Bernadette How

Full Profile

Bernadette has significant experience across the lifecycle of corporate transactions, including steering private mergers and acquisitions, from due diligence stage, advising on deal structuring and key documentation. She regularly acts for both domestic and international clients across a variety of sectors. Her transactional work includes advising on share and asset acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate reorganisations, and strategic investments.

Beyond such transactions, Bernadette provides day-to-day legal support to clients on a wide spectrum of  commercial and operational legal matters. This includes drafting and reviewing commercial agreements, advising on corporate governance and compliance frameworks.

Bernadette regularly advises on a wide range of non-contentious employment and immigration matters, providing strategic counsel to local and multinational clients on Singapore employment law. Her experience includes advising on workforce restructuring exercises, employee transfers, and the drafting and review of employment contracts, handbooks, and internal policies. She also supports clients in navigating regulatory obligations under Singapore law, including compliance with the Employment Act, Ministry of Manpower and TAFEP guidelines. Bernadette is well-versed in advising on employee mobility issues, including work pass applications, intra-company transfers, and expatriate arrangements.

Her practice further includes advising on restrictive covenants such as non-compete and non-solicitation clauses, termination procedures, and redundancy planning. Bernadette works closely with HR and legal teams to ensure employment practices are legally sound and aligned with business objectives, helping clients manage legal risks while maintaining operational continuity and workforce stability.

Experience

• Acting for a US-based global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm in relation to all aspects of its recently completed acquisition of a 33.34% stake in a Philippines incorporated insurance broker and its ongoing joint venture arrangements with existing shareholders.
• Advised AEMH on all aspects of its global takeover of Univan Group Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries. This transaction represents the largest ever merger of independent ship management companies. As highlighted in various news publications, the transaction was one of the most significant transactions in the marine sector over the past 12 months. The merger has created an industry leader with over 1,700 shore-based staff, 24,000 seafarers, 600 ships under full management, and 100 ships under crew management only.
• Acted for all of the investors of a Singapore incorporated holding company conducting regional education services, on the divestment of their interests to the remaining shareholder.
• Acted for a variety of insurance companies on Singapore insurance licence applications, M&A transactions and reorganisations
• Drafting and reviewing of corporate secretarial documents, including constitutions, directors' and members' resolutions
• Advising clients on various aspects of business formation in Singapore, such as the incorporation of companies and the registration of other corporate entities, increase of capital and shareholder agreements 
• Acting for clients in the acquisition of shares and assets in Singapore companies