SINGAPORE (October 16, 2023) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has added Soowon Hong, Betty Lee and Shiau Sang Tee as Of Counsel in its APAC Regional Office located in Singapore. With their arrival, Littler greatly expands the existing geographic and subject-matter capabilities of its Singapore office from which it services clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
“Since its launch in late 2019, our APAC Regional Office in Singapore has quickly grown into a key facet of Littler’s global platform – helping to fulfill our vision of providing comprehensive labor and employment law services to multinational companies operating in jurisdictions around the world,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president. “Adding Soowon, Betty and Shiau Sang to our talented roster of attorneys in the APAC region marks an exciting new chapter for the firm in Asia-Pacific and beyond.”
About the Lawyers:
Soowon Hong brings more than 15 years of experience advising large multinational companies on Korean employment and labor law matters. She provides counsel on a wide range of issues arising in the workplace, including hiring, performance management and termination of employees; policies, handbooks and employment contracts; and employment law aspects of restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactions. Hong also manages internal investigations and represents clients in investigations by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Prior to joining Littler, she was managing partner at Hwang Hong & Co., a labor and employment law boutique that she co-founded. Hong received her B.BA from Seoul National University and received her LL.M. from Cambridge University. She is licensed to practice in Korea and is fluent in Korean and English.
Betty Lee has more than a decade of experience advising multinational companies on employment law issues in Hong Kong and the APAC region. Lee’s practice includes advising on both day-to-day and strategic employment matters, including talent acquisition, classification of workers, termination processes, compensation and benefits issues, restrictive covenants and workplace training. She also guides employers on multijurisdictional workplace compliance, manages internal and regulatory investigations, resolves employment disputes and litigation, and advises on the employment aspects of corporate expansions and restructurings. Lee, who was previously an attorney in the Hong Kong employment practice at Howse Williams, is licensed to practice in Hong Kong and fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. She received her LL.B from the London School of Economics and Political Science and her LL.M. and PCLL from the University of Hong Kong.
Shiau Sang Tee advises multinational corporations across the Asia-Pacific region on a wide range of employment law matters, including benefits and entitlements, termination of employment, discrimination and harassment, restrictive covenants, investigations, employee mobility, and employment issues in business restructurings. She has also represented clients at tribunals and courts in litigation matters involving unfair and unlawful dismissal claims, injunction applications and directors’ disputes. Tee previously served as Employment Counsel for North Asia at a leading global technology company, where she led a number of high-profile litigations involving gig workers. She received her first class law degree from Cardiff University; is qualified to practice in Malaysia, Hong Kong, England and Wales; and is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
“As more and more companies maintain and expand their operations in the APAC region, our clients need guidance that is informed by not just legal but also cultural considerations,” said shareholder Trent Sutton, who leads Littler’s APAC Regional Office. “We’re thrilled to add Soowon, Betty and Shiau Sang’s in-depth knowledge of the law, language and culture in their respective regions to our team as we continue to expand our client service offerings.”
In addition to Sutton and the new arrivals, Littler’s internal capabilities in the APAC region include Of Counsel Nancy Zhang, who is qualified to practice in China; shareholder Naomi Seddon, who is admitted to practice in Australia and New Zealand; shareholder Aki Tanaka, who is licensed in Japan; Of Counsel Isha Malhotra, who is licensed to practice in India; and Singapore-based Of Counsel Thelma Akpan, a US-licensed attorney.*
“Our experience advising on numerous matters involving countries across Asia-Pacific has provided us with in-depth knowledge of the APAC region, the business cultures and the companies and institutions that operate locally,” said Stephan Swinkels, a Littler shareholder who co-leads the development and integration of the firm’s global practice. “The arrival of Shiau Sang, Betty and Soowon only further strengthens our position and the breadth of our relationships in the region.”
The new additions come on the heels of Littler's inaugural APAC Regional Employer Conference, which took place on September 28 in Singapore. At the conference, the firm’s attorneys practicing in the APAC region discussed key developments in labor and employment law and emerging trends impacting Asia-Pacific workplaces.
Littler’s international operations span four continents – North America, South America, Asia and Europe – and 28 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Brazil (via a correspondent counsel relationship), Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States (including Puerto Rico), and Venezuela. The firm’s global capabilities also include lawyers with exceptional international experience, including practitioners dually licensed in the U.S. and Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa.
* The lawyers listed are not licensed to practice law in Singapore or appear in local courts. Littler partners with local firms to service clients on matters related to Singapore law.
About Littler
With more than 1,800 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.
