CHAN LENG SUN SC
lschan@duxtonhill.net
Arbitration & related court applications
Commercial and corporate disputes
Court litigation
International trade, transport & commodities
Professional Practice
Leng Sun is a Senior Counsel of the Supreme Court of Singapore. He is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR. He is formerly the Global Head of Arbitration of an international law firm, President of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) and the Deputy Chairman of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. He is the Deputy Chairman of the SGX Appeals Board.
Leng Sun is qualified in Malaysia, Singapore and England. He has a broad commercial practice that covers technical disputes, maritime law (including sea, air and land transportation), international trade, insurance and company law. Leng Sun has acted as counsel or sat as arbitrator in arbitrations seated in Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, China, Korea, Malaysia, London and USA under ad hoc and institutional rules such as ICC, SIAC, SCMA, LMAA, ICDR, CIETAC, HKIAC and KCAB rules. He is a Chartered Arbitrator and a Chairperson of the arbitration panel jointly appointed by the EU and Korea under the protocol on cultural cooperation of the Korea-EU FTA. He had also served as a legal officer of the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva.
Leng Sun was a lecturer at the National University of Singapore Law School from 1990 to 1993, teaching Shipping Law, International Business Transactions and Contract Law. He started the Arbitration course in the Singapore Management University Law School and taught as an adjunct in 2009 and 2010. Leng Sun is a member of the Programme Advisory Committee of the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Law School and the International Advisory Board of the Durham International Dispute Resolution Institute.
Leng Sun is the author of the book, Singapore Law on Arbitral Awards and Co-Editor of Conflict of Laws in Arbitration.
Leng Sun is the Singapore country contributor to Tetley’s Marine Cargo Claims (4th Ed). He has contributed chapters for numerous treatises, such as The Role of Arbitration in Shipping Law, published by Oxford University Press (Goldby and Mistellis eds, 2016, The Developing World of Arbitration, published by Hart Publishing (Reyes and Gu eds, 2018) and ASEAN and the Belt and Road Initiative, published by Academy Publishing (Bitas ed, 2021).
ALB Asia’s Super 50 Dispute Lawyers award 2021 - 2023
“Spectacular, with exceptional knowledge and depth of insight”; “extremely personable, quick-witted”; “he is the best there is”.
As arbitrator, “known for his depth of perception and sureness of touch in adjudicating challenging commercial cases.”
As counsel, an “excellent Court room advocate, great tactician and strategist” who “unravels complex issues with ease.”
Who’s Who Legal – Litigation – Thought Leaders 2021 – 2023
“Among the very best disputes lawyers in the world”.
Who’s Who Legal – Arbitration – Global Leader 2021 - 2023
"A true superstar of the Singapore arbitration scene who remains humble and classy at the same time"; “He has extensive experience, vigour and provides excellent advice in complex cases"
“Our go-to choice of Arbitrator for an important case,” “He is an extremely bright and sharp advocate,” “He’s worth every single cent he charges.”
Legal 500 2023, Singapore - International Arbitration
‘Chan Leng Sun SC has a strong technical and academic approach, combined with practical common sense in managing proceedings.’
Chan Leng Sun SC is highly knowledgeable, meticulous, and efficient. In-depth knowledge of Singapore arbitration. Excellent knowledge of international commercial law.
Acritas Stars 2021
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019
“efficient and user-friendly”, “a team player” and “meticulous and persuasive”.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2017
“good at understanding the entirety of the issues that the client wants to solve,” while another simply declares: “I can recommend him strongly. He’s one of the best arbitrators and practitioners in arbitration.”
- Lead counsel representing bunker barge owners in The “Luna” and another appeal [2001] SGCA 84, where the Court of Appeal allowed the bunker barge owners’ appeal in a landmark decision that found that the documents labelled “Bills of Lading” were not true bills of lading that evidenced contracts of carriage or functioned as documents of title.
- Lead counsel for an investor awarded over USD70 million in damages against numerous companies for unlawful conspiracy to cause harm by way of a multi-jurisdictional fraud and misappropriation in JTrust Asia Pte Ltd v Group Lease Holdings Pte Ltd [2020] SGCA 95. Landmark cases on Mareva injunctions pending appeal and post-judgment in JTrust Asia Pte Ltd v Group Lease Holdings Pte Ltd & Ors [2020] SGCA 54; [2021] SGCA 26.
- Lead counsel in Court of Appeal decision that clarifies the law on proof of documents and contractual interpretation in a battle of the forms situation: CIMB v World Fuel Services [2021] SGCA 19.
- Assisted in a successful claim by a water utility corporation against the Republic of Philippines in an UNCITRAL arbitration.
- Lead counsel for sellers of a Japanese company against Korean buyers in an ICC arbitration over a post-acquisition dispute.
- Lead counsel in an arbitration in China between a luxury car manufacturer and a distributor.
- Counsel advising on Singapore arbitration and procedural law in an ongoing investor-State dispute seated in Singapore.
- Lead counsel for an international software payment solutions provider in an arbitration against an electronic payments service provider for wrongful termination of a multi-million dollar project to migrate their existing payments platform.
- Successfully set aside an injunction against a client’s calls on Refund Guarantees issued in connection with a rig construction, clearing the way for payment of close to EUR 100M for the client. Master Marine SA v Labroy Offshore Ltd [ 2012] [2012] 2 SLR 125. Lead counsel in the related arbitration.
- Represented an employer in a dispute valued at close to EUR300mn between contractor and employer for the supply of technology and equipment for a manufacturing plant.
- Represented several companies and obtained a Mareva injunction against a director for breach of fiduciary duties and for control of company assets estimated at several hundred million USD.
- Represented parties in a variety of maritime and shipbuilding disputes, in litigation and arbitration.
1989-1990 | Associate, Raja, Darryl & Loh, Kuala Lumpur |
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1990-1993 | Lecturer, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore |
1994-2011 | Associate/Partner, Ang & Partners, Singapore |
2002-2003 | Legal Officer, United Nations Compensation Commission, Geneva (On sabbatical from Ang & Partners) |
2011-2018 | Principal, Wong & Leow LLC; Global Head of Arbitration, Baker McKenzie |
August 2018 – March 2021 | Senior Counsel and Arbitrator, Essex Court Chambers (Singapore Group Practice) |
Since March 2021 | Senior Counsel and Arbitrator, Duxton Hill Chambers (Singapore Group Practice) |
Chan Leng Sun SC is practising from Chan Leng Sun LLC (UEN No. 201909685G), a limited liability law corporation.