Court orders disbarred lawyer M Ravi to return $120,000 paid by clients to former firm

M Ravi

SINGAPORE: Disbarred lawyer M. Ravi has been ordered to return S$120,000 to his former law firm, K.K. Cheng Law, after a recent court ruling. The money, originally paid by a group of clients who hired Ravi, was handed over to him by the firm as part of his fees.

Following an order for Ravi to stop practising due to his failure to takeprescribedpsychiatric medication, the clients won a lawsuit against the firm for a refund. The firm, in turn, has filed a civil suit against Ravi to recover the amount it paid to him.

According to The Straits Times, the legal saga began in 2021 when Ravi, under the supervision of Mr Cheng Kim Kuan, was granted a conditional practising certificate by the Law Society of Singapore. This certificate allowed Ravi to practise law under strict conditions, including regular medication due to his bipolar disorder.

In October 2021, Ravisecured a retainerto represent 11 clients in a S$6.2 million dispute. The clients paid K.K. Cheng Law S$120,000 as an advance on a total fee of S$240,000. By Nov 16, 2021, the firm transferred this sum to Ravi.

However, by Dec 2, 2021, Ravi was ordered to stop practising because he failed to comply with his medication regimen. The clients then dismissed him and demanded a refund. Legal Standard, a new law firm representing the clients, sent a formal demand for the refund on Dec 30, 2021. This letter was forwarded to Ravi by Mr Cheng on Jan 1, 2022.

Ravi responded by stating he would “take personal and professional responsibility” and indemnify the firm if needed.

The clients then went to the High Court with their claim, which ruled on Feb 27, 2023, that the firm must refund the money. The firm then asked Ravi to send the refund directly to Legal Standard, referencing his earlier email, but he did not reply.

On May 16, 2023, K.K. Cheng Law filed a civil suit against Ravi to reclaim the S$120,000. Represented by Mr Ong Ying Ping, the firm argued that Ravi’s email represented an indemnity, so he should return the money to them. They also claimed Ravi had been unjustly enriched by not repaying the amount.

Ravi, defended by Mr Joseph Chen, contested that the email should not be viewed as an indemnity and claimed his mental state invalidated any such agreement.

In a judgement delivered on Aug 21, 2024, District Judge Chiah Kok Khun ruled in favour of the firm, ordering M. Ravi to return the $120,000 to K.K. Cheng Law.

Judge Chiah found Ravi’s email to be a valid indemnity agreement. He noted that Ravi’s email, where he promised to take responsibility and indemnify the firm, was a valid indemnity against the clients’ claims. He also dismissed Ravi’s claim that his bipolar disorder affected his mental capacity when he wrote the email.

Judge Chiah explained that the email from Ravi, when viewed in context, clearly showed that Ravi intended to indemnify the firm if it refunded the S$120,000 to the clients. The judge noted that although Mr Cheng was supposed to supervise Ravi, he did not review Ravi’s work, as Ravi operated from his own office and hired his own staff. Mr Cheng had been suspended for six months for his failure to supervise Ravi properly.

The judge also pointed out that Ravi’s email was a direct response to the clients’ demand letter and that the firm was not involved in handling the clients’ case or sharing in the legal fees.

Ravi, who had faced multiple disciplinary actions, was disbarred in June. On Aug 2, he was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail and fined S$5,500 for various offences committed between 2021 and 2023./TISG

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