THE ENTERPRISE FUND III LTD & Anor v CNPLAW LLP

[2023] SGHC 345 High Court (General Division) 7 December 2023 HC/S 355/2021

2 cases cited

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	7 December 2023
Judge	Choo Han Teck
Charges / claim	Tort
Counsel	David Lim & Partners LLP, K&L Gates Straits Law LLC, Allister Tan, Ang Mei-Ling Valerie Freda, Joelle Tan, Lim Wei Liang Jason, Narayanan Sreenivasan, Ng Wei Jin, Richard Yeoh Kar Hoe, Siraj Omar, Tan Kai Ning Claire

Source: [2023] SGHC 345, High Court (General Division), decided 7 December 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Tort – Negligence – Breach of duty – Lawyers

Practice Areas

Tort

Judges (1)

Choo Han Teck Delivered

Counsel (11)

David Lim & Partners LLP Firm K&L Gates Straits Law LLC Firm

Allister Tan Counsel for the plaintiff

Ang Mei-Ling Valerie Freda Counsel for the defendant

Joelle Tan Counsel for the plaintiff Lim Wei Liang Jason Counsel for the defendant Narayanan Sreenivasan Counsel for the defendant Ng Wei Jin Counsel for the plaintiff

Richard Yeoh Kar Hoe Counsel for the plaintiff

Siraj Omar Counsel for the plaintiff Tan Kai Ning Claire Counsel for the defendant

Parties (3)

CNPLaw LLP (formerly known as Colin Ng & Partnership) Defendant

The Enterprise Fund III Ltd Plaintiff Value Monetization III Ltd Plaintiff

Case Significance

The Enterprise Fund III Ltd and another v CNPLaw LLP [2023] SGHC 345 was a decision of the General Division of the High Court by Choo Han Teck J in Suit No 355 of 2021, heard on 24 to 26 October and 24 November 2023 with judgment reserved and delivered on 7 December 2023. The plaintiffs, Singapore-incorporated fund The Enterprise Fund III Ltd and BVI-incorporated Value Monetization III Ltd, were investment funds managed by Crest Capital Asia Fund Management Pte Ltd that brought a negligence claim against CNPLaw LLP, formerly Colin Ng & Partnership, their lawyers since 2008. The judgment concerned an alleged breach of a lawyer's duty of care to the lender-clients.

Summary

Two investment funds, The Enterprise Fund III Ltd and Value Monetization III Ltd, sued their former lawyers CNPLaw LLP in negligence over a loan facility agreement executed in 2015 with a borrower, after the funds suffered losses. The dispute centred on whether the law firm breached a duty of care in advising on and drafting the facility. Choo Han Teck J held the firm's duty ended when its work was completed in August 2015, found the negligence claim not made out, and dismissed the plaintiffs' claim.

What was The Enterprise Fund III Ltd v CNPLaw LLP [2023] SGHC 345 about?

It was a professional negligence claim in the General Division of the High Court by investment funds The Enterprise Fund III Ltd and Value Monetization III Ltd against their long-standing lawyers CNPLaw LLP, decided by Choo Han Teck J on 7 December 2023.

Who were the parties in the CNPLaw LLP negligence case in 2023 ([2023] SGHC 345)?

The plaintiffs were Singapore fund The Enterprise Fund III Ltd and BVI fund Value Monetization III Ltd, both managed by Crest Capital Asia Fund Management Pte Ltd. The defendant was CNPLaw LLP, formerly Colin Ng & Partnership, their lawyers since 2008.