CHO Jonathan

Jonathan is a Partner with the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution department.

Jonathan graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2012 and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2013. He joined Lee & Lee in 2023 as a Partner.

Jonathan believes that effective lawyering involves both an understanding of the nuances in legal principles and of human behaviour. He seeks to practice this in the legal arena and is adept with various dispute resolution processes (including Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) such as negotiation and mediation). He is also an Accredited Mediator under the Singapore Mediation Centre and has been involved in matters at all levels of Court. Jonathan views his dispute resolution practice as a process of holistic problem-solving to bring about a meaningful resolution to matters that will best satisfy his clients’ interests and needs.

Jonathan’s practice areas span a wide range. He handles litigation matters both civil and criminal, advising and representing both individual and corporate clients. Jonathan’s practice has also provided him the opportunity to serve others through non-contentious advisory work, including family/matrimonial and private client matters. He is comfortable with and experienced in handling complex commercial and socio-emotional matters, encompassing contract, negligence, tortious claims, defamation, shareholders and directors’ disputes, employment matters, landlord/tenant disputes, and criminal defence litigation.

Jonathan takes a special interest in criminal defence work and his experience includes conducting criminal trials, criminal case resolutions, mitigation pleas and appeals in relation to criminal charges under the Penal Code, Securities and Futures Act, Misuse of Drugs Act, Road Traffic Act, Moneylenders Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, and other blue-collar as well as white-collar offences.

As part of his mission to make justice accessible to all, Jonathan has authored several articles for public legal education and is intentional with providing legal assistance for matters involving the vulnerable and under-served communities of society (such as by being a panel lawyer under the Law Society’s Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS)). He also serves various non-profit organisations on their advisory boards.

Prior to entering the legal arena, Jonathan completed his National Service as a commissioned officer with the Naval Diving Unit of the Republic of Singapore Navy. When not engaged in legal matters, Jonathan relishes being with his family and by producing music. He invests his time in mentoring the next generation, both in the legal fraternity as well in other communities that he is a part of.

Jonathan’s legal practice areas and experience includes:

Advice and representation in relation to contract, negligence, tortious claims, defamation, shareholders and directors’ disputes, employment matters, landlord/tenant disputes;
Advice and representation on various commercial disputes, including employment agreements, confidentiality agreements and restrictive covenants, including obtaining urgent remedial actions in appropriate cases;
Advice and representation in respect of debt recovery matters;
Advice and representation for a dispute relating to the setting aside of a Will involving an estate worth a few million. The matter was amicably resolved;
Advice and representation in a commercial dispute involving an investment/joint-venture agreement purportedly guised as a moneylending transaction;
Advice and representation for tenancy/landlord disputes for both residential and commercial properties;
Advice and representation in the enforcement of both local and overseas judgments in Singapore (i.e. reciprocal enforcement) through various enforcement applications;
Advice and representation for criminal charges involving various offences under the Penal Code, Securities and Futures Act, Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and other offences, as well as conducting mitigation pleas, criminal case resolution, trials and criminal motions and appeals;
Advice and representation on disputes involving issues of professional negligence and liability;
General review, advisory and drafting for corporate/commercial agreements for private and public organisations.

Memberships & Appointment

Panel Lawyer, Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS)
Facilitator & Mentor, Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE) for Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations
Board & Council Member, Bethesda (Frankel Estate) Church
Advisory Board, Youth With A Mission (YWAM)
Board of Advisors, Awaken Generation Singapore