Lawyers

Mahesh Rai

Mahesh Rai

Work Department

Dispute Resolution

Position

Director, Dispute Resolution;

Deputy Head, Construction & Engineering

Career

Mahesh acts for clients in a broad spectrum of litigation and international arbitration matters.

He has handled disputes spanning many sectors including information technology, telecommunications, oil and gas, shipping, construction and commodities. He is adept at handling complex disputes involving multi-disciplinary technical issues. He has also acted in shareholder and joint venture disputes, employment disputes and fraud claims.

Mahesh graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2008 as a Shaw Foundation Scholar.

In 2009, he earned an LL.M. in International Arbitration & Litigation from University College London (UCL). He was an oralist in the UCL team that was the runner-up in the prestigious Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2009. Mahesh was part of the Drew & Napier team that won the inaugural Essex Court Chambers-Singapore Academy of Law Moot Competition 2012 for Singapore lawyers.

In 2012, Mahesh was also awarded an Excellence in Advocacy Award by the Singapore International Arbitration Academy.

In 2014, the Supreme Court of Singapore appointed Mahesh as Young Amicus Curiae and he assisted the High Court on novel points of law in an appeal involving money laundering. Mahesh was also awarded the Singapore Academy of Law scholarship which enabled him to work at Fountain Court Chambers with eminent Queen’s Counsel.

In 2017, the ICC appointed Mahesh as one of the regional representatives for the Young Arbitrators Forum.

Mahesh regularly acts as pro bono defence counsel under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) for impecunious accused persons. He also represents victims who appear as civil parties before the hybrid Khmer Rouge Tribunal.

Mahesh also teaches advocacy to aspiring lawyers as part of the bar course.

Practice Areas:

Arbitration Commercial Litigation Construction & Engineering Corporate Litigation Crime Defamation Energy, Transport & Infrastructure Information Technology International Arbitration International Trade Investigations Shipping Telecommunications, Media & Technology

Languages

English

Memberships

Arbitrator, KLRCA Panel Arbitrator, SIAC Reserve Panel Panel of Arbitrators, Thailand Arbitration Centre (THAC) Regional Representative, ICC Young Arbitrators Forum Member, Inter-Pacific Bar Association Member, International Bar Association Member, Law Society of Singapore Committee Member, International Relations Committee of Law Society of Singapore Committee Member, Criminal Legal Aid Scheme Member, Singapore Academy of Law Member, Young International Arbitration Group Member, Young International Council for Commercial Arbitration Lead Counsel, Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences

Education

LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore (2008), Shaw Foundation Scholar LL.M. International Arbitration & Litigation, University College London (2009) B.Sc. (1st Class Hons) Politics & International Relations, London School of Economics, External (2006) Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore (2011) Attorney-at-law of the state of New York (2011) Solicitor of England & Wales (2013) International Lawyer, Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (2013) Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

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