Singaporean law firm Stamford Law Corporation has entered into an agreement with the largest law firm in the US, Morgan Lewis & Bockhuis, in what will be the first ever full integration between a Singaporean and a foreign law firm.
In an unprecedented move in the Singaporean legal market, Stamford Law’s directors will be admitted as partners in the single Morgan Lewis global partnership.
This will make Stamford Law the first Singaporean firm to achieve full internationalisation and deviates from the tie-up routes normally prevalent between a domestic and foreign firm in the city-state.
Traditionally, a foreign law practice can set up office in Singapore through either the Foreign Law Practice (FLP) or the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) routes.
As a result 28 other Morgan Lewis offices worldwide will be fully integrated into the combined practice, giving the new practice a unique position in the Asian legal market.
The combined practice will come into effect at the start of April under the name Morgan Lewis Stamford, where it will continue as a Singapore firm with legal work undertaken by Singapore lawyers.