Breakpoint LLC

Breakpoint LLC is a disputes-only boutique firm based in Singapore. Although founded only in 2018, Breakpoint presently services clients from all over the world. Breakpoint advises and represents clients in a wide spectrum of corporate and commercial, banking and finance, infrastructure, and insolvency-related disputes. Despite its size, Breakpoint's clientele includes Governments and public authorities, global MNCs, listed and private companies in Australia, Singapore, South Korea, financial institutions and high net-worth individuals. Breakpoint frequently partners with other local, regional and international law firms on multi-party, multi-jurisdictional briefs in both Court litigation and arbitrations. Breakpoint has appeared before all levels of the Singapore Courts, and has advised in arbitrations under all major arbitration rules, including the HKIAC, LCIA, SCMA, SIAC, ICC, UNCITRAL, and ICSID arbitration rules.

The firm's Singapore Court work is spearheaded by Nicholas Poon, a former Justices' Law Clerk and Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court of Singapore. Darius Chan, also a former Justices' Law Clerk and Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court of Singapore, and KC Lye, former head of disputes at Norton Rose Fulbright Singapore, are responsible for the majority of the firm's arbitration mandates, including investor-state advisory and arbitrations. Darius and KC regularly sit as arbitrators as well. Kishan Pillay heads the firm's increasingly active infrastructure, building and construction practice, while Mathias Goh has been growing the firm's employment, human resource and FMCG practice. The firm's lawyers serve actively in professional committees, including the ICC, SIAC, Young ICCA, Singapore Academy of Law and Law Society of Singapore. Darius and Nicholas recently co-authored (together with a third author) the leading textbook on Singapore arbitration law.

Recent examples of the firm's notable mandates that can be mentioned include:

• Acting for investors in a claim for return of Bitcoin and cash totalling over USD22m in SIAC arbitration
• Acting for an Asian host state in a USD20m dispute relating to a long-term Power Purchase Agreement in an UNCITRAL arbitration
• Acting for a shareholder in a USD750m dispute arising from the breakup of joint venture of FMCG business in various countries in an SIAC arbitration
• Acting for a Singapore listed company's subsidiary in a joint venture dispute over the running of a power plant in a South East Asian country in Singapore Court proceedings and SIAC arbitration
• Acting for a European company to resist enforcement of an arbitral award granting the Claimant relief in excess of over USD85m in Singapore Court proceedings
• Acted for a leading crytocurrency platform in Singapore Court and SIAC arbitration proceedings in relation to ownership of USDT and involving South Korean criminal proceedings
• Acted for a Luxembourg-based commodities financing fund in Singapore Court proceedings
• Acting for promoters of major cryptocurrency trading group on civil claims ranging from fraudulent mis-selling to conspiracy, and related insolvency re-organisation proceedings
• Acting for a financial investment company and its management in proceedings brought by foreign investors over complex investment arrangements involving a Singapore-listed company. Dispute involved interim and freezing injunctions
• Acting for a US listed provider of marine dredging services in setting-aside proceedings to defend an ICC expedited arbitration award obtained against a Korean main contractor