Country/Region
About this Seminar
This seminar offers a comparative and practical examination of prosecutions under the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 (Singapore) and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Australia). Johnathan will address the Singapore framework, drawing on his experience as a former prosecutor to explain enforcement priorities, prosecutorial discretion and common pitfalls for defendants. Patrick will cover the Australian regime, sharing insights from defending companies and individuals in serious workplace safety prosecutions and provide an outline of what Singapore based entities with operations in Australia must know. Together, the speakers will provide counsel with strategic, practice-focused guidance on managing investigations, responding to charges and advising clients exposed to regulatory and criminal liability.
Seminar Programme
5.00 - 5.30pm Registrations & Refreshments for Delegates
5.30 - 5.40pm Opening Remarks by Chairperson
Mr. Ashok Kumar Rai - Associate Director, Cairnhill Law LLC; Secretary, Society of Construction Law (Singapore)
5.40 - 6.40pm In the Prosecutor’s Crosshairs: Workplace Safety Enforcement in Singapore and Australia
• Mr. Patrick Barry – Barrister, State Chambers
• Mr. Johnathan Lee Kui Bao - Advocate & Solicitor, Fong & Fong LLC; Former Ministry of Manpower Prosecutor
6.40 – 7.00pm Q&A session
7.00 – 7.30pm Networking Buffet Dinner & Drinks
About the Speakers
Mr. Patrick Barry – Barrister, State Chambers
Patrick Barry is a Sydney based barrister with a national practice in workplace health and safety defence work and in international practice in workplace health and safety advisory work. Patrick appears in matters at first instance and on appeal in courts across all Australian jurisdictions. His practice focuses principally on defending corporate entities and senior individuals in workplace health and safety prosecutions across industries including construction, mining, petroleum and gas, manufacturing, aviation and road transport. Patrick has also provided Australian workplace health and safety advice to jurisdictions including Singapore, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, New Zealand, Fiji, China and Germany. Prior to being called to the Bar in 2014, Patrick practised as a solicitor at Freehills and K& L Gates, where he worked in large-scale workplace health and safety litigation. Patrick is recognised as a preeminent workplace health and safety barrister for the State of New South Wales in Doyle’s Guide and is a graduate of the University of Oxford.
Mr. Johnathan Lee Kui Bao - Advocate & Solicitor, Fong & Fong LLC; Former Ministry of Manpower Prosecutor
Johnathan Lee Kui Bao offers a strategic "insider" perspective on Workplace Safety and Health (WSHA) defense. As a former Prosecutor for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Johnathan managed high-stakes prosecutions that served as critical building blocks in the judicial development of sentencing frameworks. This includes his involvement in PP v Manta Equipment and PP v CPG Facilities Management, pivotal cases where he argued on complex sentencing benchmarks that were eventually resolved by the High Court.Transitioning to defense, Johnathan leverages this deep regulatory insight to mitigate liability for companies and individuals. Notably, in PP v Goh Kee Cher, he successfully secured a fine for a client facing a custodial submission for using a false safety certificate, demonstrating his ability to effectively challenge prosecutorial narratives.
About the Chairperson
Mr. Ashok Kumar Rai - Associate Director, Cairnhill Law LLC; Secretary, Society of Construction Law (Singapore)
Ashok is a seasoned construction litigator and qualified arbitrator. He has represented a wide spectrum of clients in the construction industry – from developers to main contractors and consultants. Ashok’s experience includes acting as lead counsel at all levels of the Singapore courts, and in arbitrations under the ICC and SIAC rules and adjudications conducted under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act. Ashok is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and is currently serving in the Council of the Singapore chapter of the Society of Construction Law.
REGISTRATION CLOSING DATE: 27 April 2026
FEES (includes materials, if any)
SCL (Singapore) Members - S$50.00
Guests of SCL(S) Members - S$90.00
Members of international SCLs - S$90.00
Members of: - S$90.00
- Asia Pacific Institute of Experts (APIEx)
- Association of Women in Construction (Singapore) (AWiCS)
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Singapore) Ltd (CIArb)
- Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
- Lighthouse Club (Singapore) (Lighthouse)
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL)
- Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb)
- Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA)
- Singapore Institute of Building Ltd (SIBL)
- Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (SISV)
- Society of Project Managers (SPM)
- Tunneling and Underground Construction Society (Singapore (TUCSS)
Full Time Students & Faculty of NUS Faculty of Law - S$90.00
Others - S$120.00
Click HERE for the seminar brochure.
Continuing Professional Development
Practice Area: Building & Construction
Training Level: General
Public CPD Points: 1.5 (TBC)