Chan Leng Sun SC

Leng Sun is a Senior Counsel of the Supreme Court of Singapore and a Chartered Arbitrator practicing with Duxton Hill Chambers. He is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the KCAB International Arbitration Court. He is formerly the Global Head of Arbitration of Baker McKenzie, President of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) and Deputy Chairman of Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). He is a member of the Securities Industry Council which administers the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers. Leng Sun is also an Independent Director of Keppel DC REIT Management Pte. Ltd.

Leng Sun is qualified in Malaysia, Singapore and England. He has a broad commercial practice and has acted as counsel or sat as arbitrator in arbitrations seated in Asia, Europe and USA under ad hoc and institutional rules, such as ICC, SIAC, AIAC, SCMA, LMAA, ICDR, CIETAC, HKIAC, KCAB and UNCITRAL rules. He is 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 is a Specialist Mediator of the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC). He is also appointed to the inaugural SCMA-SIMC Maritime Mediators Panel and the International Mediation Panel of KCAB International.

He has taught at the Law Schools of the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Management University, and given lectures at other universities such as Peking University, Harvard University, Columbia University and Yonsei University. 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, Arbitral Awards and Co-Editor of Conflict of Laws in Arbitration. He has contributed chapters for numerous treatises, such as Tetley’s Marine Cargo Claims (4th Ed), 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).

He is recognized among the top lawyers and arbitrators worldwide by legal directories.

Leng Sun was conferred the Public Service Medal by the President of Singapore in 2023.

Leng Sun graduated with 1^st Class Hons from University of Malaya and holds a LLM from University of Cambridge. He was a Kuok Foundation scholar and a Pegasus Cambridge scholar.

• 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. A further judgment of over USD124 million was awarded in 2023 and upheld by the Appellate Division in Group Lease Holdings Pte Ltd & Anor v JTrust Asia Pte Ltd [2023] SGHC(A) 37. 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 for successful defendant in a leading case on a claim by the issuer of a letter of credit against the beneficiary arising out of a sale-and-buyback when the buyer became insolvent, in UniCredit Bank AG v Glencore Singapore Pte Ltd [2023] SGCA 41.
• 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 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 and in numerous arbitration-related litigation in court.

• Dispute arising from EU sanctions against Russia.
• Dispute arising from contracts for the supply of solar panels.
• Dispute in oil & gas industry and offshore structure works
• Dispute arising from property development in various countries, e.g. China and Cambodia
• Dispute arising from telecommunications projects in Myanmar
• Dispute arising from sale and purchase of various commodities e.g. optical fiber, coal, metals and oil
• Dispute over the design and construction of a goods manufacturing facility
• Dispute over carbon trading
• Dispute over an international distribution agreement
• Dispute arising from contract to manage a hospital in Philippines
• Dispute arising from sale and purchase of pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment
• Numerous arbitrations relating to shipping and maritime disputes
• Numerous arbitrations relating to joint venture agreements and shareholders’ disputes

• Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) - Panel of Arbitrators
• Beijing Arbitration Commission/Beijing International Arbitration Centre (BAC/BIAC) – Panel of Arbitrators
• Chartered Arbitrator
• China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) – Panel of Arbitrators
• China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC) - Panel of Arbitrators
• Durham International Dispute Resolution Institute – Advisory Board
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) – Panel of Arbitrators
• ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR – Member
• International Centre for Dispute Resolution - Panel of Arbitrators
• Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA) – Advisory Board
• Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB International) - Member of International Arbitration Court, Panel of Arbitrators and International Mediation Panel
• Qingdao Arbitration Commission (QAC) – Panel Arbitrator
• Securities Industry Council – Member
• SGX Appeals Committee – Deputy Chairman
• Shanghai International Arbitration Center (SHIAC) – Panel of Arbitrators and International Mediation Panel
• Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) - Panel of Arbitrators
• Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration – Singapore International Mediation Centre (SCMA-SIMC) – Maritime Mediators Panel
• Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) – Former President, Fellow
• Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)- Panel Arbitrator, former Deputy Chairman and Member of SIAC Court
• Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) – Working Group Member
• Singapore International Mediation Center (SIMC) – Specialist Mediator Panel
• Xi’an Arbitration Commission (XAC) – Panel of Arbitrators

• Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malay – 1989
• Advocate and Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore – 1993
• Solicitor, England & Wales – 1997

• Master of Laws, University of Cambridge 1990
• Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), University of Malaya 1988

Chambers Asia & Pacific Guide 2026: Dispute Resolution: Most in Demand Arbitrators - Singapore (Band 2)

Chan Leng Sun SC of Duxton Hill Chambers (Singapore Group Practice) has earned market recognition for handling complex and high-value arbitration proceedings across the region.

Who’s Who Legal/Lexology – Commercial Litigation - Thought Leaders 2021 – 2025

 “Among the very best disputes lawyers in the world”.

Who’s Who Legal/Lexology – Arbitration – Thought Leaders 2025

“So great he makes me want to move to Duxton Hill Chambers”

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"

“Our go-to choice of Arbitrator for an important case,”

“He’s worth every single cent he charges.” 

Chambers and Partners, 2024, 2025, Global – Singapore –  Dispute Resolution: Most in Demand Arbitrators 

“He is calm and well suited for this kind of heavy case.”

Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2025 – Singapore: Dispute Resolution: Most in Demand Arbitrators

"Chan Leng Sun SC is very academically sound, has a very good manner and is quick on his feet. He is efficient in making decisions and is also a good guy."

"His written work is really impressive. He is really top-notch quality and I would definitely recommend him for advocate and arbitrator work."

Legal 500 2025, Regional International Arbitration – The Bar: Shipping and Commodities (Leading Silks: Tier 2)

‘An extremely sharp silk.’

Legal 500 2025, Asia-Pacific: Regional International Arbitration: Arbitrators (Leading Silks: Tier 1)

ALB Asia’s Super 50 Dispute Lawyers award 2021 – 2024

“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.”

Chambers Asia Pacific 2017

“I can recommend him strongly. He’s one of the best arbitrators and practitioners in arbitration.”

• Public Service Medal
• Kuok Foundation Scholar
• Pegasus Cambridge Scholar
• Honorary Shell Scholar
• Singapore Academy of Law Merit Award
• Academy Publishing Decade Award
• Ministry of Social and Family Outstanding Volunteer Award