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Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam

Founding Director Eugene Thuraisingam LLP Called to the Bar in 2001 Active (SG Practising Certificate) 11 appearances
Languages: English

Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam appears as counsel of record in 11 reported Singapore judgments (2024–2026), most often before the SGHC.

Reported cases
11
Courts
SGHC, SGCA
Period
January 2024 to February 2026

Source: derived from 11 published Singapore judgments, most recent decision .

Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam — Reported Cases & Litigation Record

Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam's reported litigation record covers 11 Singapore court cases (2024–2026). The cases below set out Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam's role as counsel, the parties involved, and what each court decided.

About Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam

Eugene Thuraisingam is the Founding Director of Eugene Thuraisingam Asia LLC, a boutique dispute resolution and criminal law firm in Singapore. Of Sri Lankan Tamil descent and born in 1975, he is one of Singapore's prominent criminal defence lawyers and a vocal opponent of the death penalty, having defended numerous accused persons in capital offence cases over more than two decades of practice.

Thuraisingam attended Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Anglo-Chinese Junior College before graduating from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) on the Dean's List. Called to the Singapore Bar in 2001, he joined Allen & Gledhill, where he practised for nine years and was made partner at the age of 31. After three years at Stamford Law Corporation, he founded his own firm in 2012, focusing on criminal defence and commercial litigation. His LSRA-registered practice areas include arbitration, bankruptcy and insolvency law, civil and commercial litigation, criminal law, employment law, and mediation.

Between January 2024 and February 2026, Thuraisingam appeared as counsel in 11 cases before Singapore courts, with 8 matters in the High Court and 3 in the Court of Appeal. By case volume his most frequent practice areas were criminal law (13 cases), constitutional law (5 cases), and criminal procedure and sentencing (4 cases). His widely reported matters include the defence of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam on death row, the Woodlands double murder trial of Teo Ghim Heng, and the 2016 Toa Payoh child abuse case, in which a murder charge was reduced to voluntarily causing grievous hurt at trial. He also reopened Singapore's first concluded criminal appeal in the Ilechukwu case and co-defended Muhammad Salihin bin Ismail, securing an initial acquittal of murder at trial that was later restored on the prosecution's appeal in 2024.

Thuraisingam received the Young Lawyer's Award in 2003 and the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences (LASCO) Award from the Supreme Court in 2016 for his defence of accused persons in capital cases. He is recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Leading and Preeminent Criminal Defence Lawyer, by Legal 500 as a Recommended Lawyer in white collar crime, and by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star. Named a Law Society Pro Bono Ambassador in 2021, he raised SGD 100,000 for Law Society Pro Bono Services through a Run For Justice event that year. His 2017 poem "Our Five Stars Dim Tonight," published on Facebook before a client's execution, led to a contempt of court fine of S$6,000 and a Law Society fine of S$5,000, though a disciplinary tribunal found it was not a deliberate attack on judicial integrity.

Education & Career

💼
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP (now Eugene Thuraisingam Asia LLC) 2012–Present
Founding Director
💼
Stamford Law Corporation 2010–2012
💼
Allen & Gledhill LLP 2001–2010
Partner
🎓
National University of Singapore
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
🎓
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
🎓
Anglo-Chinese Junior College

What areas of law does Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam practice?

Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam appeared most frequently in Criminal Law (13 cases), Constitutional Law (5 cases), and Criminal Procedure and Sentencing (4 cases) between January 2024 to February 2026, across 11 total case appearances in Singapore courts.

Criminal Law 13 cases

Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam appeared as counsel in 13 Criminal Law cases between January 2024 to February 2026.

Constitutional Law 5 cases

Eugene Singarajah Thuraisingam appeared as counsel in 5 Constitutional Law cases between August 2025 to September 2025.

Awards & Recognition

Pro Bono Ambassador Award — Law Society of Singapore
2021
Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer — Singapore — Doyle's Guide
Criminal Defence
2020
Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences (LASCO) Award — Supreme Court of Singapore
Criminal Defence
2016
Young Lawyer's Award
2003
Recommended Lawyer (White Collar Crime: Local) — Legal 500
White Collar Crime
Elite Practitioner — AsiaLaw Profiles
Litigation Star (White Collar Crime) — Benchmark Litigation
White Collar Crime
Preeminent Lawyer (Criminal Defence, White Collar Crime & Regulatory Investigations) — Doyle's Guide
Criminal Defence

Notable Matters

Co-defended Muhammad Salihin bin Ismail (with Suang Wijaya) charged with murdering his four-year-old stepdaughter. Successfully secured acquittal of murder at trial, though conviction was restored to murder on prosecution appeal in 2024. Criminal Defence
2022
Defended Boh Soon Ho charged with murdering his girlfriend at Circuit Road. Convicted of murder but successfully argued against the death penalty, securing life imprisonment instead. Criminal Defence
2020
Defended Ahmad Muin Yaacob who killed his supervisor at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Successfully persuaded prosecution not to seek the death penalty through submissions on the circumstances of the offence. Client received life imprisonment. Criminal Defence
2020
Defended Ahmed Salim, a Bangladeshi worker charged with murdering his girlfriend in a Geylang hotel. Argued diminished responsibility and provocation. Death penalty imposed and upheld on appeal. Criminal Defence
2020
Represented Malaysian drug trafficker Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam on death row, arguing diminished responsibility due to intellectual disability. Appeal for re-sentencing denied by Court of Appeal. Criminal Defence
2019
Defended Teo Ghim Heng in the Woodlands double murder trial for killing his pregnant wife and daughter. Argued major depressive disorder and provocation. Death penalty imposed and upheld on appeal. Criminal Defence
2019
Defended Ridzuan Mega Abdul Rahman in the 2016 Toa Payoh child abuse case involving the scalding death of a five-year-old. Successfully reduced murder charge to voluntarily causing grievous hurt at trial, though father later received life imprisonment on appeal. Criminal Defence
2019
Reopened Singapore's first concluded criminal appeal in the Ilechukwu case, a landmark procedural achievement in the country's legal history. Criminal Defence

Publications

"Our Five Stars Dim Tonight"
2017

Pro Bono & Public Interest

Extensive pro bono defence of accused persons facing the death penalty in Singapore, recognised with the LASCO Award from the Chief Justice in 2016 for his work defending accused in capital offence cases.
Raised SGD 100,000 for Law Society Pro Bono Services in 2021 through the firm's Run For Justice event, supporting legal representation schemes for foreigners in criminal legal aid and matrimonial matters. — Law Society Pro Bono Services
Recognised as Pro Bono Ambassador by the Law Society of Singapore in 2021 for his dedication to taking on pro bono cases for impecunious Singaporeans. — Law Society of Singapore

How many cases has Eugene Thuraisingam appeared in?

Court records show Eugene Thuraisingam appeared as counsel in 11 cases before Singapore courts between January 2024 and February 2026. Eight cases were heard in the High Court and three in the Court of Appeal.

Which law firm does Eugene Thuraisingam belong to?

Eugene Thuraisingam is the Founding Director of Eugene Thuraisingam Asia LLC. He founded the firm in 2012 after practising at Allen & Gledhill from 2001 to 2010 and at Stamford Law Corporation from 2010 to 2012.

What areas of law does Eugene Thuraisingam practise?

By case volume, Eugene Thuraisingam's most frequent practice areas in the record are criminal law (13 cases), constitutional law (5 cases), and criminal procedure and sentencing (4 cases). His LSRA-registered practice areas also include arbitration, civil and commercial litigation, employment law, and mediation.

Which courts does Eugene Thuraisingam appear in?

Between January 2024 and February 2026, Eugene Thuraisingam appeared in the High Court in 8 cases and the Court of Appeal in 3 cases. His Court of Appeal appearances include constitutional challenges in capital offence matters.

Where did Eugene Thuraisingam study law?

Eugene Thuraisingam graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) on the Dean's List. He attended Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Anglo-Chinese Junior College before university, and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2001.

What notable cases has Eugene Thuraisingam been involved in?

His prominent cases include the defence of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam on death row, the Woodlands double murder trial of Teo Ghim Heng, and the 2016 Toa Payoh child abuse case, in which a murder charge was reduced at trial. He also reopened Singapore's first concluded criminal appeal in the Ilechukwu case.

What awards has Eugene Thuraisingam received?

Eugene Thuraisingam received the Young Lawyer's Award in 2003 and the LASCO Award from the Supreme Court in 2016 for his capital offence defence work. He is named a Doyle's Guide Leading and Preeminent Criminal Defence Lawyer, a Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer in white collar crime, a Benchmark Litigation Star, and a Law Society Pro Bono Ambassador (2021).

Does Eugene Thuraisingam do pro bono work?

Yes. Eugene Thuraisingam has extensive pro bono involvement in capital offence defence, recognised with the LASCO Award from the Supreme Court in 2016. He was named a Law Society Pro Bono Ambassador in 2021 and raised SGD 100,000 for Law Society Pro Bono Services through a Run For Justice event that year.

What role does Eugene Thuraisingam typically play in litigation?

Court records show Eugene Thuraisingam acted as counsel for the defendant in 4 cases and counsel for the applicant in 3 cases, with further appearances as counsel for an appellant, a respondent, and an accused. This defence-side profile reflects his focus on criminal defence and constitutional challenges.

11
Appearances
2001
Year of Call
1
Firm
No
Senior Counsel

Registered Practice Areas (LSRA)

Arbitration Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law Civil and Commercial Litigation Criminal Law Employment Law Mediation

Counsel Defendant (4)

Counsel Applicant (3)

Counsel Accused (1)

Counsel Respondent (1)

Counsel Appellant (2)

Rankings

Most active lawyers by reported court cases