CHOU Sean Yu is the Managing Partner of WongPartnership and Head of the Firm's Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. He is also the Head of the Banking & Financial Disputes Practice and a Partner in the International Arbitration, Financial Services Regulatory and Malaysia Practices.

Sean Yu’s main practice areas are banking & trade finance disputes, insolvency & restructuring, corporate fraud, investigations & asset recovery, financial services regulatory, commercial & corporate disputes, shareholder litigation, tort & contractual claims and domestic & international arbitration.

Sean Yu frequently sits as an arbitrator and is on the Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre ("SIAC"), the Asian International Arbitration Centre, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, the Maldives International Arbitration Centre, the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association, the Hainan International Arbitration Court and the Russian Arbitration Center at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration. A Chartered Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a former Chairman of the Board of its Singapore Branch, Sean Yu is also a Fellow of the Insolvency Practitioners Association of Singapore. He is also appointed to the Specialist Mediator Panel of the Singapore International Mediation Centre.

Sean Yu graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Bristol and is admitted to the English Bar (Middle Temple) and to the Singapore Bar. He was a Justices' Law Clerk with the Singapore Supreme Court before entering into private practice.

Matters of significance in which Sean has been involved in include advising / acting for the following:

  • Defending an arbitration claim by an international oil & gas company with claims totalling US$500 million concerning production contracts of coalbed gas methane projects in the PRC.
  • Defending an international financial institution in relation to claims relating to the distribution of credit-linked structured notes.
  • A satellite TV group in an arbitration dispute which culminated in awards for over US$230 million and resulted in several high-profile enforcement challenges across Asia.
  • Defending an international private equity firm in a multi-jurisdictional shareholders dispute arising from a US$260 million leveraged buy-out of a technology company.
  • A Singapore-listed company in a minority oppression action concerning a S$80 million electrical products company.
  • An international private bank in a cross-border enforcement of banking facilities of over US$200 million.

Related Practices

  • Banking & Financial Disputes
  • Financial Services Regulatory
  • International Arbitration
  • Malaysia
  • Global Arbitration Review – The Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review 2026 – Singapore Chapter
  • Chambers Global Practice Guide – International Arbitration 2025 (10th Edition) – Law & Practice Q&A section
  • Global Arbitration Review – A Guide to Investment Treaty Protection and Enforcement 2nd Edition – Chapter on Accessing Investment Treaty Protection: The Investor’s Perspective
  • Global Arbitration Review – The Guide to Advocacy 7th Edition – Chapter on Cultural Considerations in Advocacy: East Meets West
  • The Legal 500 International Arbitration Comparative Guide 2025 9th Edition – Chapter on Perceptions of Impartiality – Apparent Bias in Arbitration and Challenges to Awards
  • Contributor to Singapore Civil Procedure 2025
  • Contributor to Halsbury's Law of Singapore on Finance and Banking.

The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client’s Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession

"Chou Sean Yu is a great leader. Good strategic input and very intelligent."

Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific

  • International Arbitration – Singapore: Litigation Star
  • Commercial and Transaction – Singapore: Litigation Star

Best Lawyers

Recognised in Singapore for:

  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Litigation

Lexology Index

  • Global Elite Thought Leader in Client Choice – Banking: Singapore
  • Global Leader in Banking – Regulatory: Singapore
  • Global Leader in Arbitration: Singapore
  • Global Leader in Commercial Litigation: Singapore
  • National Leader in Banking: Singapore
  • National Leader in Arbitration: Singapore

Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers

  • Recognised as part of the Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers – Independently rated lawyers list

Contact Details

Qualifications

University of Bristol (LL.B., Hons.)

Middle Temple (Barrister-at-Law)

Singapore Bar

English Bar

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