Christopher Chuah

Managing Director

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+65 6028 3738

+65 9660 6800

+65 6254 1966

christopher.chuah@cclawchambers.com

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

Christopher is a leading construction and dispute resolution lawyer with over 30 years of experience in litigation, arbitration, and statutory adjudication. Recognised as one of Singapore’s top construction lawyers, he has acted in high-profile infrastructure and construction disputes across Asia, including matters relating to power plants, transport infrastructure, and commercial developments. Clients praise him as “the best construction lawyer in Singapore” whose “advice is practical, layman-friendly and insightful,” and he is known for addressing complex legal issues with strategic clarity and sound judgment.

He has appeared as leading counsel in numerous reported decisions before the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal, shaping the development of construction law in the country. An accredited adjudicator under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004 (the SOP Act), Christopher also serves as an arbitrator on the Main Panel of Arbitrators at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). He was recently appointed as an arbitrator and committee member at the Asia Pacific International Arbitration Chamber (Singapore) and currently serves on the BICAM Panel of Arbitrators for the 2023 to 2026 term, reinforcing his standing in international dispute resolution.

Christopher’s international experience includes chairing a Dispute Adjudication Board for a MYR 1 billion power plant dispute in Malaysia and successfully acting for the Employer in an international arbitration involving a waste-to-energy project in Thailand. His legal expertise is regularly sought by major industry bodies such as the Singapore Contractors Association Limited and the Singapore Institute of Architects.

He is one of the inaugural lawyers appointed as a Senior Accredited Specialist in Building and Construction Law by the Singapore Academy of Law. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Chartered Institute of Building, he also currently serves as the President of the Chartered Institute of Building (Singapore). In addition, he plays a key role at the Singapore Mediation Centre, where he is a member of the Construction Adjudicator Accreditation Committee. In this capacity, he assists with the training and accreditation of adjudicators and advises the Centre on issues involving adjudicator replacement and conflicts of interest under the SOP Act.

Christopher has authored numerous publications in the field and is one of the General Editors of the Singapore Construction Adjudication Review. He also contributes to the education of future lawyers as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, where he teaches construction law and mentors students aspiring to join the profession.

Before establishing his own firm, Christopher was the Head of the Infrastructure, Construction and Engineering Department at two of Singapore’s Big Four law firms for over two decades. He graduated from the London School of Economics and is admitted to both the English and Singapore Bars. He also holds a Diploma in Surveying (Distinction) from the College of Estate Management, Reading, United Kingdom.

Christopher’s work and thought leadership have been recognised in the legal industry over the years. He has been consistently ranked as a Band 1 Construction Lawyer by Chambers Asia-Pacific from 2015 to 2025, named a Thought Leader in Construction by Lexology (2024, previously Who’s Who Legal), and recognised among Singapore’s Top 100 Lawyers from 2023 to 2025.

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.

Drafted the Contractor’s Working Manual on Public Sector Standard Conditions of Contract for Construction Works (1996)
Article entitled “Reflections on the Singapore Institute of Architects’ Conditions of Sub-Contract (2nd Edition)” (Singapore Academy of Law Journal) (2000)
Co-author of Standard Form of Sub-Contracts – An Annotation (Butterworths Asia) (2001)
Co-author of Architects and the Law in Singapore (Butterworths Asia) (2001)
Led authorship of Public Sector Standard Conditions for Design & Build – Commentary (LexisNexis) (2002)
Led authorship of Annotated Guide to Building and Construction Security of Payment Act 2004 (Sweet & Maxwell Asia) (2004)
Drafted the Standard Agreement for Appointment of Consultants in Design and Build Projects (SCAL) (2004)
Drafted the SCAL Conditions of Sub-Contract for Domestic Sub-Contracts (SCAL) (2005)
Drafted the SCAL Conditions of Sub-Contract for the Supply of Goods (SCAL) (2005)
Led authorship of Annotated Guide to the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004 (Sweet & Maxwell Asia) (2005)
Contributed to Getting the Deal Through – Construction 2009 (2008)
Contributed to Getting the Deal Through – Construction 2010 (2009)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2008] 2 SCAdjR (Sweet & Maxwell Asia) (2009)
Contributed to Getting the Deal Through – Construction 2011 (2010)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review (2008) Vol. 2 (Sweet & Maxwell Asia) (2010)
Co-written article “Construction Adjudication: The Basis for Setting Aside Adjudication Determinations” (22 SAcLJ) (2010)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2009] 3 SCAdjR (Sweet & Maxwell Asia) (2011)
Co-author of Contract Administration Guide to the REDAS Design and Build Conditions of Contract (LexisNexis) (2012)
Contributed to Getting the Deal Through – Construction 2013 (2012)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2010] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing) (2012)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2011] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing / SMC) (2013)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2012] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing / SMC) (2014)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2013] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing / SMC) (2015)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2014] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing / SMC) (2016)
Co-editor of Singapore Journal of Construction Law (Vol 1) (LexisNexis / SAL) (2016)
Co-editor of Singapore Journal of Construction Law (Vol 2) (LexisNexis / SAL) (2016)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2015] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing / SMC) (2017)
Co-editor of Singapore Journal of Construction Law Volume 1 (LexisNexis / SAL) (2017)
Contributor to Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2016 (Singapore Academy of Law) (2017)
Co-editor of Singapore Journal of Construction Law Volume 2 (LexisNexis / SAL) (2017)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2016] SCAdjR (Academy Publishing / SMC) (2018)
Co-editor of Singapore Journal of Construction Law Volume 1 (LexisNexis / SAL) (2018)
Co-editor of Singapore Journal of Construction Law Volume 2 (LexisNexis / SAL) (2018)
Co-author of Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2017 – 18 SAL Ann Rev 131 (Singapore Academy of Law) (2018)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2017] SCAdjR (Singapore Mediation Centre) (2019)
Co-editor of Amendments to the SOP Act – Commentary on the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment (Amendment) Act 2018 (Sweet & Maxwell / SMC) (2019)
Co-author of Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2018 – 19 SAL Ann Rev 105 (Singapore Academy of Law) (2019)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2018] SCAdjR (Singapore Mediation Centre) (2020)
Contributor to Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2019 (Singapore Academy of Law) (2020)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2019] SCAdjR (Singapore Mediation Centre) (2021)
Co-author of Perspectives article on infrastructure law (SICC News) (2021)
Contributor to Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2020 (Singapore Academy of Law) (2021)
Co-editor of Singapore Construction Adjudication Review [2020] SCAdjR (Singapore Mediation Centre) (2022)
Contributor to Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2021 (Singapore Academy of Law) (2022)
Contributor to Chambers Global Practice Guides – Public Procurement and Government Contracts (2023)

Christopher’s experience is lauded in publications such as Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal), 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 2015–2025.

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.

Thought Leader in Construction, Global Leader in Construction, National Leader in Southeast Asia – Construction (Who’s Who Legal / Lexology 2023–2024)
Band 1 in Construction: Domestic – Singapore (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2015–2025)
Leading Individual in Construction: Singapore (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023)
Litigation Star in Practice Areas: Construction, International Arbitration (Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2023)
The A-List 2023-2025 - Singapore's Top 100 Lawyer (Asia Business Law Journal)
Elite Practitioner in Practice Area: Construction (asialaw 2023)
Highly Regarded in Practice Areas: Energy and Infrastructure, Project Development (IFLR1000 2023-2024)
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)

Christopher Chuah

Managing Director

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

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