39 Essex Chambers Welcomes Two New Leading International Members

39 Essex Chambers is delighted to announce that The Honourable Wayne Martin AC QC and Swee Im Tan have joined Chambers as door tenants.

The Honourable Wayne Martin AC QC was Chief Justice of Western Australia between 2006 and his retirement from the bench in July 2018. Prior to his appointment he practised at the Western Australian Bar in the field of commercial litigation, mainly involving disputes in the mining, energy, resources, construction and financial sectors. His practice included international and domestic arbitration. As Chief Justice he created and managed the Arbitration List of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and he has published many decisions in that field (and others).

Before taking judicial office, he held a number of elected positions such as president of the Western Australian Bar Association, chairman of the Law Reform Commission, president of the Law Society and Director of the Law Council of Australia. In 2012, he was appointed as a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his eminent service to the judiciary and the state's legal system.

He is a qualified and experienced mediator and at 39 Essex Chambers will be taking appointments as an international arbitrator and mediator.

Swee Im Tan's practice focuses on the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors. Her extensive experience ranges from the early procurement strategy stage, to contract drafting, advisory during the project life, through to dispute resolution. She regularly sits as arbitrator and adjudicator, in addition to her many years as counsel in arbitrations and adjudications. Her appointments are institutional as well as party agreed. Swee was called to the Bar in 1987 in Middle Temple and has practised for many years as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya. She is a consultant at Tan Swee Im, Siva & Partners, a legal firm in Malaysia which she founded.

Swee is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators, a Fellow of the Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, a Fellow of the Malaysian Society of Adjudicators, a Fellow of the Dispute Board Federation an arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator on the panel of the Asian International Arbitration Centre, a qualified adjudicator, a Malaysia Construction Industry Development Board Accredited Mediator, and holds a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration.

Swee will be based primarily at 39 Essex Chambers' Kuala Lumpur office and will be accepting appointments, internationally, as arbitrator and adjudicator.

With such distinguished careers, the arrival of Wayne and Swee at 39 Essex Chambers greatly enhances the set's ability and commitment to continue to bring the high quality, specialised, skills of the members to clients based outside of the UK.

39 Essex Chambers Chief Executive Lindsay Scott says:

"We are thrilled to welcome Wayne and Swee to Chambers. We continue to see an increasing demand for our services in the Asia Pacific and the addition of Wayne and Swee, both renowned international arbitrators, will further develop the strength of our offering in the region and elsewhere overseas."