David Smail heads the firm’s Singapore Employment practice. He works with multinational employers to solve complex HR and employee relations issues, as well as managing their overall employment legal risk. His practice spans the entire employment life cycle from hiring to firing (and beyond).
Having practised in Asia for more than a decade, David has a strong understanding of the regional issues around the Asia Pacific region with a focus on South and Southeast Asia. He helps clients achieve outcomes that are not only compliant with local laws but also take into account local nuances and cultural norms.
His non-contentious practice covers a broad range of issues including senior executive and C-suite terminations, employment contract and policy reviews, regional restructurings and redundancy exercises, global mobility, industrial relations, corporate transactional support and workforce harmonisations.
David is also an experienced litigator. He has supported clients on a variety of high-profile and sensitive employment disputes on issues covering termination, discrimination and harassment, bonuses and incentives, wage and benefit practices, restrictive covenants, fraud, bribery and corruption, and breach of confidentiality. He has represented clients across a variety of disputes forums.
David prioritises bringing a practical perspective to the table. He helps clients achieve solutions-focused outcomes which take into account individual stakeholders, values and wider reputational issues.
David works with clients across a broad range of sectors including retail, consumer goods, hospitality and leisure, financial services, insurance, life sciences, real estate and technology.
