Milestones

The Beginning

In Singapore's bustling central business district, A&G is established at 22A Raffles Place by Rowland Allen and John Joseph Gledhill.

Singapore Born

David Marshall, our first Singapore-born member, joins A&G. One of our distinguished alumni, David Marshall was later elected Singapore’s first Chief Minister.

Asian First

M. Karthigesu, our first Asian member, joins A&G. One of our distinguished alumni, Karthigesu later became a judge of the Singapore Court of Appeal.

Commitment to Leadership

Robert Kilgour Booker becomes Senior Partner of A&G. Bob Booker had been made a Partner of A&G, and also became a Singapore citizen, in 1958. He continued to lead A&G for quarter of a century, retiring as Senior Partner in 1985.

First Female

Local graduate, Rosalind Ratnam, joins A&G. Rose, as she was known, later became the first female Partner of A&G.

Singaporean Leadership Team

For the first time, A&G has a full Singaporean leadership team. The leadership team includes Goh Heng Leong, Michael Hwang SC, CJ Chen, Vemala Rajamanickam and KS Lo.

Civic Leadership

K. Shanmugam, one of our distinguished alumni, joins A&G. At our Firm, Shanmugam proved himself as one of the top litigators in Singapore and was one of the youngest Senior Counsels  appointed to the Supreme Court at the age of 38. After leaving A&G, Shanmugam became Singapore’s third Minister for Law since its independence in 1965. In 2015, Shanmugam was also appointed Minister for Home Affairs. 

Serving the People

Edwin Tong joins A&G and would go on to become one of the top litigators in Singapore, and appointed a Senior Counsel. After leaving A&G in 2018, Edwin was subsequently appointed the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and the Second Minister for Law.

Leadership with Distinction

Lucien Wong is named Managing Partner of A&G. One of our distinguished alumni, Lucien Wong was later appointed Singapore's ninth Attorney-General.

Upholding the Standards of the Law

Ang Cheng Hock joins A&G and would be made a Partner of the Firm in 2000. In 2009, he became one of the youngest lawyers appointed as Senior Counsel by the Supreme Court at the age of 38. 

In 2018, Cheng Hock was appointed Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Singapore, and was subsequently elevated to the position of High Court Judge in 2019. 

Singapore Law Firm of the Year

A&G is named International Financial Law Review (IFLR) Singapore Law Firm of the Year for the first time. In subsequent years, A&G has proceeded to win this award a record number of times.

Celebrating 100 Years

A&G celebrates 100 years of dedication to the law with a year-long programme of special activities and festivities.

A New Home

A&G moves to its current office space at One Marina Boulevard. OMB, as it is known, is located in the prestigious Marina Bay district overlooking Singapore’s finest sights.

Giving Back

A&G launches our Pro Bono Programme which remains a top priority. A dedicated pro bono practice helmed full-time, our Pro Bono Programme is a key pillar of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives which include charitable giving, thought leadership and community engagement.

South-east Asian Expansion: Malaysia

Rahmat Lim & Partners is established as an associate firm of A&G in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Starting with 14 lawyers, Rahmat Lim & Partners presently comprises around 90 lawyers.

Chambers Recognition

A&G is named Chambers Asia-Pacific Singapore (Domestic) Law Firm of the Year for the first time. In subsequent years, A&G has proceeded to win this award several more times. The Chambers Asia-Pacific Awards honour the work of law firms based on research carried out for the prestigious Chambers Asia-Pacific guide, a leading legal directory.

Chairing Leadership

Lucien Wong, later to become Singapore's ninth Attorney-General, is named Chairman and Senior Partner of A&G.

Management Renewal

Lee Kim Shin is appointed Managing Partner of A&G from August 2012 – 2013. He was later appointed a Judicial Commissioner of the Singapore High Court in 2014, before reassuming the role of Managing Partner in 2015.

Rewarding Scholarship

As A&G celebrates 110 years of dedication to the law, the Allen & Gledhill Scholarship is launched at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore (NUS).

Regional Achievement

A&G is named International Financial Law Review (IFLR) Regional Law Firm of the Year for the first time. In subsequent years, A&G has proceeded to win this award several more times.

Regional Reach: Myanmar

A regional office is established in Yangon, Myanmar, expanding A&G’s reach in the South-east Asian region. Starting with two lawyers, A&G Myanmar presently comprises around 30 lawyers.

Renewing Leadership

Christina Ong and Penny Goh are appointed Co-Chairmen and Senior Partners of A&G, with Lee Kim Shin as Managing Partner and Jerry Koh as Deputy Managing Partner. 

Regional Recognition

Following its establishment in 2014, A&G's regional office in Myanmar wins the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) Most Innovative National Firm of the Year (Myanmar) for the first time.

Leadership Applauded

A&G achieves a notable sweep of major awards in Hong Kong, London and Singapore, including International Financial Law Review (IFLR) Regional Law Firm of the Year and Most Innovative National Law Firm of the Year (Singapore), Chambers Asia-Pacific Singapore (Domestic) Law Firm of the Year, Who's Who Legal Singapore Firm of the Year and Asian Legal Business (ALB) SE Asia Law Firm of the Year.

Capping Off a Legacy of Leadership

Penny Goh retires from Partnership, capping off a 42 year career at A&G, and Christina Ong is appointed the sole Chairman of A&G. During her time with A&G, Penny advised on many of the buildings that frame the Singapore Skyline, and was part of the team instrumental in the launch of the first listed REIT in Singapore. After her retirement, Penny took on the role of Senior Adviser in A&G.

Leading into the Future

Jerry Koh is appointed Joint Managing Partner with Lee Kim Shin, and would later assume the role of sole Managing Partner in 2021. Jerry’s leadership would play a pivotal role in A&G’s regional expansion and growth, where he would champion several key initiatives to address future market trends, with a focus on Innovation, Technology and Sustainability.

Reaching Further: Vietnam

A&G establishes a regional office in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. A&G (Vietnam) begins operations at Saigon Centre.

Responding to Market Trends

Recognising the impact of global forces in the market, A&G proactively launches its Cybersecurity & Data Protection Practice; Private Wealth Practice; Employment, Health & Safety Practice; and ESG & Public Policy Practice. 

Focus on Sustainability

A&G becomes the first law firm in South-east Asia to be admitted to the United Nations Global Compact on Sustainability.

Celebrating 120 years - Into the Future, Excellence at our Core

A&G Celebrates its 120 year anniversary with a series of specially curated events aimed at giving back to the community, and ensuring a sustainable future for all. 

Investing in the future of legal education

As part of its 120th Anniversary Celebrations, A&G pledged to donate a total of $1 million to the Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Yong Pung How School of Law of the Singapore Management University (SMU). The donation highlights the Firm's continued commitment to nurturing the next generation of legal minds.

Making an impact through A&G in the Community

A&G announced its "A&G in the Community" initiative, as part of its continuing desire to build a culture throughout the firm of giving back to society. As part of the initiative, every lawyer in A&G has pledged to do at least 24 hours of pro bono work or, in the wider sense, community service, a year. 

A platform, which includes a resource centre was also launched to further coordinate the Firm's efforts in this area.