DAC Beachcroft (DACB) has formed an association with Singapore’s Incisive Law, the former local ally of embattled UK law firm Ince & Co. 

News of the alliance follows Incisive cutting ties with its former ally Ince before the UK firm called in administrators in April and its subsequent purchase by UK national firm Axiom DWFM. 

For its part DACB said it would collaborate with Incisive “to provide a seamless offering to clients, covering Singapore and English law”. 

DACB’s Singapore office specialises in advising on risks across all lines of insurance business and all aspects of reinsurance. Meantime Incisive Law’s 16-strong team advises clients primarily on shipping, international trade & commodities and marine insurance matters but also offers legal services in areas including energy and infrastructure, financial services and technology. 

Summer Montague, head of DACB’s Singapore office, said: "We’ve taken the opportunity to ask clients in the region what they want and need and we are growing our offering around those needs, creating a team that provides solutions across the full suite of the insurance and shipping, trade & commodities sectors.

“We’ve made no secret of our ambitions in Asia-Pacific and we continue to pursue opportunities to expand our reach in the region for the benefit of our clients.  With market-leading shipping and marine practice, Incisive Law complements our existing offering and gives us a stronger platform in Singapore. We look forward to working more closely together and building stronger ties."  

Incisive, which is led by managing partners Bill Ricquier and Wai Yue Loh, had first formed an alliance with Ince & Co’s Singapore LLP back in 2011 shortly after it was founded; the two offices were consolidated in 2020 with Incisive as the surviving legal entity. 

Loh said of the new alliance: "There are a number of synergies between DACB and Incisive Law and perhaps most importantly, we share the same ethos in terms of how we should service our clients.  These will go a long way to help us achieve our ambitions for growth in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.  With the services we can provide together, this association will enable us to bring further shipping, international trade & commodities, and energy expertise to clients across the globe."    

Incisive’s alliance with DACB follows the latter bolstering its insurance disputes bench in Singapore last year with the hire of Montague from RPC and partner Andrew Robinson from DLA Piper. 

DACB, which has opened offices in Argentina and Italy so far this year, is also moving to build a global shipping team - adding legal director Joanne Waters from HFW in London earlier in the summer ahead of welcoming shipping and energy litigation specialist Nicola Tune as a legal director from Ince later this month. The duo will work alongside partners Anthony Menzies and Toby Vallance in London.

Ince’s legal business was bought out of administration by UK national firm Axiom DWFM in April though the firm - now known as Axiom Ince - has continued to face turbulence.

Last month, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) suspended Axiom Ince’s former head, Pragnesh Modhwadia, for suspected dishonesty, although it said the firm was unaffected by the ruling and could continue to trade. Last week, Axiom Ince obtained a £65m freezing order against Modhwadia.