200 in-house lawyers from Singapore and Hong Kong were polled about their employers’ 2025 legal concerns, and technology risks ranked highest

Based on a Sep 2024 survey of 600 senior in-house lawyers* to capture the key concerns and emerging trends in the disputes landscape, a global law firm has disclosed some legal trends from the data for Singapore and Hong Kong.

First, among the 200 Asia-based respondents, the top three areas presenting the greatest dispute were ranked as cybersecurity and data privacy; AI; and employment, in descending order.

Second, 87% of Singapore respondents and 84% of those in Hong Kong cited expecting their dispute spending to increase or remain the same in 2025. They cited “inability to keep pace with regulatory developments” as the biggest barrier preventing their organizations from being fully prepared for litigation (Singapore (59%), Hong Kong (58%).

Other regional litigation trends  

Third, 45% of the Singapore respondents and 52% of Hong Kong respondents indicated cybersecurity and data privacy as key areas posing investigation risks to their organizations. Also:

  • 42% of Singapore respondents and 46% of Hong Kong respondents highlighted growing cybersecurity risks and insurance coverage as an alarming issue.
  • 82% of Singapore of respondents indicated they found training people to be the key hurdle, while in Hong Kong, 70% of respondents indicated that implementing or updating relevant technology was the top challenge.
  • For AI disputes, Singapore respondents were more concerned about AI-generated output being at risk of intellectual property (IP) infringement, alongside other IP risks such as inadvertently infringing a third-party trademark or infringing the personality rights of individuals. For Hong Kong respondents, the areas posing the greatest risks were indicated as ethical disputes such as improper or undisclosed use of AI, and data privacy and security.
  • 71% of Singapore respondents cited equal pay considerations as a key contributor to legal issues in employment, due to increased scrutiny from regulators closely monitoring HR practices.
  • 62% of Singapore respondents (64% from those in Hong Kong) cited discrimination or harassment disputes requiring workplace investigations as a concern.
  • 43% of Singapore respondents (51% of those in Hong Kong) indicated supply chain vulnerabilities as another key factor hampering their litigation preparedness.

The survey was commissioned by Baker McKenzie.

*across Brazil, Hong Kong, Germany, the UK, the US, and Singapore, selected from a diverse range of sectors at industry-leading multinationals (ranging from US$500m to over US$50bn in turnover)