RE: Court Thursday if not adjourned.30 Mar 2026 22:12
In the Semnet Pte Ltd case (involving Zheng Zhu and Daphane/Daphne Choo, who was joined via the writ), after the first hearing (typically the initial Case Management Conference or directions hearing following joinder), the matter usually progresses to the next phase. This commonly includes finalising the Defence and moving into discovery (document disclosure), along with preparation for further court directions.
Allen & Gledhill (A&G), together with a small group of other elite Singapore practices, are among the most expensive law firms in Singapore. They sit at the premium end of the market due to their size, depth of expertise, resources, and strong reputation in complex litigation. In this context, you pay for what you get — clients often choose such firms when a professional's reputation is at stake or when the matter requires high-calibre strategic handling and substantial resourcing.
Key caveats
This is not a simple add-up of every level of lawyer working every hour. Work is allocated according to seniority and task — partners focus on strategy and key advice, while more junior team members handle document review or drafting under supervision. Hours and costs can double or triple if there are heavy document reviews, cross-claims, or disputes over discovery.
Costs can also be much lower if the claim against her is narrow and quickly resolved.
The court often orders “costs in the cause” for joinders, meaning the loser ultimately pays a big chunk at the end — but her firm still bills her (or her insurers) upfront as the work is done.
To your point: even a sum in the region of 150 to 200k is not going to pay for much with a firm at this level — certainly nowhere near the costs of running the matter all the way through to trial (which would involve significantly more work on evidence, affidavits, cross-examination preparation, and actual hearing time).
The exact effort required will depend on the specific allegations against Daphane, the volume of documents involved in discovery, and the directions given by the court at the first hearing. Only the lawyers on the file can provide a proper updated assessment based on the real pleadings and procedural stage.
But I stand with my figures here, its a massive curveball for GST to deal with A&G.
Lets hope GST have made no mistakes lol because A&G will be all over it. You pay for what you get and money buys you justice or what the defendants need which is time.
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