About this Seminar:-

Singapore’s arbitration landscape continues to witness positive growth with foreign law firms and barrister chambers setting up international arbitration offices in Singapore.

There are also conscious efforts to broaden the spectrum of dispute resolution services evident by the recent launch of the Singapore International Mediation Centre (“SIMC”) and the standard-setting Singapore International Mediation Institute (“SIMI”). Interestingly, the SIMC will be offering an Arb-Med-Arb Protocol, placing an “arbitration facet” on the mediation procedure. The speaker will discuss his thoughts on how this protocol will complement or impede arbitration practice. Singapore's growth has often been attributed to the support of the judiciary - being courts hesitant to set aside international arbitration awards. In 2014, it had done so in at least 2 international cases.

The speaker will share his observations and insights on some of these judicial decisions, and will consider if there be any trend and best practices being adopted by the Singapore courts of late. Notable decisions deserving comment will include the protracted case of PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (Persero) TBK v CRW Joint Operation (Indonesia) and another matter [2014] SGHC 146 in its second round of setting aside application before the High Court. The speaker will also examine novel issues raised in HP Construction & Engineering Pte Ltd v Chin Ivan [2014] SGHC 137, and PT Central Investindo v Franciscus Wongso and others and another matter [2014] SGHC 190. He will also consider the court’s “generous approach” in determining setting aside applications in the Court of Appeal’s decision in BLB and Anor v BLC and Ors [2014] SGCA 40 and the High Court’s decision in AKM v AKN and another and other matters [2014] SGHC 148. If there be any trend on the court’s approach, he will discuss whether this accords with the judicial approaches adopted in other Model Law jurisdictions.  

Seminar Programme:-  

About the Speaker: 

Prof Lawrence Boo is the author of “Halsbury’s Laws of Singapore Volume 1(2) - Arbitration” (LexisNexis 2011 Re-issue), the chapter on Singapore in the book “International Handbook on Commercial Arbitration” (Kluwer 1996, 2002 and 2011 Supplements) and the regular contributor to the “Annual Review of Singapore” chapter on “Arbitration” since 2001. His papers have also been published in various international journals including the Journal of International Arbitration, Asian International Arbitration Journal, Asia Business Law Review, Chinese Yearbook of Private International and Comparative Law (Peking University Press), Dispute Resolution Journal (London) and the Asian Business Lawyer (Korea University). He is on the editorial board of the Oxford International Arbitration Series, (Oxford University Press) and a General Editor of the Asian International Arbitration Journal. 

The “UNCITRAL Digest on the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration 2012” is his latest published work which he completed (with Prof Frederic Bachand and Dr Stefan Kroll) in July 2012. Consistently ranked as one of Asia’s most “in demand” “leading individuals” in international arbitration from 2008 to 2013, Prof Boo has sat as arbitrator in more than 200 cases in many jurisdictions and written numerous awards. He has recently been designated by Singapore to serve on the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators. 

About the Chairperson:

Dinesh practices international arbitration and litigation. He has acted as lead counsel in international arbitration for global multinational corporations in the telecommunication, airline, hotel, commodities, construction and projects industries. Apart from corporates, he has also represented sovereign states in international arbitration cases. He has represented clients in landmark cases before the Singapore courts relating to jurisdiction of arbitral tribunals, challenges to arbitration awards and attempts to resist enforcement of foreign arbitration awards. Dinesh has represented multinational companies in cases before the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal relating to corporate, employment, entertainment and property disputes. He has also acted for statutory boards in judicial review cases. Dinesh was called to the Singapore Bar in 1995. In 2004, he obtained the Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration from the National University of Singapore. He is recommended for his expertise in international arbitration and commercial litigation in leading publications, such as Chambers Global and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific where he has been described as “outstanding”, a “well respected litigator” and is “strong on strategy and case management”. He is a Fellow and Council Member of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators.

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