Our Firm
Our Firm
A Legacy of Excellence Since 1918
Shook Lin & Bok is a premier law firm with a unique appreciation of the complex legal and regulatory challenges faced by enterprises in Singapore and across Asia. A hallmark of our success is the depth and breadth of our cross-border experience and relationships.
From its origins as the Singapore branch of a Malaysia-based firm in 1964, Shook Lin & Bok grew alongside Singapore’s post-independence prosperity to become one of the nation’s largest law firms. Today, the firm is a full-service practice comprising over 150 fee earners and delivering comprehensive legal solutions.
The values of professionalism, commitment, and innovation instilled by our founders continue to guide our lawyers today. With deep roots in Singapore and the region, Shook Lin & Bok has thrived through economic downturns, regional and global financial crises, and pandemics, reflecting resilience and adaptability.
Regional Roots, Global Impact
With over a century of expertise, Shook Lin & Bok stands as a premier law firm, serving banks, financial institutions, exchanges, regulatory bodies, listed and unlisted corporations in Singapore and across Asia, as well as multinational enterprises. Our longstanding client relationships, many of which have endured since our inception, showcase our dedication to excellence and our pragmatic, comprehensive approach to legal solutions, honed across generations.
Our deep regional roots provide a strategic advantage, empowering clients to expand across Asia from Singapore and beyond. Our diverse team of partners, associates, and foreign lawyers is qualified in multiple jurisdictions, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, India, and the People’s Republic of China. Fluent in English, Mandarin, Hindi, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and more, we deliver seamless, multilingual legal expertise.
Renowned as a go-to firm for inbound and outbound investments in Asia, we excel particularly in China and India, driving impactful solutions that support our clients’ global ambitions.
Client-Centric Excellence
We prioritise client success by delivering tailored, high-value legal solutions with unwavering dedication and precision. Our award-winning practices reflect our commitment to delivering prompt, effective and commercially driven advice. Clients have praised our “personal touch” and “exemplary work” (Chambers Asia Pacific), fostering enduring partnerships built on integrity, professionalism, and collaboration.
Our Mission
To deliver prompt and effective legal solutions of the highest quality and exceptional value to our clients. We strive to understand each client’s unique needs and offer pragmatic, innovative strategies that drive success in complex legal and business environments.
Our Values
We are committed to our clients, our people and the communities in which we work and live. We endeavour to uphold the highest standards of excellence by applying our guiding principles – integrity, commitment, professionalism, mutual respect and collaboration – in all that we do.
Our History
Founded in 1918 in Malaya (modern-day Malaysia), Shook Lin & Bok was established by two renowned practitioners Yong Shook Lin and Tan Teow Bok. The founders set high standards of professionalism, commitment and innovation, virtues which continue to shape the character of Shook Lin & Bok’s lawyers to this day.
Shook Lin & Bok has proudly shaped Singapore’s legal landscape since the 1980s to the 2010s, with several former partners appointed to the Supreme Court of Singapore. Our legacy includes distinguished appointments: L.P. Thean (1984), Chan Sek Keong (1988), Yong Pung How (1989), and Philip Pillai (2010). Notably, Yong Pung How and Chan Sek Keong were appointed Chief Justice in 1990 and 2006 respectively, further exemplifying this tradition.