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Category: News

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  • Building A Mediation Practice (12 May 2023) Highlights

    Building A Mediation Practice (12 May 2023) Highlights

    12th May 2023 was a very special event in our “Building A Mediation Practice Series”. It had both a sharing and networking session.

    Delegates from 12 jurisdictions came from Singapore, India, Japan, China, Indonesia, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Philippines, New Zealand. We are multidisciplinary with mediators/mediation advocates, trainers/lecturers/coaches, psychologists/counsellors even a doctor, corporate heads/directors, accountants/ liquidators and a representative of mediation standards.

    At the sharing, our special guest gave a courageous and honest account of her experience as a user of mediation for their dispute. There was the good and all the professionals critical in their peace approach; how they helped and what worked. There was also the bad, when they were resistant while roller coasting through all the emotions pre-during-after the mediation.

    In the networking, smaller groups met. With their facilitators, they shared about their respective practices and spoke about thinking or experiences; what they expect from the network and what they can contribute to the network.

    “Virtual networking” are notoriously difficult but thanks to the Facilitators and the enthusiastic participation of the delegates, we found from the Feedback that it went well.

    95% of the participants found the event “valuable” “commendable” and rated the event good/excellent. 100% of them said the webinar format was good/excellent.

    Both our special guest and moderator, @ Christian von Baumbach were unanimously rated excellent/ good.

    Our deepest gratitude to our special guest, the Facilitators @ Phang Kien Yip, @ Isabel Chew-Lau, @ Ram Dubey, @ Sujatha Bhagavad-Gita, @ Jasmine Eng, @ Fern Wei, @ Luche Joubert, @ Paul Heath and the host and moderator @ Christian von Baumbach.

    Equally, deep appreciation to all our delegates and we hope to see all of you in our future events.

  • Proud to be at the International Dispute Resolution Event: The Way Forward, The Way to Peace in Philippines

    Proud to be at the International Dispute Resolution Event: The Way Forward, The Way to Peace in Philippines

    Wish we were there in person but it was nevertheless an informative and interesting session even as we watched it online. An event to be proud of, PracticeForte is honoured to have been a partner of International Dispute Resolution: The Way Forward, The Way to Peace, held on 29th March 2023 at the San Sebastian College Recoletos, Philippines. Thank you @ Rodel Taton and congratulations on hosting a successful event at your college.

  • PracticeForte Partners International Dispute Resolution: The Way Forward, The Way to Peace in Philippines

    PracticeForte Partners International Dispute Resolution: The Way Forward, The Way to Peace in Philippines

    PracticeForte is proud to be a partner of the 29th March 2023 event, International Dispute Resolution: The Way Forward, The Way to Peace, to be held at the San Sebastian College Recoletos, Philippines. We are looking forward to our affiliate, Dean Rodel Taton’s opening message and the presentation of the 2022 Philippines’ Final Report on The International Dispute Resolution Survey.

  • NUS School of Law Mediation Class with our Affiliate Members in Attendance

    NUS School of Law Mediation Class with our Affiliate Members in Attendance

    Morning with National University of Singapore School of Law Mediation Class. Affiliate member and Adjunct Professor, @ Marcus Lim teaching mediation advocacy with co-founder, @ Susan Tay sharing her perspectives of a mediation advocate in an international setting. Thank you, PracticeForte adviser and Professor @ Joel Lee and @ Marcus Lim for the opportunity and the amazing lunch and wine, and to @ Mylene Chua who never fails to take the most candid pics.

  • PracticeForte 3rd Anniversary

    PracticeForte 3rd Anniversary

    “Displacement, Distress, Disputes: A Bag Perspective” 5 August, 2018

    PracticeForte dedicates our 3rd Anniversary Celebration to Building Peace, Building Expertise.

    Established in the spirit of collaboration, we aim to channel our efforts and expertise towards peace building. This year marks the 3rd year we strive towards this goal.

    In conjunction with our 3rd anniversary, and as part of our twin pillar focus of “Building Peace, Building Expertise”, PracticeForte Pte Ltd aims to make a difference to the lives of today’s foreign domestic workers by bringing awareness to mediation as a peaceful way of addressing disputes between foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and employers in Singapore.

    On the 5th of August, 2018 with the support of the Chinatown Heritage Centre and Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST), as well as the Myanmese, Sri Lankan Philippines’ embassy and Old Chang Kee, we tell both sides of their story in “Displacement, Distress, Disputes: A Bag Perspective” and in the 3 old shop houses of Chinatown Heritage Centre.

    Bags have great significance in the narrative of foreign domestic workers and employers. It speaks of the journey domestic workers take, packing their bags from home, to come to a foreign land. Yet, handbags are also a symbol of wealth of employers. The contrast between the two becomes a sign of the power relations between employers and FDWs and a shifting of burdens as we see FDWs often carrying the bags of their employers. This held true even to the lives of migrant workers like the Ma Jies of the old days in Singapore.

    Customised Guided Tours for our guests by CHC guides

    Through the ages and now not only tells both sides of the story, PracticeForte wants to bring mediation to light to parties involved and enable them to resolve their disputes peacefully and more effectively. Not only is the use of formal mediation on the rise globally, many countries are also increasingly seeking practical, affordable and reliable options to resolve issues. The Singapore courts are also encouraging parties to voluntarily resolve disputes through alternative disputes resolution methods such as mediation.

    Our invited guests will retrace the steps of migrant workers from then through the narratives of a customised tour narrated by Chinatown Heritage Centre guides, while PracticeForte Advisory recounts stories of Foreign Domestic Workers and their employers in non-narrative enactments to illustrate their sets displacement, distress and disputes.

    Tour of Chinatown Heritage Centre

    Pledge To Mediate

    A joint Pledge to Mediate to be undertaken by the officers from embassies of Myanmar, Sri Lanka & the Philippines with our Co-Founders and members of our advisory firms.

    PF Pledge to Mediate
    Shirley Tay
    Wan Yew Fai

    Mock Mediation session presented by one of our own PracticeForte affiliate Mr Rajan Chettiar from Rajan Chettiar LLC.

    “Issue to mediate”

    • FDW has an urgent request to go on home leave for 2 weeks.
    • 4-year old son is ill and in the hospital.
    • Normally cared for by grandmother but FDW is still very worried and grandmother is unable to understand what the doctor is saying.
    • Employer allows FDW to go on home leave every December, as stipulated in the contract, but cannot approve the urgent request.
    • Employer has 2 young children that need to be taken care of and both husband and wife are working.

    Possible solutions:

    • Hiring a temporary help
      • Rejected due to extra costs, plus children will have to be taken care of by an unfamiliar person
    • Getting the employer’s parents/parents-in-law to take care of the children
      • Possible but still issues to work out:
      • Parents-in-law live far away from home
        • Possibility of parents living in the home for one week
      • Employers don’t want to pay FDW during the time of her urgent home leave
        • Unpaid leave
        • Offer of 1-week unpaid leave vs 2 weeks leave

  • PracticeForte Day Out – Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST)

    PracticeForte Day Out – Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST)

    Article By: Pamela Lun & Cheryl Lim

     Stepping into the premises of the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) is like stepping into a never-ending party. Music boomed throughout the premises as a talent competition was being organized for the afternoon. Groups of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) formed dance groups and grooved to the latest beats, while 1 or 2 daring individuals showed off their vocals with Adele and Celine Dion classics.  Off the stage, FDWs were gathered in groups chit-chatting, gymming or going for the free enrichment classes held within FAST. It is not difficult to see why so many FDWs choose to spend their Sunday off-days there. In the time that they are there, they regain their dignity. They are no longer known as helpers or seen in a position of servitude; they are individuals in their own right engaging in their interests and passions.

    2018, 1st of July, our team at PracticeForte Pte Ltd headed down to FAST to conduct a painting session with 23 FDWs, alongside the kind help of local and foreign artists who volunteered their time to guide them. What seemed initially clumsy as FDWs of different nationalities attempted to communicate with each other soon became a heartening sight where barriers were broken through the sharing of paint, and the sharing of stories.

    An afternoon of painting uncovered more than just the talents many of these FDWs had. More importantly, it uncovered the stories behind their art. Some ladies chose to draw things that might seem meaningless to the observer, but which hold deep meaning for them. One Filipino lady drew many ring taps forming a necklace. When asked, she revealed that it was a good luck charm her cousin had collected and made for her before she left for Singapore.

    A Sri Lankan lady painted the lanterns of Chinatown. She mused that these lanterns were one of the first things she saw when she arrived in Singapore 20 years ago. She began tearing as she recounted her long and difficult journey in Singapore.

    Another Filipino lady drew a picture of a saint which was in a small booklet given to her when she left the Philippines 22 years ago. She still carries the booklet with her till this day and took it out to show us.

    Others chose to pen slogans that they wanted others to know about, such as “I only respect others who respect me when I’m not around” and “DREAMS… I’m almost there”.

    Such was an afternoon that returned to our FDWs the voices that should’ve been heard long ago.

    In January this year, PracticeForte Advisory (the professional network of lawyers, accountants, forensic professionals, business consultants, mediators, therapists and counsellors managed by PracticeForte Pte Ltd) set a twin pillar focus of “Building Peace, Building Expertise”. Advocating for mediation as a suitable dispute resolution mechanism between employers and FDWs is part of a series of our “Building Peace” initiatives. A special event, organised in conjunction with our third anniversary on 5th August 2018, will include an exhibition of these artwork. Painted on cotton canvas bags, they will be displayed at the Chinatown Heritage Centre in the month of August. A tour of the museum which illustrates the lives of migrants in Singapore both past and present will, we hope, help all who attend come to a greater awareness of the lives of the FDWs surrounding them.

  • PracticeForte’s Garden Revelry

    PracticeForte’s Garden Revelry

    Our Garden Revelry

    The 5th of August 2016 was the celebration of PracticeForte’s first birthday since its incorporation. We called it Our Garden Revelry.

    We celebrated with guests and affiliates from PracticeForte Advisory this year. Future affiliates (who just joined us on 15th Nov 2016) like Ms June Lim, Mr Andrew Ho and Ms Low Seow Ling, lawyers of Eden Law Corporation, were also present.

    From April to August 2016, in that span of 3 over months, our affiliates grew from two firms to five firms, three individual members to ten, when Mr Edward Ta said yes to us at our Garden Revelry and joined Mr Wan Yew Fai as a consultant in Strix Strategies Pte Ltd.

    Now back to the party….

    “Our Garden Revelry” was coined to complement the outdoor setting of our celebration, a private garden on Mount Emily. We did the place up in a bohemian theme with a rustic touch.

    35 distinguished guests made it to celebrate our 1st anniversary. Everybody appeared to be having a good time. We were complimented for the great company of people, not to mention the food and the drinks, music and ambience.

    “Party is bohemian and cozy. I had a good time!” – Susie Tay (Director, Anonymous Pte Ltd)

    “Party was great – people were fun, sumptuous feast and abundant drinks. Thanks Mylene and Tua Che (big sister)! Your team had worked hard, especially Melissa” – (Shirley Tay (Director, 10.10 Consultants Pte Ltd)

    “Thanks much for the invite, I really enjoyed myself. Delicious food and drinks and interesting people” – Wong Sueh Mei (Consultant, 10.10 Consultant Pte Ltd

    From pictures:
    Cheryl, Shirley (Business Consultant, 10.10 Consultants), Edward and Yew Fai (Consultants, Strix Strategies) and Sueh Mei (Consultant, 10.10 Consultants)

    From the outset, food and drinks were our main focuses. We wanted epicurean if not gourmet. We had champagne (courtesy of Mr Peh Hong Yee of PHY Law Corporation), a bottle of a really fine red and Japanese craft beer from Ms Faith Ng of fsLaw, bottles and bottles of reds and whites, Moscato and dozens of craft beers. It was a night of as much as you can drink alcohol to pair with perfectly barbequed Wagyu and Angus beef, rosemary marinated lamb rack, premium sausages, succulent giant scallops and squids.

    But the crème de la crème, our pot de resistance must surely be the can’t-be-any-more Eurasian Devil’s Curry by Grandma Marie (my Dutch nenek married to my Portuguese grandpa and as Eurasian as you can get when it comes to cuisine). True to its name, the dish was piquant, hot, fiery and full of aromatic spices. EVERYONE LOVED IT. Well done Grandma! In case you’re wondering how we extinguish that fire in our guests’ tummies, there was also lime infused iced PUB water.

    From pictures:
    R – Susie (Branding Consultant, Anonymous), Soong Shoon (Architect, a+pgrp) and Shirley (Business Consultant, 10.10 Consultants)

    L – June Lim, Andrew Ho and Low Seow Ling (Lawyers of Eden Law Corporation)

    L – Edward (Consultant, Strix Strategies), Shirley and Halijah Mohamad (Lawyer, Halijah Mohamad & Co.)

    “Thanks very much for organising a fabulous dinner party in a lovely setting. You girls did a most impressive job with the menu, organisation and the momentos.” – Serena Lim (Director Bizibody Technology)”

     “Thanks again to PracticeForte for organizing the lovely evening. We certainly enjoyed ourselves. May I also compliment Melissa personally for her part in organizing and running Garden Revelry – great job! Thanks so much for all your effort in keeping us all well-fed and happy – we were all enjoying the evening but you were working so hard. Oh yes – thanks for bringing your grandma’s devil’s curry. Wonderful.” – Tan Soon Meng (Lawyer, Ong Ying Ping Esq)

    A moment was stolen to have a photo shoot done by Mr Choo Meng Foo, an artist and a great photographer, with the lawyers at OTP Law Corporation. Mr Lim Seng Siew looked really comfortable modelling with the pots of plants.

    L- Choo Meng Han (renowned photographer), Shoong Soon (architect, a+pgrp), Susie (Branding Consultant, Anonymous) and Susan.

    R – Mylene, KK (Lawyer, Anthony Law) and Halijah.

    “Melissa, Susan and Mylene – thank you and everyone for organizing such a great party. Good luck for the next year, and may your bus fill up quickly and travel safely. Jia You.” – Corinna Lim, CEO, AWARE

    In recognition and appreciation of all our affiliates, PracticeForte commissioned a special porcelain plate with the names of affiliates and affiliate firms handwritten along the spine of a tree symbolizing symbiotic growth and connections amongst affiliates.

    For all our guests, we also gave each of them a London bus keychain engraved with our welcoming message ‘Come On Board, PracticeForte.’

    We were grateful for the good weather and most importantly the extraordinary company. I dare say Our Garden Revelry was a success, testament to that is the fact that our last guest left at 2 am.