About Our Practice
A Firm Built on Sound Advice and Measured Counsel
Tembusu Law was established to make quality employment legal advice accessible — without the overhead of large-firm structures or the imprecision of general practitioners working outside their area.
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Why Tembusu Law Exists
The tembusu tree has long been part of Singapore's landscape — an unpretentious, deeply rooted presence that provides shelter without demanding attention. That image captures something of what this practice set out to be when it opened its office at Collyer Quay.
Many of the employment disputes and compliance failures we encounter in our work trace back to an earlier point: a contract drafted in haste, a handbook that was copied from somewhere else, or a dismissal handled without proper procedure. The situation could have been avoided, or at least managed with far less difficulty, if someone had given it proper attention at the right time.
We established Tembusu Law to provide that attention — for employers who want to get their documentation right before problems arise, and for employers and employees who find themselves in difficult workplace situations that require considered legal guidance.
Our focus is deliberately narrow. We work in employment law because that specificity allows us to remain genuinely current with MOM guidelines, Employment Act amendments, and the practical workings of the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and the Employment Claims Tribunals.
Mission
To provide employment legal services in Singapore that are thorough, accessible, and genuinely useful — so that clients leave with clearer documentation, better-informed decisions, and a firmer grasp of their position.
Approach
We take instructions carefully, explain options plainly, and recommend courses of action that are proportionate to the situation. We do not push for proceedings when a measured conversation might resolve things more effectively.
Values
Professional integrity, careful attention to each matter, and honest communication about what the law can and cannot achieve. We prefer candid advice to comfortable reassurance.
The Team
People Behind the Practice
A compact team focused on employment law — which means when you work with Tembusu Law, you are working with practitioners who are genuinely familiar with this area of practice.
Rachel Chua
Principal, Employment Law
Called to the Singapore Bar in 2009 and focused exclusively on employment law since 2014. Rachel advises on contract structuring, MOM compliance, and manages complex dispute matters at TADM and the Employment Claims Tribunals.
Aaron Tan
Associate, Workplace Policy
Aaron concentrates on employee handbook development and PDPA compliance as it applies to the employment relationship. He brings a background in HR consulting which shapes how he approaches policy drafting.
Priya Menon
Senior Associate, Dispute Advisory
Priya works primarily on employment dispute matters — wrongful dismissal, salary claims, and retrenchment benefit discussions. She has extensive experience with the TADM mediation process and focuses on practical resolution pathways.
How We Work
Standards We Maintain Across Every Engagement
The quality of legal advice depends as much on how work is conducted as on the depth of knowledge brought to it.
Professional Conduct
All work is conducted in accordance with the Legal Profession Act and the professional rules of the Law Society of Singapore. Our obligations to you include candour, confidentiality, and undivided loyalty to your interests.
Strict Confidentiality
All information you share with us is treated as confidential. We maintain professional secrecy as a fundamental obligation. Sensitive personnel matters and internal disputes are never discussed outside the engagement.
Regulatory Currency
We monitor MOM advisories, tripartite guidelines, and Employment Act developments to ensure our advice reflects the current legal position — not last year's understanding of it.
PDPA Compliance
Client data is handled in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act. We collect only what is necessary for the engagement, retain it only as long as required, and maintain appropriate security measures.
Clear Communication
We confirm advice in writing where it matters, explain the reasoning behind our recommendations, and do not leave you uncertain about what has been agreed or what needs to happen next.
Proportionate Advice
We recommend responses that are appropriate to the situation in front of you — not the most aggressive option available, and not a non-answer designed to avoid commitment. Proportionate, clear, and honest.
Our Position in the Market
Employment Law Counsel Grounded in Singapore Practice
Employment law in Singapore sits at a practical intersection of statute, tripartite guidelines, and case law. The Employment Act sets a baseline, but the Ministry of Manpower's advisories and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices publish guidance that shapes how many employers structure their documentation and manage their workforce.
Tembusu Law operates in this environment with a clear focus: helping employers keep their employment arrangements properly documented and legally sound, and helping both employers and employees navigate the path when workplace relationships become difficult. The three areas we handle — contract drafting and review, policy and handbook development, and dispute advisory — cover the points in the employment relationship where legal input adds the most direct value.
Our office at 16 Collyer Quay in Singapore's central business district places us within reach of the businesses and HR teams that make up the bulk of our client base. We serve companies from the early-stage venture hiring its first few staff members to the established enterprise that needs to update documentation it has used for years without reviewing against the current regulatory position.
For individuals — employees dealing with a wrongful dismissal, a salary dispute, or confusion about their retrenchment entitlements — we offer the same careful, thorough approach, without the assumption that the scale of the matter requires anything less than proper attention.
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We Are Happy to Discuss Your Situation Before You Commit to an Engagement
A brief call or message is enough for us to tell you whether we can help and what that might involve. There is no pressure, just a straightforward conversation.
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