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Steven Lim
Year of call: 1992
“A vastly experienced arbitrator who is very well respected across Asia” Chambers and Partners 2022
Steven is an arbitrator and barrister. He has over 100 appointments as presiding, sole, co-arbitrator and emergency arbitrator, seated in Singapore, England, USA, India, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. He is also instructed as lead counsel in arbitrations. He is a member of the English and Singapore bars.
He has extensive experience with SIAC, ICC, ICDR, SCMA, KCAB, UNCITRAL Rules, and ad hoc cases involving Indo-Pacific jurisdictions and farther afield, and is on the SIAC, HKIAC, ICDR, KCAB, JCAA, CIETAC and SHAC panels, amongst many others.
He has extensive experience with disputes and parties from across the world including Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, USA, Peru, UK, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Hungary, Russia, BVI, Rwanda, and South Africa.
He has experience with a broad range of commercial disputes covering private equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, share options, agency, licensing, internet gaming, hotel management, coal, mineral, agricultural commodities and trading contracts, mining, oil and gas, energy, offshore engineering, ship and rig building, and construction projects.
Steven is recommended as “the perfect arbitrator”, “his awards are well-reasoned and clear”, “an extremely effective arbitrator, he manages cases very well, instilled confidence in the parties and demonstrates confidence, competence and ability in dealing with cases, both a pleasant and effective tribunal member”, “all the representatives and parties came away thinking they got a very good and fair hearing”, “he is very good at getting to gripes with legal areas”, “he is always on top of his cases and has a very good judgment and excellent manner”, “a fair-minded and extremely capable arbitrator”, “an excellent arbitrator who is very balanced”, “a highly respected figure across the gamut of APAC-related commercial disputes”, “an outstanding up-and-coming superstar with a nice and sensible manner”, and “an excellent counsel with excellent understanding of law and great commercial insight”.
Areas of expertise
International Arbitration (as Arbitrator)
"He is an extremely effective arbitrator. He manages cases very well, instilled confidence in the parties and demonstrates confidence, competence and ability in dealing with cases, both a pleasant and effective tribunal member" Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023
Steven sits as presiding, co-arbitrator and emergency arbitrator and has extensive experience with SIAC, ICC, ICDR, SCMA, KCAB, UNCITRAL rules, and ad hoc cases covering Indo-Pacific jurisdictions and farther afield, seated in Singapore, England, USA, India, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam, in a broad range of commercial, corporate, construction and energy disputes.
Cases of note
- ICC arbitration - Co-arbitrator in a US$120m million English law governed arbitration seated in Singapore between Asian and African parties concerning construction of coal-fired power plant.
- ICC arbitration - Co-arbitrator in a US$55m million Sri Lanka law governed arbitration seated in London between PRC and Sri Lankan parties involving the construction of a commercial development in Sri Lanka.
- ICC arbitration - Sole arbitrator in a US$21m million Singapore law governed arbitration seated in Singapore between US, Dutch and Malaysian parties concerning a master supply agreement for the supply of medical equipment.
- ICC arbitration - Presiding arbitrator in US$4 million Singapore law governed arbitration seated in Singapore between South Korean and Hungarian parties concerning the supply of biosimilar pharmaceutical products.
- SIAC Arbitration - Presiding arbitrator in a US$40 million Indian law governed arbitration seated in Singapore between PRC and Indian parties involving the supply of port machinery.
- SIAC Arbitration - Co-arbitrator in US$200m million Singapore /People’s Republic of China PRC law governed commodities warehousing arbitration seated in Singapore between PRC and Singapore parties.
Commercial
“An excellent counsel with excellent understanding of law and great commercial insight.” Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2021
Steven is instructed as lead counsel in international commercial arbitrations including under SIAC, ICC, SCMA, and UNCITRAL rules covering Asia-Pacific jurisdictions and farther afield.
Cases of note
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in US$500 Indonesian law governed Singapore seated arbitration concerning exercise of a put option in a share sale and purchase agreement.
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in US$35m million Indian law governed Singapore seated arbitration over breach of share purchase and shareholders agreements by Japanese investors in an Indian logistics business.
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in US$7 million Vietnamese law governed Singapore seated arbitration over breach of an alleged agreement between Hong Kong and Vietnamese parties to jointly develop residential and service apartment towers in Vietnam.
- SCMA Arbitration - Lead counsel in €13 million English law governed Singapore seated arbitration concerning breach of the maintenance obligations under a vessel time charter between Singapore and Moroccan parties.
- SIAC Arbitration - Co-lead counsel in Indian law governed Singapore seated arbitration involving international private equity funds’ subscription in convertible preference shares in a company managing airport assets in South Asia (more than US$300 million min dispute)
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in US$20 million Singapore law governed Singapore seated arbitration over the exercise of a call option by a Korean investment fund against a Vietnamese real estate developer under a Singapore law governed shareholders’ agreement.
- SIAC Arbitration - Co-lead counsel in US$173 million English law governed Singapore seated arbitration over the breach of a settlement deed involving UK and Indonesian parties.
Energy and Natural Resources
“A respected arbitrator with extensive experience handling commercial arbitrations in the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors.” The Legal 500 2019
Steven appears as lead counsel in energy and natural resources arbitrations including under SIAC, ICC, SCMA and UNCITRAL rules covering Asia-Pacific jurisdictions and farther afield.
Cases of note
- SCMA Arbitration - Lead counsel in Singapore seated US$200 million arbitration over buyer’s termination of an English law governed rig building contract for construction delays and delay in renewing refund guarantees between Norwegian and Singapore parties.
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in Singapore seated US$11 million arbitration over defects in construction of self-elevating platform.
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in Singapore seated S$20m arbitration concerning construction of a power plant in Singapore between US and Singapore parties.
- SIAC arbitration - Lead counsel in Singapore seated arbitration concerning a joint operating and farmout agreement for an onshore oil exploration project.
- UNCITRAL arbitration - Co-lead counsel in related London seated arbitrations concerning gas sales and transportation agreements between Singapore and Indonesian parties.
- ICC Arbitration - Co-lead counsel in Paris seated arbitration over civil works for petrochemical plant between Japanese and Singapore parties.
- ICC Arbitration - Co-lead counsel in Singapore seated arbitration over construction of a polymer advanced material compounding plan in Southeast Asia between Belgium and Australian parties.
Construction
“A lawyer par excellence, Steven is always very well read and prepared for his matters. He understands the construction and infrastructure space very well. Clients like his solution oriented approach” The Legal 500 2023
Steven appears as lead counsel in construction arbitrations including under SIAC and ICC rules covering Asia-Pacific jurisdictions and farther afield.
Cases of note
- SIAC Arbitration - Lead counsel in Singapore seated SIAC arbitration over tunnelling works for underground transportation project in Southeast Asia.
- ICC Arbitration - Co-lead counsel in Stockholm seated arbitration concerning construction of a class A office building in Eastern Europe.
- Ad hoc arbitration - Lead counsel in Thai seated arbitration concerning construction of elevated frontage roads package for international airport in Southeast Asia.
Recommendations
Steven is noted for his work as an arbitrator and advocate, and his “peers point out his sharp intellect”. His recommendations include:
“He is an extremely effective arbitrator. He manages cases very well, instilled confidence in the parties and demonstrates confidence, competence and ability in dealing with cases, both a pleasant and effective tribunal member” Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023
“I thought Steven managed the case extremely well, and all the representatives and parties came away thinking they got a very good and fair hearing” Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023
“He is very good at getting to grips with the legal areas” Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023
“A lawyer par excellence, Steven is always very well read and prepared for his matters. He understands the construction and infrastructure space very well. Clients like his solution oriented approach” The Legal 500 2023
“Steven is the perfect arbitrator… He is always on top of his cases and has a very good judgement and an excellent manner.” Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2022
“A top-tier arbitrator who “meticulously understands each aspect of the case”” Who’s Who Legal Southeast Asia – Arbitration 2022
“A vastly experienced arbitrator who is very well respected across Asia.” Chambers and Partners 2022
“An outstanding up-and-coming superstar with a nice and very sensible manner.” Chambers and Partners 2022
“Steven is a fair-minded and extremely capable arbitrator… He is highly sought after.” Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2022
“He is always on top of his cases, has excellent judgement and is very knowledgeable” The Legal 500 2022
“A popular choice…highly regarded particularly for China-related arbitrations.” Chambers and Partners 2022
“His cross-examination is par excellence” Who’s Who Legal Southeast Asia – Arbitration 2022
“An excellent counsel with excellent understanding of law and great commercial insight.” Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2021
“An excellent arbitrator who is very balanced… He has a thorough and thoughtful approach to cases.” Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2021
“Highly respected figure across the gamut of APAC-related commercial disputes.” Who’s Who Legal SEA 2021
“A respected arbitrator with extensive experience handling commercial arbitrations in the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors.” The Legal 500 2019
