This past year has been a challenging one globally and Singapore was not spared. Due to foresight and prudent management, Rodyk performed very well. We are in an excellent position to serve our clients as they prepare to seize the opportunities presented by the increasingly positive economic forecast.

Rodyk and a good number of partners continue to be recognised in several legal industry publications including Chambers Global, Chambers Asia and AP Legal 500 where we were acknowledged for providing a "good mix of legal expertise, business sense and negotiation tactics" and "commercial perspective and extensive legal knowledge". Rodyk had an excellent showing in the Asian Legal Business SE Asia Law Awards 2009 with wins in both the Singapore Deal of the Year and SE Asia Deal of the Year categories. In addition, Rodyk was recognised as a "best local counsel for mega-M&A" for Singapore by ALB. We are also honoured to have been recognised by ALB as an Employer of Choice 2009 and, for a second consecutive year, as one of Singapore's leading IP firms. The firm's drive to be at the forefront in the use of technology for greater efficiency continues to be recognised and Rodyk was a 2009 winner at the Aderant Annual Asia Pacific Conference in Sydney.

Rodyk was privileged to have handled some very exciting deals and cases this year. We were appointed project counsel to the OpenNet consortium which clinched the hotly contested bid to design, build and operate the passive infrastructure for the New Generation National Broadband Network, a project expected to cost more than S$2 billion. We act for Japan Land Limited, an SGX-listed entity, in the construction of Jurong Data Centre in a deal involving our corporate, finance, construction and real estate practices and valued at about S$213 million. During the downturn in the real estate sector, we continued to handle large deals such as the sale of The Parisian site at Angullia Park by OUE and Katong Mall by Tuan Sing, which count for two of the larger investment sale transactions in Singapore this year. Our property development project team was kept extremely busy by the many property launches which included Caspian (by Frasers), Double Bay (UOL/Kheng Leong), Parc Lumiere (Sim Lian), Optima (TID), Interlace (CapitaLand), Centro (Far East Organization) and Parvis (MCL/Ho Bee).

Our litigators handled landmark cases including the first case involving the contravention of section 197(1) of the Securities and Futures Act, in a civil case brought by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Our litigators also worked with our real estate practice group and were successful in a landmark case involving the right of access at the Court of Appeal level. We also successfully recovered possession for OUE on a judgment by admission in a much publicised case of illegal use by OUE's tenant at Grangeford apartments. Our insolvency team had a busy year. The significant cases they handled included acting for creditor banks in the judicial management of SGX listed Jurong Technologies Industrial Corpn Ltd and also acting for more than 20 creditor banks in the restructuring (scheme of arrangement) of SGX listed TT International (still ongoing). Together with our finance team, our litigators advised the financial institutions that had distributed the Lehman Minibonds when the MAS investigated the customers' complaints and the consequent regulatory issues. In a David vs Goliath type of case, our litigators also worked with our IP practice to secure, on behalf of a local SME, a rare High Court order to revoke a patent that had been registered by an international conglomerate.

With the worst of the financial crisis behind us, we have much to be thankful for and we look forward to being of continued service to our valued clients. On behalf of everyone at Rodyk, I take the opportunity to thank you all for your support and trust.

We wish you and your families a Blessed Christmas, a Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2010, good health and good cheer always.

Helen YEO
Managing Partner