Events

Event Overview

While the Belt & Road initiative is not a new development, recent legal innovations in China may give cause for corporate counsel to consider the attendant risks at play when transacting with Chinese corporates. Very recently, China has launched late last year a new International Commercial Court, and two commercial courts in Xian and Shenzhen to hear and resolve Belt & Road disputes. Corporate counsel from companies that have extensive transactions with China-based corporations ought to know about the hidden risks that could come with such transactions, especially now with these new Chinese courts at the background. Those risks are not limited to Belt & Road initiatives and can arise in other transactions with Chinese companies.

At this workshop, we will cover the emerging trends and developments that point towards key aspects to watch out for when involved in a Belt & Road transaction and similar transactions. We will explore with Corporate Counsel ways to mitigate the attendant risks at play including dispute prevention strategies, and project management techniques where Belt & Road and similar disputes do arise, including managing such disputes in efficient ways that would make full use of the tactical advantages that could be found in international dispute resolution frameworks. In this regard, there are important considerations around how Singapore as a strategic neutral seat could play a role in managing such risks.

This event is strictly for in-house counsel only.

Programme

4:45pm - 5:15pm Registration

5:15pm - 7:00pm WORKSHOP: Mitigating Risks of Transactions with Chinese Corporates

7:00pm - 7:30pm Networking & Refreshments

Speaker Profiles

Francis Goh

Partner

Head of International Arbitration

Eversheds Harry Elias

Francis heads the International Arbitration Practice Group. His practice includes all forms of dispute resolution covering arbitration, litigation and mediation.

He has more than twenty-five years of experience handling arbitration cases including areas of commercial contracts, infrastructure and construction disputes involving insurance claims, shipping claims and the associated applications to Court. He has acted as lead counsel in arbitrations under the SIAC, HKIAC, LMAA and ICC Rules. He has been retained by overseas corporations expanding into Singapore/Southeast Asia, local SMEs expanding beyond Singapore, as well as listed companies and MNCs as their legal advisor with a particular emphasis on legal processes to identify risks and manage disputes.

He also been approached by foreign counsels from UK, US, Canada, Norway, India, Indonesia, Australia, Taiwan and Kazakhstan to provide specialist views, advice and/or assistance on aspects of Singapore law, as well as provide expert testimony on Singapore law in foreign courts.

Francis is an accredited Principal Mediator with the Singapore Mediation Centre. Francis is a Fellow with the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) and is currently serving on their council as Honorary Secretary. He is also the Chairman of the SIArb Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee.

Shaun Leong

Of Counsel

Eversheds Harry Elias

Shaun is an Of Counsel with the International Arbitration, Litigation and Dispute management group. Shaun served as a Magistrate and Registrar of the Supreme Court of Singapore for five years, where he decided matters in a wide range of complex cross-border commercial disputes. He was the Head of the Court of Appeal Section, and Secretariat of the Singapore International Commercial Court. After serving in the Courts, he practiced in major cross border disputes and international arbitration throughout the Asia Pacific Region with offshore magic circle firms for four years prior to joining the firm.

Shaun focuses on commercial disputes in common and civil law jurisdictions and provides representation and strategic advice for clients engaged in international commercial arbitration and dispute resolution at international commercial courts.

Shaun is an accredited International Arbitrator and Mediator of the Global Mediation and Conciliation Network.

Janice Lee

Foreign Legal Associate

Eversheds Harry Elias

Janice is a member of the firm’s International Arbitration team. She has handled international arbitration matters under the SIAC, ICC and HKIAC Rules, representing international and local clients in disputes involving commercial contracts, sale and purchase agreements, construction, and energy.

Prior to joining Eversheds Harry Elias, she worked with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre where, among others, she was responsible for the administration and management of arbitrations conducted under the SIAC Rules and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.

Previously, she was an associate with a top-tier law firm in the Philippines where she specialised in commercial and public interest disputes. She has also clerked for the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Janice is qualified to practice in the Philippines, the State of New York, and England & Wales.