Oon & Bazul LLP

Litigation & Dispute Resolution, International Arbitration, Investigations, International Trade, Projects & Infrastructure, Oil & Gas, Employment

Partner, Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Priscilla Lua is a Partner in Oon & Bazul’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice.

Priscilla specializes in international arbitration and commercial litigation. She has an active practice spanning a number of areas including projects & infrastructure, construction, oil & gas, shareholder (and company law) disputes, joint venture disputes, and employment.

Priscilla acts as counsel in court and international arbitration proceedings and has experience with various institutional rules such as ICC, SIAC, LCIA, HKIAC, UNCITRAL as well as ad-hoc arbitrations. She has also been appointed by the SIAC as a sole arbitrator.

Her practice frequently involves complex cross-border elements, and she acts for multinational companies in the construction, power, oil & gas sectors, as well as for banks and financial institutions.

Prior to joining the firm, Priscilla practiced for six years with an elite UK magic circle firm in both its Singapore and London offices. Whilst with the magic circle firm, she also spent close to a year in Hong Kong with a client on an international secondment and was widely praised by the client for being “commercially focused in her drafting which was of a very good quality” and for being “always astute and practical in her approach”. Prior to her joining the magic circle firm, Priscilla spent a number of years with a pre-eminent Senior Counsel in one of the Big Four domestic law practices in Singapore.

As a result of her broad international experience, Priscilla is able to grasp complex cross-border disputes quickly and prides herself on providing effective and practical solutions to clients.

Priscilla also has experience advising on regulatory and internal investigations and has run longstanding internal investigations for clients into issues such as fraud, corruption and compliance.

Notable Cases:

International Arbitration

Acted for a major energy technology company in respect of two arbitrations arising out of oilfield contracts in India and which involved complex termination issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The quantum in dispute totalled more than US$100 million and involved technical and quantum experts. Advised a member of a Korean consortium on its investment in a nickel and cobalt mining project in a LCIA arbitration. The dispute concerned complex issues arising out of a shareholders’ agreement, and foreign insolvency proceedings involving one of the shareholders. Acted for an English entity against a leading offshore wind farm contractor in an ICC arbitration. The dispute arose out of an EPC contract and raised complex technical issues relating to the design of the foundations of the offshore wind farm. The matter was settled just before the merits hearing on terms favourable to the client. Acted for various institutional hedge funds in respect of three consolidated SIAC arbitrations against publicly listed Indian companies. The disputes arose out of multiple investment agreements totalling more than US$300 million, and which raised complex Indian regulatory and valuation issues.

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Acted for an oil trading company in a dispute arising out of letters of credit issued by an international bank before both the Singapore High Court and the Singapore Court of Appeal. This case is reported at [2023] SGHC 220. Represented an Australian company before both the Singapore High Court and the Singapore Court of Appeal where the issues in dispute included trust, breach of fiduciary duties and invalidation of trade marks. This case is reported at [2015] 1 SLR 1097. Represented a leading Swiss commodities firm in bringing an action against a Singapore entity in the Singapore High Court. This action had been brought in connection with an arbitration in London in which the Swiss commodities firm had been awarded damages of more than US$70 million against an Indian entity.

Regulatory / Investigations

Advised a major UK bank in an independent investigation involving issues of fraud, corruption and the handling of customer issues. The period under investigation spanned almost ten years and involved complex financial issues as well as interactions with the FCA. Conducted an internal investigation into the activities of the employees on the commodity financing desk of an established financial institution involving allegations of fraud. Advised a publicly listed company in an investigation brought by ASIC involving complex accounting and compliance issues. Advised a multinational brokerage firm in an investigation commenced by the Singapore authorities involving issues of market manipulation and cheating offences under the Securities and Futures Act.

Construction

Advised a state-owned entity on the merits of multiple claims brought against it by close to 30 contractors arising out of a major infrastructure project in the Middle East. The various contracts were based on the FIDIC Conditions of Contract and the quantum of the claims arising out of the contracts was in excess of US$1.5 billion. Acted for a Chinese-owned entity in respect of claims against the main contractor arising out of a premium residential project in Singapore. The dispute involved complex delay and quantum expert issues and judgment was obtained on terms favourable to the client after the merits hearing.

Awards & Accolades

Recommended in Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021 – International Arbitration and described as “stand-out”. Feedback from a client (whom Priscilla had spent close to a year with on secondment) that “the team was happy to have her support and would score her highly”

English, Mandarin

Singapore Academy of Law; Member of ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR

Graduated from the National University of Singapore with an LL.B. degree