Sreenivasan Narayanan SC

Appellate Litigation

Commercial Disputes

Insolvency

White Collar Defence and Investigations

Financial Institutions and Services Litigation

International Arbitration

Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption

Professional Liability

Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

Securities Enforcement / Financial Regulatory Enforcement

One of Singapore’s leading Senior Counsel, Sreeni has 40 years of experience in practically every area of dispute resolution. This experience, along with a strong appreciation for the practical and a quick understanding of any technical or subject matter knowledge, has enabled Sreeni to understand and give effect to desired and realistic client outcomes, and to formulate strategies to achieve those outcomes.

Sreeni started his working life in 1985 as a Legal Service Officer in the Singapore Legal Service, having been given the opportunity to obtain his LLB (Hons) degree from the National University of Singapore on a Public Service Commission scholarship. Entering private practice in 1990, he has practiced extensively across various fields that include commercial litigation, civil litigation, international arbitration, restructuring and reorganization, criminal and regulatory matters.

Sreeni was a founder and Managing Director of Straits Law Practice LLC, before its merger with K&L Gates LLP in 2019, where he was Managing Director. Sreeni was appointed as Senior Counsel by the Chief Justice in 2013. He is a fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of the UK and the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators.

Through his roles on the board of listed companies, including as Chairman of a mid-cap mainboard listed health group, and with his in-depth experience as a disputes lawyer, Sreeni has acquired significant knowledge and experience in corporate governance, SGX and SIC compliance issues, acquisitions and divestments, recruitment and remuneration of senior management and dealing with the inevitable problems that listed companies face from time to time.

Sreeni has contributed extensively on charitable boards. In these organisations, he contributed extensively not only in terms of programmes and hands on work but also in terms of compliance, audit supervision and human resource issues. Sreeni has been awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the Singapore Red Cross and the Public Service Medal (PBM).

Sreeni is active as a pro bono volunteer lawyer since 1990 and as an advocacy trainer for lawyers at all levels since 1993, both in Singapore and elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Training and mentoring have been pillars of Sreeni’s professional life.

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)

Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators

Co-author, the Singapore chapter of "Financial Crime 2026", Chambers & Partners.

Co-author, "The rise of Hospitality Disputes", Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review 2023 and 2024.

Authored chapter on "Selected Aspects of Criminal Advocacy" in Modern Advocacy: More Perspectives from Singapore (Academy Publishing), 2019.

Business Crime Q&A’s, Singapore Financial & Business Crime Global Guide 2018/2019.

Chapter on Presentation of Factual Evidence at Trial, Law and Practice of Commercial Litigation in Singapore (Sweet & Maxwell), 2015.

Litigation

● Acted for the judicial managers of Ocean Tankers (Hin Leong Pte Ltd) in insolvency, recovery of sums transferred to directors, contested disclaimer applications, and contentious restructuring and insolvency matters.

● Acted in the first Singapore case recognising US Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 proceedings under the new transnational insolvency regime.

● Acting in a market manipulation case involving three main board listed counters with peak market capitalisation over S$8 billion; the longest criminal trial in Singapore (over 200 hearing days).

Arbitration

● Acted in a US$560 million arbitration matter involving an international shareholders' agreement, buyout clause triggers, and complex valuation issues.

● Instructed as counsel in the Court of Appeal for a large Singapore-seated arbitration involving allegations of fraud in an Indian pharmaceutical conglomerate.

Internal Investigations and “Dawn Raids”

● Advised multinational enterprises on employee misconduct and employer liability.

● Conducted internal investigations on trade secrets, confidential information, and breaches of fidelity and non-compete clauses.

● Advised on cross-border investigations and actions during "dawn raids" and civil search orders.

● Sreenivasan Chambers LLC, Founder & Managing Director, since Aug 2024

● K&L Gates Straits Law LLP, Managing Partner, 2019 - 2024

● Straits Law Practice LLC, Founder & Managing Director, 2001 to 2019

● Derrick Ravi Partnership, Partner, 1990 - 2001

● Singapore Legal Service, Legal Service Officer, 1985 - 1990

National University of Singapore

LLB (Honours)

1985

Outstanding Service Award

Singapore Red Cross

2015

Public Service Medal (PBM)

Government of the Republic of Singapore

2014

English