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LLB (Hons), London.
Queen Mary College,
London University.
Barrister-at-Law, Middle Temple
Advocate & Solicitor, Singapore
Commissioner for Oaths
Notary Public
Practice Areas
- Commercial
- Shipping litigation
- Ship financing
- Project financing
- Insolvency Law
- Insurance Law
Jude will accept instructions to act as an Arbitrator in commercial disputes, as Counsel in arbitral hearings, general advisory work, and to appear before the Courts in Singapore.
Jude was founding partner of Joseph Tan Jude Benny, Advocates & Solicitors, Singapore. Over the years, he has developed the Firm's shipping and admiralty practice into one of the largest in Singapore, and the first to have a global network covering Greece, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan. The Chambers Global Directory 2000 ranked the Firm in the top category of recommended Shipping Firms in Singapore, while The Asia Pacific Legal 500 1999/2000 Edition described Mr Benny as "one of the best respected shipping lawyers in Singapore". He was ranked one of the foremost shipping lawyers in the country by The Euro-Money Legal Group Guide and short-listed by Chambers Global Directory 2000 as one of the "Leaders in their Fields" of Shipping Law. In 2005 Chambers Global described Jude Benny as "An old hand in the game, he knows every rule in the book, and may have written a few himself" and again, "..impressive and quick off the mark". Who's Who Legal 2008 entry for the world's leading maritime lawyers says : "Jude Benny's involvement in ship collision trials led to high levels of recognition, and he is regarded as a "legend in this field".
The Trade Development Board of Singapore's(TDB) publication," Tradenews" reported: " A major reason for JTJB's success is the fact that Dato' Benny is regarded within legal circles as one of the world's top maritime lawyers. His firm is well known in London, New York, Hong Kong and other maritime hubs" (Vol 5 Issue 3/2001)
In 2007, London based Legal Who's Who named Jude Benny in a group of eleven of the world's most respected maritime lawyers, citing his work in ship collisions, in particular, and citing him as a " legend in this field".
Arbitrator
He is an Accredited Arbitrator at the following Institutions:
- Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
- Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA)
- Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb)
- Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB)
- Badan Arbitrase Nasional Indonesia (BANI)
- Kuala Lumpur Regional Center for Arbitration (KLRCA)
- Law Society of Singapore Arbitration Scheme
He commenced practice with M/s Drew & Napier, Singapore, before forming the firm of Joseph Tan Jude Benny & Co. in February 1988.
Notable Cases:
Has argued cases that have become leading authorities in the following areas:
Possessory Liens ("The Alpha 601" - Civil Appeal No.237 of 1998) reported in [1999] 3 SLR 249;
Retrenchment Benefits (Bethlehem Shipyard - Civil Appeal No.27 of 1994) reported in [1995] 1 SLR 1;
Law of fixtures (People's Park Chinatown v. Schindler Lifts - Civil Appeal No.44 of 1989) reported in [1993] 1 SLR 591;
Priority payments in liquidations (Joo Yee Construction v Diethelm) Industries - Originating Summons No. 958 of 1989) reported in [1990] SLR 278;
What is a "live issue"? (Attorney - General v. Joo Yee Construction - Civil Appeal No. 30 of 1990) reported in [1993] 1 SLR 272.
Conducted the very first international arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) for United Engineers Berhad against a Norwegian company. The dispute involved the defective sign of an oil rig for use by Petronas and Esso. The hearing lasted 105 days (SIAC Arbitration No.1/90).
Appeared on behalf of the Malaysian Government in a series of civil cases involving railway land ownership in Singapore; and the Jacques Cousteau Foundation with respect to the sinking of the famous vessel the "Calypso".
Represented Bethlehem Shipyard in a highly-contentious matter concerning the delivery of the "John Brewer", the world's first floating hotel, to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Conducted the two ship collision trials to go to Court in Singapore in the last 40 years, involving the vessels "Ming Galaxy" / "Hercei Novi" and "Tai He"/Nordic Explorer.
Publications
Dato' Benny is a contributing author to three international publications:
- International Ship Arrests (Lloyds Press London)
- Cross-Border Insolvencies (Oceania Publications)
- Atkins Singapore Court Forms - Admiralty (Lexis Nexis)
Appointments
Chairman, Advisory Committee, Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration.
Appointed in 2004, to the Board of Directors, Singapore Maritime Foundation.
Appointed in 2006, to the Board of Directors, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore.
Awarded the D.I.M.P. Medal, carrying the title of "Dato", by Malaysia in 2000.