Christopher Chuah

Managing Director

D
P
F
E

+65 6028 3738

+65 9660 6800

+65 6254 1966

christopher.chuah@cclawchambers.com

Christopher CHUAH is the Managing Director of Christopher Chuah Law Chambers LLC.

Praised by clients as “the best construction lawyer in Singapore” whose “advice is practical, layman-friendly and insightful”, Christopher is recognised for his expertise in the practice areas of construction, dispute resolution and international arbitration.

With over 30 years of experience advising on issues such as front-end drafting, and construction disputes in litigation, arbitration and statutory adjudication, Christopher is highly regarded for his ability to address complex issues and provide strategic and practical advice to his clients. The Singapore Contractors Association Limited and Singapore Institute of Architects are some of the organisations that regularly seek Christopher’s legal expertise with construction contracts and cases.

Christopher has also acted extensively on overseas and international projects. He recently sat as Chairman of a Dispute Adjudication Board to hear disputes in excess of MYR 1 billion arising out of a power plant project in Malaysia, and acted successfully for the Employer in an international arbitration arising out of a waste to energy plant project in Thailand.

A leading figure in his field of building and construction, Christopher is recognised by his peers for his contributions and insights on the industry. He is one of the select practitioners inaugurally appointed as a Senior Accredited Specialist in Building and Construction Law by the Singapore Academy of Law, and an accredited adjudicator under the Building & Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004 (the “SOP Act”). He actively serves in legal bodies including the Singapore Mediation Centre where he assists with training and accreditation of adjudicators as a member of the Construction Adjudicator Accreditation Committee, and provides guidance to SMC on issues relating to the replacement of adjudicators and conflicts of interest that may arise in the course of administration of cases under the SOP Act. Christopher has been appointed to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre's Main Panel of Arbitrators and serves on the Panel of Arbitrators of the Asian International Arbitration Centre. He also is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and the Chartered Institute of Building.

Christopher’s wisdom in his specialist areas is widely sought after. He has authored a number of publications on building and construction law, and is one of the General Editors of the Singapore Construction Adjudication Review. As an Adjunct Associate Professor in construction law at the Law Faculty of the National University of Singapore, he enjoys training and mentoring the next generation of construction lawyers.

Prior to founding the Firm, Christopher was the Head of the Infrastructure, Construction and Engineering Department of two Big 4 Law Firms for over two decades.

Christopher graduated from the London School of Economics. He is admitted to the English Bar and to the Singapore Bar. Apart from a law degree, Christopher has a Diploma in Surveying (Distinction) from the College of Estate Management, Reading, UK.

Matters of significance which Christopher has been involved in include acting for the following:

Pontiac Land Group in its development of the Rah Falhu Huraa Islands in the Maldives ("Development"). The Development includes the reclamation of four separate islands as well as the construction of three luxury hotels and a staff campus on those islands. The hotels are to be operated by Ritz-Carlton, Patina and Capella. The estimated value of the Development is US$500 million. Our involvement in the Development since its inception include advising on and drafting consultancy agreements and construction contracts for the reclamation works as well as the construction of the hotels and staff campus and other related agreements and project advisory work.
A major contractor who is one of three members within a joint venture consortium which was awarded the main contract of approximately S$1.5 billion in respect of the development and construction of the Integrated Waste Management Facility by the National Environment Agency in Singapore (the "Project") including review of the contract agreements and advice on contractual claims. The client is engaged to carry out project management as well as civil, structural and landscaping works in the Project.
Singapore Institute of Technology ("SIT") in the development and proposed erection of the SIT Campus at Punggol North, including review of the consultancy agreements, main contract and nominated subcontract tender documentation as well as advice on contractual claim issues. The project comprises of two major development packages with an estimated site area inclusive of open spaces and a community park of 11 hectares (ha).
A Thai venture company in successfully defending claims exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars in relation to a waste to energy project in Thailand valued at approximately THB$1.8 billion.
Far East Square Pte Ltd in a successful appeal to set aside an adjudication determination on the grounds that the payment claim was invalid and outside the purview of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004, in the landmark Court of Appeal decision of Far East Square Pte Ltd v Yau Lee Construction (Singapore) Pte Ltd [2019] 2 SLR 189 (CA).
Mer Vue Developments Pte. Ltd., the developers of The Seaview Condominium, in a landmark High Court decision that clarifies the extent and scope of the liability of the developer, main contractor and architect in a claim for building defects. Christopher successfully defended tortious claims made by the Management Corporation Strata Title Plan No. 3322 for alleged defects in the development amounting to approximately S$32 million.
Asplenium Land Pte. Ltd., a developer in respect of a residential project, in a landmark Court of Appeal decision on the enforceability of a contractual clause limiting an employer’s right to restrain a call on a performance bond against a main contractor who was terminated. This landmark decision by the Court of Appeal would mean that it is now possible for employers to exclude or limit the grounds for an injunction to fraud only in the case of unconditional bonds.
A PRC Contractor in disputes arising out of the termination of an EPC Contract in Indonesia.

Qualifications

London School of Economics (LL.B., Hons.)
College of Estate Management, Reading (Diploma in Surveying, Distinction)
Lincoln's Inn (Barrister-at-Law)

Language Proficiency

English
Mandarin
Japanese (limited working proficiency)

Admissions

Singapore Bar
English Bar

Awards and Accolades

Christopher’s experience is lauded in publications such as Who’s Who Legal 2023, where he is picked out as a Thought Leader in Construction for his ability to innovate, inspire and go above and beyond to deliver for his clients. He is considered a Top-Ranked, “experienced and well-known” lawyer for Construction in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023.

Named an External Counsel of the Year in Singapore in 2013 by Asian-mena Counsel, Christopher was singled out for his "expertise in construction disputes". His “deep knowledge of the field” as a "pre-eminent” leading Arbitration practitioner in the Chinese market has led him to be commended for being "very, very strong" in international arbitrations concerning construction disputes.

Global Leader in Construction, National Leader in Southeast Asia Construction, Thought Leader in Construction (Who’s Who Legal 2023)
Band 1 in Construction: Domestic – Singapore (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2015-2023)
Leading Individual in Construction: Singapore (The Legal 500: Asia Pacific 2023)
Litigation Star in Practice Areas: Construction, International arbitration (Benchmark Litigation 2023)
A-List 2023 Lawyer (Asia Business Law Journal 2023)
Elite Practitioner in Practice Area: Construction (asialaw 2023)
Highly Regarded in Practice Areas: Energy and infrastructure, Project Development (IFLR1000 2023)
Featured Lawyer in Arbitration and Mediation, and Construction Law (Best Lawyers 2022)
External Counsel of the Year in Singapore, Representing Corporate Asia and Middle East Survey (Asian-mena Counsel 2013)

Co-editor, Singapore Construction Adjudication Review, published by Singapore Mediation Centre (2008 –Present)

Contributor, “Chambers Global Practice Guides - Public Procurement and Government Contracts” (2020)

Co-editor, Amendments to the SOP Act : a commentary on the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment (Amendment) Act 2018, published by Sweet & Maxwell (2019)

Co-editor, Singapore Journal of Construction Law, published by LexisNexis and Singapore Academy of Law (2017 – 2018)

Co-author, Contract Administration Guide to the REDAS Design and Build Conditions of Contract, published by LexisNexis (2012)

Lead author, Annotated Guide to the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004, published by Sweet & Maxwell Asia (2005)

Contributor, Annotated Guide to the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004, published by Sweet & Maxwell Asia (2004)

Contributor, Conditions of Appointment for Consultants in Design and Build Projects, published by The Singapore Contractors Association Limited (2004)

Co-author, Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract for Design and Build – A Commentary and Standard Form of Sub-Contracts – An Annotation, published by LexisNexis (2002)
Co-author, Contractor's Working Manual on Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract for Construction Works, published by The Singapore Contractors Association Limited (1996)