Cumara Kamalacumar

Associate Director

  • Cumara Kamalacumar
  • Phone: +65 6311 3655

    Import to Address Book

  • Selvam LLC
    16 Collyer Quay #17-00
    Singapore 049318

Cumara Kamalacumar is a disputes lawyer who is qualified to practise in Singapore, and England & Wales. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, restructuring & insolvency, and international arbitration. 

Cumara acts for clients in complex corporate and commercial matters, including trade disputes, shareholder disputes, civil frauds, and professional negligence claims. He also acts and advises corporations and insolvency practitioners on restructuring & insolvency matters, including all aspects of debt restructuring and cross-border insolvency matters. 

Cumara's experience spans all levels of the Singapore Courts, where he has acted as lead counsel in trials and contested applications, and as second chair to senior practitioners.

Cumara graduated with a Bachelors of Law Second Class (Division One) Honours from Durham University in 2016. 

Areas of Practice

  • Civil Litigation

  • Commercial Litigation

  • International Arbitration

Admissions

  • Singapore
  • England and Wales
  • Advocate and Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore

Selvam LLC is a Singapore Law Practice in Joint Venture with Duane Morris LLP, under Duane Morris & Selvam LLP.

Education

  • Durham University, LL.B. (Hons), 2nd Upper, 2016

Experience

  • Selvam LLC
    - Associate Director, 2024-present
    - Senior Associate, 2023-2024
    - Associate, 2018-2022

Representative Matters

    Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

  • Acting and advising for a publicly listed company in claims for breach of director duties and conspiracy against its former chief-executive officer. Carried out investigatory works for the publicly listed company.

  • Acting and advising a financial institution relating to the exercise of its rights under facilities extended to various owners over vessels amounting to over USD 100 million in value.

  • Pang Moh Yin Patricia and another v Sim Kwai Meng [2022] SGHC(A) 1 and Pang Moh Yin Patricia and another v Sim Kwai Meng [2021] SGHC 11. Represented the plaintiff in first instance and on appeal in her claim against her ex-husband over an oral agreement over properties amounting to over SGD 5 million. Issues of law regarding res judicata, and the doctrine part performance, and the applicable standards were canvassed.

  • Lim Anthony v Gao Wenxi and Aussino International Pte Ltd [2020] SGHC 67. Successfully represented a minority shareholder in an action for: (a) breach of a shareholder agreement; and (b) minority oppression under section 216 of the Companies Act.

  • Represented a South Korean beauty and cosmetics conglomerate with conducting investigations into suspected bid rigging/collusion by its contractors.

  • Advising and representing a Singapore power supply company in its contractual claim against certain government entities, including successfully resisting an application by the government entities to strike-out the claim under Order 18 Rule 19 of the Rules of Court.

  • Advising and assisting a South Korean engineering and construction conglomerate in its claim against a trading company for non-delivery of goods. Causes of action include fraud, misrepresentation, breach of agreement and unjust enrichment. Assisted in obtaining pre-trial judgment under Order 27 Rule 3.

    • Restructuring & Insolvency Litigation

  • Representing and advising a reputable South Korean financial institution in the recovery of monies owed amounting to over USD 100 million. Addressing issues relating to scheme of arrangement, judicial management, and admiralty law.

  • Advised a South Korean conglomerate in its winding-up application of a Singaporean company for a debt of approximately USD 8 million dollars, including arguing a contested application for validation of payment under section 259 of the Companies Act.

  • VTB Bank (Public Joint Stock Co) v Anan Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd [2018] SGHC 250. Represented Anan Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd against a winding-up application made by VTB Bank for approximately USD 170 million. A novel point of law was argued – the standard of proof that the Court should adopt when a winding-up petition is brought, where there is an arbitration agreement between parties.

  • Acted for the third largest creditor in a debtor-company’s application for a moratorium under section 211B of the Companies Act. Aided client in taking out an application under section 211B(8) read with section 211B(10) of the Companies Act to lift the automatic 30-day moratorium.

  • Represented and advised a Singapore publicly listed technology company, and its subsidiary, in: (a) their applications for moratoriums under section 211B and section 211C of the Companies Act respectively; and (b) an application for leave to convene a creditors’ meeting under section 210 of the Companies Act.

  • Represented a South Korean metal trading company to resist an application for judicial management by a debtor-company.

    • Others

  • Assisted a reputable Singapore oil provider in obtaining a mareva injunction against an Indonesian company with assets in Singapore to satisfy a claim for breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

  • Assisted in making a US $150 million payment claim under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act by a South Korean conglomerate in the engineering and construction industry against a publicly listed multinational engineering and infrastructure company in Singapore.

  • Advised an ex-employee in a claim for wrongful dismissal against one of the largest banks in Singapore.

  • Advising and acting for subsidiary proprietors in disputes with MCSTs and/or other subsidiary proprietors.