Rajan Chettiar

ProfileRajan Chettiar is a leading family lawyer in Singapore and the founder and managing director of Rajan Chettiar LLC, a boutique practice focused on domestic and international family law. He has practised as an Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore since 1997 and is also called to the Bar in the United Kingdom as a barrister-at-law. Rajan Chettiar combines litigation experience with accredited training in mediation and collaborative practice to deliver pragmatic, child‑centred and settlement‑focused outcomes.Family Lawyer in Singapore & ExpertiseProfessional Background & CredentialsRajan Chettiar trained for six years at one of Singapore’s long-established firms before founding his own practice in April 2003, which operates today as Rajan Chettiar LLC. He is an accredited mediator with the Singapore Mediation Centre, a volunteer mediator in the State Courts’ Centre for Dispute Resolution and the Family Justice Courts, and a Court-appointed Child Representative. He also has formal training in collaborative family practice and holds a master’s degree in counselling, a combination that informs his therapeutic and multi-disciplinary approach to family disputes.Family Practice & Areas Of ExpertiseRajan Chettiar’s practice covers the full spectrum of family law, including divorce, ancillary matters (property division), spousal and child maintenance, care and control and contact disputes, parental relocation, Hague Convention and cross-border child matters, and issues arising at the intersection of family and estate law. He routinely represents clients in contested and consensual processes and is experienced in litigation before the Family Justice Courts and the High Court, as well as in private mediation and collaborative law. His dual focus on legal strategy and family counselling sets him apart as a family lawyer in Singapore who prioritises durable, low-conflict resolutions.Notable Work Over The Past YearOver the past 12 months, Rajan Chettiar and his team have continued to appear in high-profile family proceedings in Singapore’s superior courts. Notably, counsel from Rajan Chettiar LLC acted in an Appellate Division decision delivered on 27 February 2026 dealing with complex ancillary matters and the classification of marriage for asset-division purposes; the judgment considered the application of the ANJ v ANK structured approach and the exception in TNL v TNK.Earlier in the same period the firm also acted in contested High Court family matters on ancillary relief issues where the judges engaged with contemporary principles on dissipation, adverse inference and apportionment of child maintenance. These reported hearings underscore the firm’s continuing exposure to significant legal developments shaping ancillary relief practice in Singapore.Thought Leadership, Speaking & TrainingRajan Chettiar remains active in professional education and dispute-resolution forums. In the past year he has participated in family mediation events and ADR panels, sharing practical guidance on mediator-lawyer collaboration, court-connected mediation and therapeutic approaches to family justice. He has also moderated and spoken at regional LAWASIA conference sessions and at specialist family mediation seminars, reflecting his role as both a practitioner and a contributor to continuing legal education in the region.Mediation, Collaborative Practice & Multi‑Disciplinary WorkAs one of Singapore’s early adopters of collaborative family practice and a long-standing accredited mediator, Rajan Chettiar continues to promote non-adversarial pathways for families seeking separation or divorce. He runs one of the first private mediation ventures in Singapore and regularly works with mental-health, financial and counselling professionals to provide multi-disciplinary support for clients who prefer consensual solutions. This integrated model aims to reduce litigation, protect children’s interests and preserve future family relationships where possible.Community Work & Pro BonoRajan Chettiar maintains an active pro bono practice and volunteers with legal clinics connected to the Family Justice Courts and community justice initiatives. He has served on committees and in voluntary roles within the Law Society and the Singapore Academy of Law, and he continues to take referrals from the Law Society’s Pro Bono Office for clients in financial or social vulnerability. His community commitment complements his professional work and reinforces his child-focused approach to family disputes.Why Specialist Family Expertise Matters In SingaporeFamily law in Singapore is shaped by evolving case law, statutory frameworks and an expanding ecosystem of court-connected mediation and therapeutic justice approaches. Specialist representation is essential when cases involve cross-border elements, complex corporate or trust structures, allegations of dissipation, or sensitive child welfare issues. A practitioner who combines courtroom experience with mediation and counselling skills can guide clients to outcomes that are legally sound, emotionally informed and practicable for family life after separation.Choosing Rajan Chettiar LLCClients instructing Rajan Chettiar benefit from a proven courtroom record, extensive mediation accreditation and a collaborative, counselling-informed methodology that seeks to minimise conflict and preserve dignity. The firm’s boutique size enables senior partner involvement in every matter, while its experience across litigation, mediation and collaborative law ensures clients have realistic, staged pathways to resolution. For complex or emotionally charged family disputes, Rajan Chettiar positions himself as a leading family lawyer in Singapore who brings legal rigor and an outcomes-focused, humane practice to each file.