Alvin Yeo
{{Short description|Singaporean lawyer and politician (1962–2022)}}
{{Family name hatnote|Yeo|lang=Chinese}}
{{Use Singapore English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Alvin Yeo
| native_name = {{Nobold|{{lang|zh-hans|杨康海}}}}
| honorific-suffix = {{Postnominals|list=SC}}
| image =
| alt =
| constituency_MP1 = Chua Chu Kang GRC
| parliament = Singapore
| predecessor1 = Constituency established
| successor1 = Yee Chia Hsing (PAP)
| term_start1 = 7 May 2011
| term_end1 = 25 August 2015
| constituency_MP2 = Hong Kah GRC
| predecessor2 = John Chen Seow Phun (PAP)
| successor2 = Constituency abolished
| term_start2 = 27 April 2006
| term_end2 = 18 April 2011
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1962|3|28|}}
| birth_place = State of Singapore
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2022|7|30|1962|3|28}}
| death_place = Singapore
| nationality =
| spouse = Chan Hee Lien
| party = People's Action Party
| relations =
| children = 2
| residence =
| alma_mater = King's College London (LLB)
| occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|politician}}
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Alvin Yeo Khirn Hai {{Postnominals|list=SC}} ({{Zh|s=杨康海|p=Yáng Kānghǎi}}; 28 March 1962 – 30 July 2022) was a Singaporean lawyer and politician who co-founded WongPartnership, one of the Big Four law firms in Singapore. As a member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Nanyang division of Hong Kah GRC between 2006 and 2011, and later Chua Chu Kang GRC between 2011 and 2015.
Education
Yeo obtained his LLB from King's College London in 1985. He was thereafter admitted to the English Bar in 1986 before being admitted to the Singapore Bar in 1987.{{Cite web |title=Valencia CF mourn the loss of Alvin Yeo, member of the Board of Directors - Valencia CF |url=https://www.valenciacf.com/en-valencia-cf-mourn-the-loss-of-alvin-yeo-member-of-the-board-of-directors-2022-07-30 |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=www.valenciacf.com |language=en}}
Career
= Politics =
Yeo was a member of the People's Action Party. He served as Member of Parliament for Hong Kah GRC from 2006 to 2011, and for Chua Chu Kang GRC from 2011 to 2015.
At the 2015 general elections, he retired from politics, with Yee Chia Hsing succeeding in his seat, even as the GRC was downsized from a five member to a four member GRC.{{cite news |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/yee-chia-hsing-joins-pap-s-chua-chu-kang-grc-team-8235356 |title=Yee Chia Hsing joins PAP's Chua Chu Kang GRC team |first=John |last=Leong |date=16 August 2015 |work=Channel NewsAsia |location=Singapore}} During his time as a Member of Parliament, he was Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-30 |title=Obituary: Comrade Alvin Yeo – a big brother figure & giant in legal fraternity |url=https://petir.sg/2022/07/30/obituary-comrade-alvin-yeo-a-big-brother-figure-giant-in-legal-fraternity/ |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=The PAP Story - Told From Within.}} Yeo has been described as a caring MP who was "the perfect gentleman" during his time in politics.{{Cite news |last=Chia |first=Osmond |date=2022-07-30 |title=Former MP and lawyer Alvin Yeo, 60, dies after two-year fight with cancer |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/former-mp-and-lawyer-alvin-yeo-60-dies-after-two-year-fight-with-cancer |access-date=2024-05-19 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
= Legal =
Yeo was called to the bar in 1988.{{Cite web |last=K.C. Vijayan |date=2017-03-27 |title=Arbitration pioneer Alvin Yeo offers tip to young lawyers |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/arbitration-pioneer-offers-tip-to-young-lawyers |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=The Straits Times |language=en}} In 1992, Yeo founded the law firm, WongPartnership along with Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Sundaresh Menon, and Wong Meng Meng (the lawyer the firm is named after).{{Cite news |last=Quah |first=Michelle |date=25 May 2010 |title=WongPartnership co-founder to join Temasek |pages=4 |work=The Business Times}} In 2000, Yeo was appointed as a senior counsel, making him the youngest ever lawyer to be named at just 37 years of age.{{Cite news |last=Lim |first=Alethea |date=11 January 2000 |title=Youngest Senior Counsel named |pages=39 |work=The Straits Times}} He had an illustrious career as a litigator, specialising in banking and corporate disputes as well as construction related matters.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-31 |title=Senior counsel Alvin Yeo, 60, dies after two-year fight with cancer |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/senior-counsel-alvin-yeo-60-dies-after-two-year-fight-cancer |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=The Business Times |language=en}} he also handled billion dollar and international claims in his career.{{Cite web |title=Alvin Yeo SC, co-founder of Singapore's WongPartnership, passes away at 60 {{!}} Asian Legal Business |url=http://www.legalbusinessonline.com/other-news/alvin-yeo-sc-co-founder-singapore%E2%80%99s-wongpartnership-passes-away-60 |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=www.legalbusinessonline.com |language=en}} He has been called a "giant in the legal fraternity".{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Petir sg |date=2022-07-30 |title=Obituary: Comrade Alvin Yeo – a big brother figure & giant in legal fraternity |url=https://petir.sg/2022/07/30/obituary-comrade-alvin-yeo-a-big-brother-figure-giant-in-legal-fraternity/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Petir SG |language=en-US}}
On 31 July 2017, a complaint of possible overcharging by Yeo was made by three Court of Appeal judges to the Law Society. The legal bill that was sent to a wealthy widow, who Yeo represented between November 2010 to June 2015 in series of legal proceedings was {{SGD|8.8 million}}. The judges were concerned by the amount charged and with the client's lack of mental capacity. The bill was later discounted by 32.5 percent. On 19 June 2019, a Law Society disciplinary tribunal dismissed the complaint.{{Cite web |title=Tribunal dismisses complaint of possible overcharging against senior lawyer over S$8.8 million legal bill |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/tribunal-dismisses-complaint-against-lawyer-for-overcharging-elderly-widow-legal-bills |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=TODAY |language=en}} On 24 June 2019, the Law Society sought a review of the tribunal to the High Court of Singapore.{{Cite web |last=Tay |first=Peck Gek |date=29 June 2019 |title=Law Society seeks review of decision that cleared lawyer of overcharging |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/law-society-seeks-review-of-decision-that-cleared-lawyer-of-overcharging |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=The Business Times}} On 8 January 2020, the High Court later ordered for another round of disciplinary tribunal hearings after having found that the original charges brought on by Law Society were not framed properly as they excluded considerations for the client's lack of mental capacity, and also that the original tribunal had decided that the mental capacity issues were not within the scope of complaint, contrary to some of the initial concerns raised by the Appeal judges. On objections from Yeo's lawyers that he would have to be investigated again, the High Court judge presiding over the matter, Justice Valerie Thean, called the situation "unfortunate" and cited a 2008 parliamentary act that forbids any judicial review while disciplinary proceedings are ongoing, and thus the Court could only review the matter after the disciplinary proceedings completed.{{Cite web |title=High Court orders fresh disciplinary tribunal hearing on complaint of alleged overcharging by senior lawyer |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/high-court-orders-fresh-disciplinary-tribunal-hearing-complaint-alleged-overcharging |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=TODAY |language=en}} Justice Thean also noted that Yeo was fully prepared to defend himself in any new disciplinary proceedings.{{Cite news |last=K. C. |first=Vijayan |date=2020-01-08 |title=High Court calls for fresh disciplinary tribunal to probe overcharging complaint against senior counsel |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/high-court-orders-fresh-disciplinary-probe-into-overcharging-complaint |access-date=2024-08-23 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}
Yeo was the chairman and senior partner of WongPartnership,{{cite web |date=2017 |title=Alvin YEO, Senior Counsel |url=http://www.wongpartnership.com/index.php/wongpartnership/partner/alvin-yeo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923161250/http://www.wongpartnership.com/index.php/wongpartnership/partner/alvin-yeo |archive-date=23 September 2017 |access-date=20 July 2017 |website=WongPartnership}} a position he occupied from 2007. Prior to this, he was Managing Partner of the firm.{{Cite web |title=In Loving Memory of our Beloved Senior Partner and Co-Founder Alvin Yeo, Senior Counsel - WongPartnership |url=https://www.wongpartnership.com/In-Loving-Memory-of-our-Beloved-Senior-Partner-and-Co-Founder-Alvin-yeo-Senior-Counsel |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=www.wongpartnership.com}} A distinguished lawyer who has been described as brilliant and warm,{{Cite web |title=A Celebration of Life – Alvin Yeo SC – Highlights {{!}} WongPartnership |url=https://www.wongpartnership.com/news/detail/a-celebration-of-life-alvin-yeo-sc-highlights |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.wongpartnership.com}} Yeo tripled the size of WongPartnership during his tenure there and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Legal 500 in 2021.{{Cite news |last=Chia |first=Osmond |date=2022-07-30 |title=Former MP and lawyer Alvin Yeo, 60, dies after two-year fight with cancer |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/former-mp-and-lawyer-alvin-yeo-60-dies-after-two-year-fight-with-cancer |access-date=2024-05-19 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}} He also developed its regional network in Asean, China and the Middle East.{{Cite web |last=Benjie |date=2022-09-02 |title=Alvin Yeo leaves lasting impression |url=https://law.asia/alvin-yeo-obituary/ |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=Law.asia |language=en-US}}
= Business =
After Peter Lim owned Valencia CF in 2014, he appointed a new board of directors which included Yeo.{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Angela |date=5 December 2014 |title=Peter Lim's representatives appointed to Valencia's new board at EGM |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/life-culture/peter-lims-representatives-appointed-to-valencias-new-board-at-egm |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=www.businesstimes.com.sg}} Yeo held the directorship until his death in 2022.{{Cite web |last=S.L |first=EDICIONES PLAZA |title=VCF {{!}} El Valencia CF comunica el fallecimiento de Alvin Yeo, miembro del Consejo de Administración |url=https://plazadeportiva.valenciaplaza.com/el-valencia-cf-comunica-el-fallecimiento-de-alvin-yeo-miembro-del-consejo-de-administracion |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=Plaza Deportiva |language=es}}
Personal life
Yeo was married to Chan Hee Lien and had two children.{{Cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.sg/mp/alvin-yeo?viewcv=Alvin%20Yeo |title=Alvin Yeo | Parliament of Singapore |access-date=6 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029095816/http://www.parliament.gov.sg/mp/alvin-yeo?viewcv=Alvin%20Yeo |archive-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead }} He died on 30 July 2022 from cancer, aged 60.{{Cite web |title=Former MP Alvin Yeo dies aged 60 after two-year battle with cancer |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/former-mp-alvin-yeo-dies-cancer-1957431 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=TODAY |language=en}} He was an Arsenal fan, who enjoyed watching football.{{Cite web |title=Alvin Yeo, ex-MP & lawyer, dies aged 60 after 2-year battle with cancer |url=https://mothership.sg/2022/07/alvin-yeo-pap-mp-die/ |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=mothership.sg |language=en}}
Accolades
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170923161250/http://www.wongpartnership.com/index.php/wongpartnership/partner/alvin-yeo Alvin Yeo's CV] on WongPartnership's website
{{Singapore Legal Profession}}
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Category:Deaths from cancer in Singapore
Category:Alumni of King's College London
Category:Members of the Parliament of Singapore
Category:20th-century Singaporean lawyers
Category:Singaporean people of Chinese descent
Category:Singaporean Senior Counsel
Category:People's Action Party politicians