended a company against a minority oppression claim: [2021] 4 SLR 1449.
- Co-led the successful appeal in [2025] SGHC(A) 9 in overturning a High Court judgment ordering S$4m in damages for a misrepresentation claim; reducing the amount to S$1,000.
- Led a successful mediation of an S$1.3 million investment dispute in 2023 at the Singapore Mediation Centre.
- Successfully invoked an indemnity clause to fully indemnify a subcontractor for industrial accident death on a sea vessel: [2024] SGDC 38.
- Successfully defended a claim in common law and statutory damages for copyright infringement against two furniture retailers: [2021] SGDC 168.
Low Yi Yang
Director
E-mail: yiyang@silvesterlegal.com
Qualifications:
LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore
Areas of Practice:
Corporate & Advisory, Mergers & Acquisitions
Yi Yang leads the firm’s Corporate & Advisory Practice, with over 15 years of multi-faceted legal experience across top-tier local and international law firms alongside senior in-house roles at a major technology group.
With a rare dual background spanning both transactional and dispute work, Yi Yang structures contracts and commercial arrangements with a practical, dispute-tested lens – pre-emptively identifying legal and operational friction points before they escalate into disputes. Clients rely on his pragmatic, commercially grounded guidance to navigate complex financial exposure, mitigate risk, and execute growth strategies with confidence.
Notable case highlights:
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- Frequently acts as lead transactional counsel in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing high-value commercial agreements, cross-border joint venture frameworks, and strategic operational contracts.
- Advised early-stage startups to mature growth-stage enterprises on seed through late-stage capital raises, debt financing structures, and strategic equity investments.
- Represented Clients across dynamic industry sectors in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings aimed at scaling business operations securely.
- Trusted strategic advisor to a diverse portfolio of Clients—ranging from newly incorporated founders to established market leaders—on day-to-day corporate governance, commercial risk management, and long-term expansion.
Tan Hoe Shuen
Associate Director
E-mail: hoeshuen@silvesterlegal.com
Qualifications:
LL.B. (Hons), University of Bristol
Areas of Practice:
Civil & Commercial Dispute Resolution
Hoe Shuen guides Clients through civil and commercial disputes, with experience spanning contractual disputes, shareholder litigation, probate and estate disputes, and debt recovery before the Singapore Courts.
He takes the time to understand each Client’s objectives and risk tolerance before building a case strategy, serving not just as legal counsel but as a trusted advisor through high-stakes decisions. Clients working with Hoe Shuen point to his responsiveness and attention to detail, and to dispute resolution strategies built around protecting the commercial outcome, and not just winning the argument.
Notable case highlights:
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- Successfully obtained an injunction before the High Court on behalf of a minority shareholder to prevent the dilution of his shares.
- Represented Clients in debt recovery and contractual and company disputes.
