Law Commons^™

Non-Delegable Duty After Tiong Aik, Kee Yang Low, Ian Hao Ran Mah

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The subject of non-delegable duty has troubled courts for some time. The recent UKSC decision in Woodland v STA has clarified the law somewhat. In the recent decision MCST No. 3322 v Tiong Aik, the Singapore Court of Appeal endorsed the UK position and made clarifications on the Singapore position. This article examines the Singapore position as expressed by the SGCA.

Joinder Of Equitable Assignors Of Equitable And Legal Choses In Action, Chee Ho Tham

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

It is commonly accepted that equitable assignees of equitable choses in action may sue obligors of such choses without joining the assignors, and that joinder of equitable assignors of legal choses arising from contract may also be dispensed with, given William Brandt's Sons & Co v Dumlop Rubber Co. This article suggests that the former results from the application of res judicata principles by a court acting within its equitable jurisdiction, and that Brandt's is better understood as having been decided within the court's equitable jurisdiction. Consequently, this paper shows that the law on joinder of equitable assignors is consistent …

Smart Contracts: Terminology, Technical Limitations And Real World Complexity, Eliza Mik

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

If one is to believe the popular press and many “technical writings,” blockchains create not only a perfect transactional environment but also obviate the need for banks, lawyers and courts. The latter will soon be replaced by smart contracts: unbiased and infallible computer programs that form, perform and enforce agreements. Predictions of future revolutions must, however, be distinguished from the harsh reality of the commercial marketplace and the technical limitations of blockchains. The fact that a technological solution is innovative and elegant need not imply that it is commercially useful or legally viable. Apart from attempting a terminological “clean-up” surrounding …

Lord Denning’S Influence On Contract Formation In Singapore: An Overdue Demise?, Chia Ming Lee, Kenny Chng

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a series of inconsistent decisions by the Singapore courts on contract formation in continuing negotiations cases, Lord Denning’s broad approach—which does away with the traditional offer and acceptance analysis—appears to have been simultaneously adopted and rejected. This article suggests that the continued uncertainty in Singapore regarding the scope of application of the traditional approach and Lord Denning’s approach arises from a conflation of both as being substantially similar. This article further argues that both approaches are conceptually and practically distinct. A better way forward for Singapore law in the area of contract formation in continuing negotiations cases, having regard …

Concurrent Liability In Tort And Contract, Yihan Goh, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This articleexamines the understanding of concurrent liability in tort and contract,through a detailed analysis of the interplay, intersection and independence of thelaw of torts and the law of contract. The central argument that will beadvanced is that the present understanding of the ‘incident rules’ inconcurrent liability in tort and contract, such as the applicable rules ofremoteness or limitation, is inconsistent with the rationale for concurrencelaid down in Henderson v MerrettSyndicates Ltd. Rather than analyse concurrence as a single situation, thatis, conceiving it as a contest between rules of tort or contract rules, we arguethat the better way forward is to …

Licensing Contracts: Control Rights, Options And Timing, Pascale Crama, Bert De Reyck, Niyazi Taneri

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research and development (R&D) collaborations, common in high-tech industries, are challenging to manage due to technical and market risks as well as incentive problems. We investigate how control rights, options, payment terms and timing allow the innovator to capture maximum value from its R&D collaborations with a marketer. Our study reveals a counterintuitive result; the innovator may, under certain conditions, prefer to grant launch control rights or buy-out options to the marketer despite the fact that both terms restrict its downstream actions. We demonstrate that a menu of contracts is not necessary to address the adverse selection problem as the …

Convergence Between Australian Common Law And English Common Law: The Rule Against Penalties In The Age Of Freedom Of Contract, Man Yip, Yihan Goh

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This note discusses the High Court of Australia decision of Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Bank Group Limited on the rule against penalty clauses and situates its importance in light of the UK Supreme Court decision of Cavendish Square Holding BV v Talal El Makdessi and Beavis v ParkingEye Ltd.
It compares the analytical frameworks laid down in the two cases and
points out some unresolved issues in this area of law even following
these cases.

The Blame Game, Singapore Management University

Research@SMU: Connecting the Dots

When parties outsource duties to independent contractors who then carry out the work negligently, is the hiring party also responsible? Professor Low Kee Yang believes so.

See the papers:

• Non-delegable duty of care: Woodland v Swimming Teachers Association and beyond
• Non-delegable duty after Tiong Aik