Hariz specialises in corporate-commercial disputes involving asset tracing and recovery, breach of trust and oppression issues. He has represented clients from SMEs to financial institutions, and HNWIs. He is regularly involved in interlocutory proceedings before the Singapore High Court including worldwide freezing injunctions, proprietary injunctions, bankers trust orders and pre-action disclosure orders where he has acted for both claimants and defendants alike.

His above experience puts him in good stead when dealing with contentious insolvency situations where he has acted for distressed companies/ individuals, insolvency practitioners and creditors alike in matters such as fraud litigation, asset recovery and contentious restructuring.

Hariz’s main area of practice are in commercial and insolvency disputes.

Corporate and Commercial: Hariz has been involved in contractual claims relating to straightforward breaches to misrepresentation, conspiracy and fraud claims, shareholders-director disputes and asset recovery matters. He is regularly instructed by both SMEs, MNCs and financial institutions.

Insolvency: Hariz acts for insolvency practitioners, debtor companies / individuals and creditors regularly advising on both restructuring options and maximising recovery on debts.

Some notable matters in which he has been involved in:

• Acted for a judicial manager-liquidator of a prominent Singaporean bunkering company relating to the effect of admiralty claims by foreign banks and the duties of a judicial manager relating to the sale proceeds of affected vessels of the insolvent companies amounting to USD 16 million: Natixis, Singapore Branch v Seshadri Rajagopalan and others and other matters [2024] SGHC 113
• Acted for a foreign bank in winding up proceedings against a Singapore listed company and the latter’s application for a scheme of arrangement (which was reported in The Straits Times)
• Acted for a former director of a company in liquidation to defend a claim for return of the investment sum of the former shareholder on the basis that a convertible loan was entered into instead and for total failure of consideration: Lim Chee Seng v Phang Yew Kiat [2024] SGHC 100 (appeal), [2023] SGDC 218 (trial)
• Acted for landlord against for non-rental payment and the tenant relied on provisions in the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 and Distress Act as a defence: Na Bon Tiam v Ark Engineering & Offshore Pte Ltd [2024] SGMC 12
• Acted a Marshall Island company to resist a security for costs application in its claim for conversion of marine equipment and the defendants have a related counterclaim for breach of contractual representations to ownership of the equipment: Cova Group Holdings 𝘓𝘵𝘥 𝘷 Advanced Submarine Networks Pte Ltd 𝘢𝘯𝘥 Anor [2023] SGHC 178
• Acted for two car dealers in a claim for breach of a car sales agreement and a third party claim against a finance company for indemnity arising from the latter’s failure to release the vehicle from hire purchase: Auto Lease (Pte) Ltd v San Hup Bee Motor LLP and others [2023] SGHC 141
• Represented a de facto director-shareholder in successfully claiming for the return of shares from the defendant nominee, account on wilful default basis and damages for breach of fiduciary duties: Daniel Fernandez v Edith Woi [2021] 5 SLR 712
• Represented a defendant shareholder in resisting a claim by his alternate director for fees payable under a service contract: Ameet Nalin Parikh v Ishan Anoop Sakraney [2021] SGHC 56
• Represented a creditor in resisting an application to stay a winding up order against a Singapore company: GVR Global Pte Ltd v Wayne Burt Pte Ltd & Anor [2020] SGHC 87
• Representing director-shareholders of a family-run company in resisting a High Court suit brought by a family member for shares in the said company allegedly held on trust: Choo Ah Sam @ Chu Ah Lan v Kieu Ka Tong & Anor [2020] SGHC 62
• Represented a Malaysian company in successfully lifting a case management stay initially granted in favour of the Defendants: Rex International Holding Ltd and another v Gulf Hibiscus Ltd [2019] 2 SLR 682
• Represented a well-known Singaporean food court operator in successfully striking out a claim for misrepresentation by a former tenant: Wen Wen Food Trading v Food Republic Pte Ltd [2019] SGHC 60
• Acted for a director of a Singapore company in proceedings in the High Court to restore the said company, which had been previously struck off the company register: Re Asia Petan Organisation Pte Ltd [2018] 3 SLR 435. This is the leading case in Singapore on the applicable test for restoring a company which has been struck off.
• Represented a sole proprietor in resisting committal proceedings and a mareva injunction by a judgment creditor: Tahir v Tay Kar Oon [2016] 3 SLR 296
• Represented 3 Thai nationals, who were alleged to be part of a syndicate, which had cheated a local casino amounting to approximately S$1.3 million, in a criminal trial: Public Prosecutor v Apinyowichian Yongyut and Anor [2016] SGDC 24

Aside from the above reported cases, Hariz often advises on employment related disputes, assists corporations to conduct internal investigations as well as represented overseas financial institutions in enforcement proceedings in Singapore. He has also acted for insolvency practitioners in civil claims against former directors and obtaining private examination orders against former directors and employees.

Hariz is a member of the Law Society of Singapore Sports Committee since 2018 and co-convenor of the Law Society’s handball team. He is also a member of a School Advisory Committee for a local secondary school since 2019.

Hariz also regularly mentors law students and gives legal talks for members’ clubs and private companies.