Robert Carr Woods arrived in Singapore in 1845 and was the co-founder and first editor of The Straits Times. In 1849 he was admitted as a law agent in Singapore. He served as Attorney-General in 1870 and was appointed to the Bench as a Senior Puisne Judge in 1875.
James Guthrie Davidson arrived in Singapore in 1861 to join Robert Carr Woods’ legal practice. In addition to being a highly respected member of the Singapore Bar, he also served in the Government Service as Resident of Selangor and later of Perak.
The merger with HelenYeo & Partners on 1 November 2002 heralded a new chapter in the Rodyk & Davidson story, as it combined the oldest law firm in Singapore with one of the youngest successful law firms in Singapore. The merger is historic, as a merger of this size is unprecedented in the history of Singapore’s legal profession.
HelenYeo & Partners was recognised in Singapore for its regional practice, especially in transactions and investments in China and Indo-China. Its China practice was established in October 1996 with the grant of a licence and is headquartered in Shanghai.