Our Team

Margaret Neo

Managing Partner

Margaret Neo was called to the Singapore Bar in 2001 and has 17 years of legal experience. Before embarking on real estate, Margaret had several years of experience in banking litigation and general litigation. Margaret’s experience in real estate includes the sale and purchase and refinancing of HDB property, private property and commercial property. She has assisted in en bloc process. She is a facilitator for the module on “Real Estate Practice” which is a compulsory subject in the preparatory course leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar examinations.

Ng Bee Hoon

Senior Partner

Bee Hoon was admitted as a Barrister-At-Law to the Bar of England and Wales and as an Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore. She has 26 years of legal practice with a focus on Conveyancing and has been advising clients on all aspects of property transactions including sale and purchase, mortgage, refinancing for both private and public housing, as well as industrial and commercial properties. She acts for financial institutions as well as in security documentation. She also does general solicitor's work.

Sankaran Karthikeyan

Senior Partner

Sankaran Karthikeyan has been in legal practice for over 3 decades and has a multi-faceted practice. He has a Business Administration Degree from the University of Singapore, Articles of Clerkship in Law from the Board of Legal Education, National University of Singapore and a Master of Laws Degree from the University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia. He is an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore, a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and a Nationally Accredited Mediator in Australia. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in U.K. and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Singapore. He is also a Senior Associate of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance & Finance, a Commissioner for Oaths and a Notary Public in Singapore. Karthi was Chairman of the International Race Jury, World Formula 1 Powerboat Grand Prix, Singapore Venue in 1992 and presided over disputes brought at the conclusion of the race. His areas of practice encompass Civil and Commercial Litigation including Contract, Negligence, Fraud and Conspiracy, Libel and Slander, Trespass and Assault, Company Law and Insolvency, Winding Up and Removal of Liquidator, Building and Construction Law, Insurance Law, Family Law, Sports Law, Landlord and Tenant, Accident & Personal Injuries, Wills, Trusts, Probate and Administration of Estates, Employment Law, Workers’ Compensation Claims and Criminal Law. Some of Karthi’s cases of interest, as reported in the Singapore Law Reports and LawNet Law Reports, are briefly described below. In Jeffrey Henry Yap v Seow Timothy and Others (2006) SGHC 6, Karthi acted for the plaintiff against the directors of the company for fraudulently conspiring to defraud the plaintiff of his fees of S$620,000 by authorizing the company to consent to judgment and thereafter placing the company under voluntary liquidation. This suit was initiated to lift the corporate veil and make the directors personally liable for the debts of the company. The High Court found the directors personally liable for the company’s debts and the judgment was confirmed by the Court of Appeal and the plaintiff recovered his unpaid fees. In Jeffrey Henry Yap & Another vs Don Ho Mun-Tuke O.S. No. 1723 of 2005 (2006) SGHC 106, Karthi acted for the plaintiff to replace the liquidator when there was no reasonable progress and the liquidator proposed to dissolve the company and have its books and records destroyed within three months. The liquidator was prevented from destroying the books and records and a new liquidator was appointed who then recovered over S$1 million for the Plaintiff from the directors of the company. In Chenet Finance Ltd vs Lim Poh Yen and others (2012) SGHC 158, Karthi acted for the third defendant company to successfully defend a claim alleging, inter alia, an unlawful act conspiracy to cheat the Plaintiff of the shares it owned. In Boonchai Sompolpang vs Low Tuck Kwong (2010) SGHC 266, Karthi acted for the plaintiff to successfully claim unpaid architect’s professional fees of S$962,000.00 based upon an oral contract where the terms were not agreed and disputed by the defendant. In Wang Sam Lin v Burridge Steven Harold (2009) SGHC 252, the plaintiff, a horse owner, claimed against the defendant, a horse trainer, alleging, inter alia, that, by treating the horse for an injury, he prevented the horse from being entered in a race worth S$1.35 million. The plaintiff claimed damages characterized as the loss of a chance to win the prize money of S$1.35 million. Karthi successfully defended the claim and the plaintiff was ordered to pay the costs of the action.

Gerald Khor

Partner

Having been in private practice for 27 years, Gerald’s multi-disciplined career spans from commercial litigation and shipping, general corporate and family as well as corporate finance and initial public offers in a big firm. Gerald was also counsel for an infrastructural company advising on transborder local contracts and fund raising as well as a capital investment company, but the rapid growth in the property market over past decade has prompted him to focus more on conveyancing, conducing residential and commercial matters for private and corporate clients.

Haryadi Hadi

Partner

Haryadi Hadi graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2006 and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2008 as an Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore. He is a partner of Pertinent Law LLP and has been with Pertinent Law LLP since 2022. He specialises in real estate conveyancing and he has vast experience in retail property transactions (buying/selling/finance/refinancing of residential HDB/private, commercial, industrial properties for both corporate and individual clients) including but not limited to clients of units under development, completed property, purchase under trust arrangement, decoupling (sale/gift), Sentosa bungalows/villas, GCB, JTC properties, HDB shophouses, unlicensed developers and foreign companies e.g. BVI, Cayman Islands, HK, Indonesia. He also has experience handling collective sale and developer’s work. He has also acted for CPF Board as well as most of the local and foreign banks in Singapore. Haryadi also advises on preparing, drafting and advising on the terms of tenancy agreements and advising clients on the resolution of tenancy-related disputes. Haryadi speaks English and Bahasa Indonesia. He is also a proficient speaker in real estate conveyancing and has conducted numerous talks to real estate agencies and other stakeholders.

Lois Lai

Senior Legal Associate

Diana Chin

Legal Consultant

Diana was called to the bar in London in year 2001 and later to the Singapore Bar in year 2003. Diana’s practice experience has been in General Litigation with Family Law as her main interest and focus. Her experience extents to contested and uncontested family court proceedings, civil litigation claims in contracts, debt collection, personal injuries, bankruptcy and also defamation proceedings. Other than litigation, Diana has extensive drafting experience in Wills and Trust, Tenancy Agreements, employment contracts and general commercial contracts. Diana has also been invited by various insurance companies and banks to give talks on estate planning related topics.

Lorraine Seet

Senior Legal Associate

Lorraine graduated from the National University of Singapore (Honours) in 2003 and was admitted to the roll of Advocates and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2004. Lorraine was from a mid-sized law practice, where she was tasked with the responsibility of setting up the firm’s HDB property law branch office, and managing & overseeing HDB matters at the Toa Payoh Branch Office. Lorraine adopts a hands-on approach to handling her HDB files, which includes purchase, sale, refinancing and redemption of both resale and BTO flats. She is also experienced in matrimonial part-share transfers, as well as recess area matters. Lorraine joined Pertinent Law in 2018, bringing to the table her experience and sharp mind in the areas of property and banking.