Pioneer in crypto disputes appointed senior counsel

A commercial disputes lawyer who led the first successful cryptocurrency claim in 2019 before the Singapore International Commercial Court has been appointed senior counsel.

Mr Danny Ong, managing director of Setia Law, had also won a landmark freezing order in 2022 against unknown persons involved in a large cryptocurrency theft.

His appointment was announced by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon on Jan 12 at the annual ceremony to mark the opening of the legal year in Singapore.

Mr Ong, 50, joins the elite ranks of a group of lawyers who are recognised for their outstanding advocacy skills, extensive grasp of the law and professional integrity.

He is the 101st lawyer to receive the accolade since 1997, when the scheme started.

The selection criteria were refined in 2024 to place greater emphasis on an applicant’s contributions to the development of Singapore law and the legal profession.

The Singapore Academy of Law, which administers the senior counsel scheme, said Mr Ong’s work in digital assets and cross-border enforcement has contributed to the shaping of legal principles in novel contexts.

Speaking to reporters on Jan 12, Mr Ong said he hoped his appointment as senior counsel signifies to younger lawyers the importance of specialism, having an international perspective, and being brave in pushing boundaries in new areas of law.

He recalled that there was no legal precedent when he handled the first cryptocurrency legal dispute, and he had to read books on digital assets, which he had never dealt with before.

He is one of the few Singapore lawyers admitted to the International Insolvency Institute, a global non-profit organisation.

A specialist textbook on commercial injunctions in Singapore that he co-authored is scheduled for publication in early 2026.

Mr Ong grew up in Ipoh, Malaysia, before moving to Singapore to study on a Singapore government scholarship in secondary school.

After studying law at NUS, he built his legal career in Singapore and Hong Kong, eventually becoming a partner at Rajah & Tann from 2008 to 2023.

He set up Setia Law in 2023 with Mr Yam Wern-Jhien as a specialist disputes and crisis management practice.

He is also currently co-executive director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s FraudNet, a global network of fraud and asset recovery specialists spanning more than 80 countries.

When asked what advice he had for young lawyers, he stressed the importance of humility and being “thick-skinned” in learning from others.

Mr Ong, who was educated primarily in Malay in his home town, said that when he was a young lawyer, his English proficiency was questioned by senior partners and his language corrected by judges.

He and his wife, who is also a lawyer, have two daughters, aged 10 and 13.

As the couple had decided not to employ a domestic helper, they “juggle a lot”, he said.

Mr Ong said: “Nowadays, the young ones say work-life balance, but actually, it’s just trying to manage and juggle.

“We’re all extremely exhausted, of course... And in a way, I’m thankful that we decided not to have help because it forces you.

“It forces me to run off at four o’clock to go and pick up my kid... forces me to go back at 5.30 to cook. But it also means that between nine and 12, after they go to bed, you have to work.”

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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