Azri graduated with a First Class Honours law degree from the National University of Singapore. Post-graduation, he joined the Singapore Legal Service and served as a Deputy Public Prosecutor, State Counsel, and Assistant Director of Legal Aid (Ministry of Law). He has significant court experience at both trial and appellate levels - having acted in a broad spectrum of matters ranging from criminal prosecutions, civil claims, and highly contentious family disputes.
Since joining the firm slightly over a year ago, Azri has developed a formidable criminal practice. Additionally, he has developed a budding civil practice representing individuals locked in contentious disputes. Prior to joining the firm, Azri has also rendered legal advice to ministries and other government agencies on various issues, including the legality of executive decisions, draft responses to parliamentary questions, statutory powers, and regulatory frameworks. He was called to the bar in 2018 whilst working at a boutique law firm focusing on constitutional law and public-interest litigation. In the same year, he concurrently taught the Part A Bar Course.
Azri firmly believes that the future belongs to 'deep generalists' - individuals who are flexible enough to fuse in-depth specialist knowledge with a broad understanding of connected disciplines and the world generally.
Experience
- Trying various civil disputes before the Supreme Court, including disputes on novel points of law. In a significant decision reported in Muhammad Yusoff Shah bin Khmamarudin v Muhammad Taufiq Abdul Halim[2021] SGHCR 3, Azri successfully resisted an application to set aside a Default Judgment which was entered into after a Defence and Counterclaim was filed - notwithstanding the High Court recognising the “dearth of local reported decisions…” in the matter.
- Representing individuals in high stakes criminal litigation, involving offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act and Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act.
- In one of Azri’s first cases upon joining the firm, he represented a young man detained without trial for alleged involvement in secret society activities and group violence. Whilst the individual’s detention was upheld, the coram recognised the “good job” done by counsel in the matter;
- Azri is also presently acting in drug cases for clients charged with capital offences, as well as an accused person in a high-profile incident where a 19-year-old was beaten to death.
- Represented an up and coming tech company in dealing with issues arising from an ex-employee’s malicious acts in stealing and destroying (sensitive) company data. The dispute covered a broad range of issues, from intellectual property law, criminal law including the Official Secrets Act and the Personal Data Protection Act, employment law, as well as issues pertaining to breach of contract;
- Acting for accused persons charged with financial crimes.
- Successfully represented an accused person in obtaining a fine for his involvement in a high profile graft case involving a large wine company and a Michelin starred restaurant in Marina Bay Sands;
- Currently acting for a 22-year-old charged with various cheating and money laundering offences, arising out of a complex fraud on an e-Commcerce giant.
- Representing individuals in complex defamation and Protection from Harassment Act suits to good success.
- Azri successfully represented a fellow lawyer who was sued by a senior member of the bar for various acts of harassment. The matter was resolved amicably with the signing of a consent order, notwithstanding the original imposition of an Expedited Protection Order prior to Azri’s appointment.
- In another such challenging case, Azri represented a victim of harassment in Singapore who was the subject of death threats, revenge porn, and doxxing from an individual in the USA. Notwithstanding the jurisdictional issues at play, Azri managed to secure a favourable outcome for the victim, including wide ranging clauses protecting the said victim as well as monetary compensation;
- Obtaining numerous acquittals and warnings for clients in unreported matters. Such matters include sexual offences such as statutory rape, aggravated outrage of modesty, and voyeurism;
- Successfully represented various individuals, including pro bonoclients, in obtaining community based sentences;
- Representing various individuals in contested matrimonial proceedings, including individuals of high net worth and/or with multiple properties, as well as foreign clients;
- As Deputy Public Prosecutor, successfully overturning an acquittal before the High Court in PP v Kesavan Pillai Govindan[2017] SGHC 44 where the Prosecution successfully appealed against the Respondent’s acquittal in a case involving an offender who inter alia drove his car into an enforcement officer. Praised in written judgment for “helpfully set[ting] out in written submissions a clear point by point analysis with full references.” The Prosecution’s submissions were noted to be “detailed” as well as “logically reasoned” and the learned judge stated he could “do no better than set it out in full.” The learned judge further commented “I commend the DPPs for the amount of effort they have taken to prepare such clear and detailed submissions.”
Publications
- “Wham Kwok Han Jolovan v Public Prosecutor[2020] SGCA 11: A Watershed Judgment for Article 14 Rights in Singapore?” 2020 Singapore Law Gazette (December)
- “Old Fashioned Breach of Confidence: The Singapore Approach to Privacy Law” 2013Singapore Law Gazette (August)
- “Mists of Metaphor No More: Separate Legal Personality, Policy and Piercing the Corporate Veil in light of Prest v Petrodel” (Dissertation, National University of Singapore, 2013), cited in Tan Cheng Han, “Veil piercing – a fresh start” (2015) 1 Journal of Business Law 20
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