Christopher CHUAH is a Partner in the Infrastructure, Construction & Engineering, International Arbitration, China and Myanmar Practices. In January 2018, Christopher was amongst the inaugural batch of select practitioners to be appointed Senior Accredited Specialist in Building and Construction Law by the Singapore Academy of Law.

His main areas of practice encompass both front-end drafting/advice and construction disputes, in litigation, arbitration and statutory adjudication. He is a leading light in the field of building and construction law and has authored various books on this subject. He is one of the General Editors of the Singapore Construction Adjudication Review.

Christopher is a legal advisor to the Singapore Contractors Association Limited ("SCAL"), Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) as well as a member of the Committee for International Construction and Building Contracts. He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, as well as the Chartered Institute of Building. He has also been appointed to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre's Main Panel of Arbitrators and is also on the Panel of Arbitrators of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). Christopher is an accredited adjudicator under the Building & Construction Industry Security of Payment Act (Cap 30B), who is part of the first group of such appointments. He is a member of the Construction Adjudicator Accreditation Committee which was formed by the Singapore Mediation Centre ("SMC") to assist with the training and accreditation of adjudicators. He is also a member and a Senior Adjudicator of the SMC Professional Conduct Panel. Christopher has also been appointed as the Chairman of the sub-committee of SMC’s Construction Adjudicator Accreditation Committee to provide guidance to SMC on issues relating to the replacement of adjudicators and conflicts of interest that may arise in the course of administration of cases under the Building and Construction lndustry Security of Payment Act.

Christopher is an Adjunct Associate Professor in construction law at the Law Faculty of the National University of Singapore.

Christopher also has extensive experience in overseas and international projects. He had recently sat as Chairman of a Dispute Adjudication Board to hear disputes in excess of MYR 1 billion arising out of a power plant project in Malaysia and acted for an international contractor in challenging the enforceability of a DAB decision arising out of a geothermal project in the Philippines.

Christopher graduated from the London School of Economics. He is admitted to the English Bar and to the Singapore Bar. Apart from a law degree, Christopher has a Diploma in Surveying (Distinction) from the College of Estate Management, Reading, UK.

Matters of significance in which Christopher has been involved in include acting for the following:

  • Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. in the development of a new runway at Changi Airport, Singapore.
  • Pontiac Land Group in its development of the Rah Falhu Huraa Islands in the Maldives ("Development"). The Development includes the reclamation of four separate islands as well as the construction of three luxury hotels and a staff campus on those islands. The hotels are to be operated by Ritz-Carlton, Patina and Capella. The estimated value of the Development is US$500 million. WongPartnership’s involvement in the Development since its inception include advising on and drafting consultancy agreements and construction contracts for the reclamation works as well as the construction of the hotels and staff campus and other related agreements and project advisory work.
  • Singapore Institute of Technology ("SIT") in the development and proposed erection of the SIT Campus at Punggol North, including review of the consultancy agreements, main contract and nominated subcontract tender documentation as well as advice on contractual claim issues and ongoing project and claims advisory services. The project comprises of two major development packages with an estimated site area inclusive of open spaces and a community park of 11 hectares.
  • A private education institution in providing advisory works (including risk mitigation measures) and reviewing contractual and tender documents in respect of its S$400 million campus upgrading project.
  • A Thai joint venture company comprising a wholly owned subsidiary of a public company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in an ICC international arbitration proceedings involving a multibillion-baht dispute arising out of the construction of a Waste-to-Energy power plant project valued at approximately THB$1.8 billion based on a FIDIC standard form of contract. The claims and counterclaims involve highly contentious factual matrix and complex issues relating to termination, delay and disruption, technical defects as well as legal remedies requiring expert evidence from a total of 12 experts.
  • A leading Chinese main contractor in an SIAC arbitration seated in Singapore commenced by a developer in respect of a dispute arising out of a building contract based on a FIDIC standard form of contract for a major commercial mixed-development project in Cambodia concerning claims for damages for alleged delays and wrongful termination of contract, with an estimated disputed amount in the excess of US$100 million. The governing law of the building contract was Cambodian law.

Related Practices

  • China
  • Infrastructure, Construction & Engineering
  • International Arbitration
  • Myanmar
  • Chambers Global Practice Guides - Public Procurement and Government Contracts 2020
  • Contract Administration Guide to the REDAS Design and Build Conditions of Contract
  • Annotated Guide to the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004
  • Annotated Guide to the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004
  • Contractor's Working Manual on Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract for Construction Works
  • Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract for Design and Build – A Commentary and Standard Form of Sub-Contracts – An Annotation
  • Conditions of Appointment for Consultants in Design and Build Projects

Recognised as a Global Leader and a National Leader in Southeast Asia for Construction in the recent edition of Who’s Who Legal 2021, Christopher is highly regarded for his areas of expertise. He is a Top Ranked Lawyer for Construction in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021 and recognised as a Highly Regarded Lawyer in IFLR1000: Financial & Corporate 2022.

He is a Leading Individual in Construction and Recommended Lawyer in Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration in The Legal 500: Asia Pacific 2021. He is also recognised as one of the Litigation Stars in Benchmark Litigation 2021 and was featured in Arbitration and Mediation, as well as Construction Law in Best Lawyers 2022.

Named an External Counsel of the Year in Singapore, as part of Asian-mena Counsel’s annual Representing Corporate Asia and Middle East Survey 2013, Christopher was singled out for his "expertise in construction disputes". Known as a "pre-eminent practitioner" with "deep knowledge of the field", he was also distinguished as a leading Arbitration practitioner in the Chinese market and was commended for being "very, very strong" in international arbitrations concerning construction disputes in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2015 and Chambers Global 2015.

Contact Details

Career & Qualifications

London School of Economics (LL.B., Hons.) College of Estate Management, Reading (Diploma in Surveying, Distinction) Lincoln's Inn (Barrister-at-Law)

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