Jeffrey Lim is a TMT and IP lawyer who specialises Information Technology, data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data governance, and IT procurement and regulatory clearance.
He has worked with clients who operate in multiple industries and across multiple jurisdictions. Whether it is national infrastructural projects and initiatives, or building, enhancing or maintaining multinational compliance and enforcement programs, or managing global intellectual property asset portfolios, Jeffrey has cultivated a track record of matters which include investments into, and the design and structuring of complex and current tip-of-the-spear innovation.
The Asia-Pacific Legal 500 quotes from interviewees, “Jeffrey Lim is an experienced lawyer with in-depth and good technical and insights in the contracts he handles and advises on. He has a good business sense and is able to advise in-house counsels what will happen around the corner. This enables the in-house team to be well- prepared with their planning.”; “Jeffrey Lim stands out on PDPA matters. He is also an IT savvy Tech lawyer”; And “Jeffrey Lim with the unparalleled dedication to any work committed.”
Jeffrey is a Senior Accredited Specialist in Data & Digital Economy Law under the Singapore Academy of Law Specialist Accreditation Scheme, as a Senior Accredited Specialist in Data and Digital Economy Law. The scheme recognises the high level of proficiency of legal practitioners in their chosen practice area and provides the legal industry and general public with a reliable means of identifying and accessing legal practitioners who have proven themselves as possessing the requisite skills and knowledge in a practice area.
Jeffrey has won awards by the Lexology International Law Office Client Choice Awards, Best Lawyers, in each case for fields in IP or Technology law. He has been recognized and recommended by publications such as Legal 500, World Trademark Review, Managing IP and others.
Jeffrey’s core expertise is in designing and executing legal solutions, advice and strategies in all matters relating to technology whether this in respect of commercial or litigious matters, and whether this is in the fields of digital technology (such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, fintech, industry 4.0. mobile solutions, e-commerce), in telecommunications, media, healthcare, life sciences, human biomedical research governance, or in research & development.
Jeffrey spent some years as in-house counsel at a global multinational technology company, an experience he credits as giving him front-line business experience and a greater appreciation and practice of commercial acumen, and the vital importance of priorities and business realities.
Jeffrey is an active leader in communities of practice, and has written extensively including in the areas of data protection:
- “Did Singapore Solve Copyright Issues in the Training of AI models?”, Aug 2023
- “Black Cates & Generative A.I. – How LLMs are looked at from a Copyright perspective”, Oct 2023
- SCS-IMDA AI Ethics Body of Knowledge, v1.0 (contributor), v 1.1 (reviewer)
- “When Data Transfer Borders Tighten: What can data trusts bring to the Table?”, Personal Data Protection Digest 2022 published by PDPC;
- “Fostering Data Sharing and Innovation Whilst Maintaining Legal Safeguards”, Personal Data Protection Digest 2021 published by PDPC;
- “Implementing Data Breach Programmes: Understanding Nuances in Practice and the Personal Data Protection Act”, Personal Data Protection Digest 2020 published by PDPC;
- “Artificial Intelligence & the Personal Data Protection Act” Personal Data Protection Digest 2019 published by PDPC;
- “Data Sharing: When Consent is Not Enough”, Personal Data Protection Digest 2018 published by PDPC; and
- “Data Analytics: Considerations when Repurposing Transactional Personal Data” Personal Data Protection Digest 2017 published by PDPC;
Each published by the Singapore Personal Data Protection Commission.
He has also authored and led feedback given to both public and private consultations by regulatory authorities on legal reform and development.
Qualifications and Appointments
- Senior Accredited Specialist in Data & Digital Economy Law – Singapore Academy of Law
- CAIEG (Certificate of AI Ethics & Governance), NTU
- LLB (Honours), University of Bristol
- Barrister-at-law, England & Wales (Gray’s Inn) (non-practising)
- Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore
- Member of Singapore Academy of Law IT Roadmap Working Group
- Vice-Chair, Singapore Law Society Cybersecurity & Data Protection Committee 2023, (Vice-Chair, 2016-2019, Co-chair 2020, Chair 2021-22)
- Member, Singapore Law Society IT Committee
- Member of Law Legal Technology Cluster Committee and the Innovation Advisory Board, Singapore Academy of Law, 2016-present
- Honorary Legal Advisor for Singapore Computer Society
- Member of the accreditation panel of the Accreditation Committee, Singapore Institute of Legal Education
