SINGAPORE — Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, whose high-profile clients include Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, is leaving top law firm Drew & Napier to start his own practice and train young lawyers.

The firm said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 24) that Mr Singh, who is now its executive chairman, will be leaving at the end of the first quarter of this year, after 37 years at the company.

He will be joined by Drew & Napier directors Jaikanth Shankar and Pardeep Singh Khosa.

When reached for comment, Mr Singh, 61, declined to say more.

Speaking to TODAY, Mr Shankar said: “This is a very exciting new opportunity for my family and me. Drew, and everyone at Drew, will always be in my heart.”

He said the new firm will be focusing on dispute resolution and international arbitration.

When reached for comment, Mr Singh, 61, declined to say more or reveal the name of his new practice.

Mr Singh joined Drew & Napier in 1982 to work in its litigation department and he was among the first batch of senior counsels appointed in Singapore.

He became chief executive officer of Drew & Napier in 1997.

Two years ago, he initiated a renewal process and appointed a new CEO, Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull.

He was asked to stay on as executive chairman of the firm, with no retirement age.

Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim, now deputy chairman of Drew & Napier, will take over Mr Singh as chairman.

Named “Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year” by legal magazine Asian Legal Business last year, Mr Singh is best known for taking on high-profile political cases.

He is representing Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council which, along with Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, is suing three Workers’ Party's Members of Parliament and others over alleged improper payments.

In 2015, Mr Singh represented PM Lee in his defamation suit against blogger Roy Ngerng.

In the statement from Drew & Napier, Mr Singh said: “Renewal in the commercial world cannot meaningfully take place under a shadow. If you train the young to take over, you must trust them to do so.

“I have overseen the transition and am convinced that the new team is ready and the firm is in capable hands. I therefore believe that it is the right thing to do to move on. I am also very blessed to be able to do that at a time of my choosing.”