Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow enjoys a strong reputation in multiple fields, and is ‘one of the busiest international arbitration practices in Singapore with work from a wide range of geographies and sectors’. The team is particularly well-versed in arbitrations involving technology, renewables, and third-party funding disputes, and has strong cross jurisdictional capabilities. Investor-state arbitration work is another key point of distinction of the practice that is overseen by Nandakumar Ponniya, who is recognised alongside Ashish Chugh for being ’strong advocates regularly appearing as lead counsel in arbitrations’. Within the energy and aviation sector, Richard Allen is noted.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘One of the busiest international arbitration practices in Singapore with work from a wide range of geographies and sectors.’

  • ‘Nandakumar Ponniya and Ashish Chugh are well known in the market. They strong advocates regularly appearing as lead counsel in arbitrations.’

  • ‘Very experienced. Excellent knowledge of arbitration procedure for commercial disputes and provide helpful, calm advice. Great ability to pick up a brief on very technical matters and articulate in simple terms to lay clients and arbitrators. ’

  • ‘As well as being a very experienced disputes lawyer, Ashish Chugh has a great ability to absorb, analyse and explain complex technical information. He is a calm and logical advocate, and provides sensible business guidance in client discussions. ’

  • ‘The team is very accessible, and switched on. They are highly responsive to questions, despite a heavy work load. Impressive ability to identify and focus on critical issues and ignore irrelevant distractions. ’

Key clients

  • Border Timbers Limited (in Judicial Management), Hangani Development Co. (Private) Limited
  • Anupam Mittal
  • Allianz SE
  • PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk
  • Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners
  • Border Timbers Limited (in Judicial Management)
  • Hangani Development Co. (Private) Limited

Work highlights

  • Singapore Court proceedings to enforce an ICSID award against the Republic of Zimbabwe in a case raising issues of law that are unique to the registration of investment arbitration award against states.
  • Represented the client, founder of www.shaadi.com, a leading matchmaking and matrimony portal in South Asia, in Singapore Court proceedings to resist an anti-suit injunction obtained by the counterparty, for purposes of restraining the client continuing with his claim in the National Company Law Tribunal in Mumbai.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Nandakumar Ponniya

Other key lawyers

Ashish Chugh, Dominic Sharman, Celeste Ang, Pradeep Nair, Spencer Lee, Richard Allen, Nicholas Tan, Kai Tai Yiu