Disputes and insolvency lawyer Danny Ong appointed sole senior counsel for 2026
He is the founder and managing director of Setia Law, a boutique Singapore law firm
[SINGAPORE] Disputes and insolvency lawyer Danny Ong was appointed senior counsel for 2026, the only one to receive the honour this year.
With his appointment, Singapore now has 101 senior counsel. This is the 29th year in which the title of senior counsel has been conferred to recognise Singapore’s leading advocates.
The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) made the appointment on Monday (Jan 12) in recognition of his contributions to the legal profession.
Said Ong on his appointment: “Having been the beneficiary of valuable lessons and opportunities, I hope to journey with the next generation in raising the already strong brand of the Singapore lawyer internationally.
“We must continue to demonstrate that Singapore lawyers are sophisticated and confident in tackling complex cross-border commercial and legal issues.”
He added that by embracing deep expertise and pushing into new legal frontiers, the profession can remain relevant and respected in a rapidly changing world.
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Each year, SAL’s Senior Counsel Selection Committee, chaired by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, appoints deserving advocates to the title. This confers such lawyers the right to use the “SC” title and precedence before the courts.
Those appointed as senior counsel must demonstrate outstanding ability, extensive knowledge of the law and the highest standards of professional integrity. They must also have made significant contributions to the development of the law, the legal community and society at large.
Ong is the founder and managing director of Setia Law, a boutique Singapore law firm focused on complex cross-border financial disputes, commercial fraud, international enforcement and corporate distress situations.
Before starting his firm, the 50-year-old lawyer spent 15 years at Big Four law firm Rajah & Tann, where he rose to partner in the dispute resolution practice and served on the executive committee.
Ong has been involved in several high-profile cases, including Lehman Brothers, MF Global Singapore, Dynamic Oil Trading and BSI Bank. He also successfully prosecuted the first cryptocurrency claim before the Singapore International Commercial Court.
He regularly acts for global private equity and private credit funds, international and regional banks, securities brokerages, and state-owned enterprises on high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional disputes and investigations.
His clients include leading financial institutions and investment funds such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and DBS.
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