Banking

Overview

Louise Tan heads the Corporate Banking and Finance Practice Group and has been named by Global Counsel 3000 as one of the leading experts in banking and finance in South and South East Asia. She was also named as Recommended Lawyers in the Singapore section of Global Counsel Web’s Leading Specialists in Corporate Real Estate: Which Lawyer? (previously known as PLC Global Counsel 3000).

In previous issues of The Asia Pacific Legal 500, Louise was described as a leading individual and as the “foremost finance expert”, and was mentioned to “lead a team acting for banks and borrowers on the range of banking work. REITs are a strong area, along with property and construction project financing”.

In Chambers Global “The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business”, Louise was cited as a lawyer who “always grasps the commercial requirements in any case immediately”. Under her leadership, the firm’s banking team “found favour with clients due to the fact that it sticks to unreasonable deadlines and works hard to keep clients happy”. The team was also described as “attentive to the client’s needs” and “crystal clear when offering advice”.

In Chambers Asia in its Guide to Asia’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Louise is named as a leading individual and “praised for her appreciation of which points are of commercial importance” and the team at Lee & Lee is “best known for its financing work within the real estate sphere…. particularly in connection with REIT financing. A long-established name in the Singapore market, the team has won some impressive mandates”.

The Chambers Asia-Pacific 2011 states that “This group is particularly noted for its ability to act on multifaceted issues, offering transactional advice and co-ordinating with counsel across several jurisdictions. It has an impressive client list which includes DBS Bank, United Overseas Bank, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. Sources say: “I’m very comfortable with Lee & Lee. It has a personal, human approach – even when handling the most complex issues.”

In the Asia Pacific Legal 500 2012, the firm’s Corporate Banking and Finance Group have been described to have a strong project financing capability, in conjunction with its joint law venture with Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee, maintains its strong presence in the PPP sector. Finance expert Louise Tan is recommended.

In the Asia Pacific Legal 500 2012, the firm’s banking and finance practice, led by Louise Tan, has been described as handling cross-border structured financings for foreign lenders and refinancing work for property developers.

The Chambers Asia-Pacific 2012 states that the team is “Well trained, knowledgeable and proactive; they can explain and push their clients’ points across without being overbearing.”

In Chambers Global 2021, Chambers Review highlighted, as a “Strength” of the Banking team, that “The firm is attentive in responding to issues” as stated by a client, who added that “Its ability to suggest solutions and alternatives to any deadlock in discussion is highly commendable as well.”

Our Work

The Banking and Finance team advises on the full spectrum of loan and other debt-related transactions including:

  • project, asset and asset-backed financing
  • financing relating to takeover offers
  • syndicated / club loans
  • cross border financing
  • risk and funded sub-participations
  • securitizations and sale of loans and receivables
  • security arrangements and documentation

Case Highlights

Local Matters

  1. Represented various lending syndicates in respect of the financing and refinancing of the Millenia Project for an aggregate loan quantum of approximately $2.3 billion.
  2. Acted for Goldman-Sachs in its obtaining of transferable loan facilities of an aggregate amount for its purchase of DBS Towers One and Two, and completing the transaction in 3 weeks. Also acted for Goldman-Sachs in the negotiation of the syndication loan agreement for the syndication of the transferable loan.
  3. Acted for the Lenders, Arranger, Agent and Security Agent in respect of a term loan and a revolving credit facility of up to $290m to CDL Hospitality REIT for the purchase of the first 4 properties to be owned by the REIT.
  4. Advised a subsidiary of Wing Tai Holdings Limited to finance its development of a residential-cum-commercial project at the former Cockpit Hotel site.
  5. Advised a subsidiary of Wing Tai Holdings Limited in respect of the financing of its project Kovan Melody.
  6. Acted for a subsidiary of United Engineers in respect of the financing of its project at One-North to develop an integrated site comprising a business hotel, residential blocks and commercial facilities.
  7. Advised a subsidiary of Wing Tai Holdings Limited in respect of the financing of Draycott 8.
  8. Acted for a subsidiary of Wheelock Properties in respect of its financing of a project along Ardmore Park.
  9. Acted for a borrower with respect to land and construction loan facilities of an aggregate amount of $166.72m to be used to finance the land cost and the construction cost of a residential and office development.
  10. Advised on the financing of Temasek Holdings’ $710m hostile bid for United Overseas Bank’s property arm.
  11. Represented a major telecommunications company in Singapore in its financing of aggregate amount $650m.
  12. Represented the Lenders in respect of a $600m financing to one of Asia-Pacific’s leading energy utility companies.
  13. Acted for a listed borrower with respect to the documentation of an unsecured term loan facility of an aggregate amount of $180m to refinance its existing short term bank borrowings and for general corporate funding.
  14. Acted for a borrower with respect to the documentation of revised loan facility of an aggregate amount of $163m granted by several banks and secured by debentures made in favour of each bank, a mortgage, a postponement of mortgage and a pari passu deed.

Cross Border Financing

  1. Advised the Bank of Scotland in the amendment of senior and mezzanine facility agreements to increase their respective amounts and represented the Lenders in the taking of various local law securities in relation to the acquisition of the Singapore entity in a global group of companies. Acted for a Singaporean borrower in a Japanese syndicated loan and advised the foreign lenders on the capacity of the Singapore borrower.
  2. Acted for the Citicorp USA, Inc. led syndicate of lenders in the Singapore chapter of their financing to Exide Technologies, involving the Exide group of companies.
  3. Representing a foreign lender in the taking of various local law securities in relation to a multi-tranche credit facility agreement to a global group of companies.
  4. Advised on the enforceability of a US$150m dollar loan agreement with an offshore bank in Singapore.

Others

  1. Acted for NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative Limited in respect of their capital guaranteed insurance-linked product, the Dynamic Guaranteed Fund.
  2. Advised Standard Chartered Bank on the provision of Identrus services (involving an electronic network for business-to-business e-commerce) in Singapore.
  3. Acted for the Singapore branch of a foreign bank in its setting up of a programme involving debt purchase financing and preparing the relevant standard forms.

Contact Partners

For further information, please contact:
Louise Tan