Episode 18 – Steven Lim and Weina Ye

Steven Lim and Weina Ye.

Steven Lim speaks with Weina Ye, International Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei, in his third conversation with Chinese arbitration practitioners on Chinese perspectives on international arbitration. Steven and Weina discuss unique aspects of the Chinese arbitration system – the concept of “foreign related elements” and the related issue of whether foreign arbitration institutions can administer arbitrations in the PRC. They talk about the difference between the Chinese concept of court supervision over an arbitration and the seat or place of arbitration under the Model Law (also implicit in the New York Convention) and the confusion this engenders when transposing the concept of seat into the Chinese context.

Steven Lim is an arbitrator and barrister at 39 Essex Chambers. He has over 25 years’ experience in international dispute resolution and arbitration in Asia. He sits as presiding, sole, co-arbitrator and emergency arbitrator, is a panel arbitrator with the SIAC, HKIAC, ICDR, KCAB, JCAA, CAAI, AIAC and THAC and has sat in ICC, SCMA, LMAA, UNCITRAL Rules and ad hoc cases. He has had over 65 appointments as arbitrator in international cases. He also appears as lead counsel in international arbitrations and is a specialist mediator with the SIMC.

Weina Ye is an international partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei Joint Operation Office in Shanghai. She specialises in international arbitration and dispute resolution of China-related disputes, and has represented Chinese and multinational clients in international arbitration cases conducted under the HKIAC, SIAC, ICC, CIETAC, SCC and UNCITRAL Rules. She is qualified in practise in English & Wales and the PRC (currently non-practising).