Legal Guidance and Research / Experts / Swee Yen Koh
Swee Yen Koh#13005

Swee Yen Koh , SC

Wong Partnership
Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel, is the Head of International Arbitration of Wong Partnership, a law firm headquartered in Singapore. Her practice has a particular focus on complex, high-value and multi-jurisdictional disputes involving asset recovery, commodities, energy, fraud, infrastructure, international trade, joint ventures, transport and technology. She has extensive experience acting for and against States and State-owned entities, multinational corporations and high net-worth individuals both before the Singapore Courts (including the Singapore International Commercial Court) as well as in international commercial and investment arbitrations. She is admitted to the Roll of Solicitors of England & Wales and also has rights of audience before the DIFC Courts.
 
Swee Yen is the Co-Chair of the IPBA Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee, and a former Vice-Chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee. She is also a member of the ICC Court. She has sat as an arbitrator in HKIAC, ICC, LCIA and SIAC administered arbitrations, and is on the Panel of Arbitrators of the AEIC, BICAM, BAC/BIAC, HKIAC, KCAB and SIAC. She is designated by Singapore to the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators.
 
She was listed in GAR’s exclusive 45 under 45 list, and is recognised as a Global Elite Thought Leader in Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2024. Swee Yen was also awarded Litigation Lawyer of the Year at The Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2023, and is described as "an absolute standout", "razor-sharp" in her advocacy and "brilliant, decisive and fearless".

Practice Area

Panel

  • Contributing Author

Qualified Year

  • 2006

Year Taken Silk

  • 2022 (SC)

Experience

  • WongPartnership LLP (2006 - Present)

Membership

  • Co-Chair, IPBA Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee
  • Officer, IBA Asia Pacific Regional Forum
  • Member, ICC Court
  • ICSID Panel of Arbitrators
  • Former Vice-Chair, IBA Arbitration Committee
  • Member, ICCA-ASIL Task Force on Damages
  • Board Member, Swiss Arbitration Association
  • Member, LCIA Asia Pacific Users’ Council
  • President, Singapore branch of the International Law Association
  • Governing Board, Centre of International Law, National University of Singapore
  • Member, Civil Justice Commission, Singapore
  • Member, Public Entertainment Appeal Board, Criminal Law Advisory Committee (Hearing), Citizenship Committee of Inquiry, Singapore
  • Board Member, Singapore Land Authority

Qualifications

  • DIFC Court (2023)
  • Roll of Solicitors of England & Wales (2008)
  • Admitted to the Singapore Bar (2006)

Education

  • National University of Singapore (2004)

7 Contributions by Swee Yen Koh

Guide to the SIAC 2025 Rules on Tribunal Composition, Appointment, Powers, Challenges, Communications, Emergency Arbitrators and Tribunal Secretaries
PRACTICE NOTES
Guide to the SIAC 2025 Rules on Tribunal Composition, Appointment, Powers, Challenges, Communications, Emergency Arbitrators and Tribunal Secretaries
This Practice Note has been prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, Ms Divya Harchandani, Foreign Lawyer, and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, Foreign Lawyer, all of WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. The th Edition of the SIAC Rules took effect on 1 January 2025 and is available here. The 2025 SIAC Rules apply to arbitrations begun on or after 1 January 2025, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Number of arbitrators Unless the parties agree otherwise, the tribunal will comprise one or three arbitrators. Where no number is agreed, a sole arbitrator will be appointed unless, having considered the parties’ views, the Registrar decides that three arbitrators are warranted (2025 SIAC Rules, r 19.1). Under the 2025 SIAC Rules, if the arbitration agreement does not specify the number, the claimant must include in the Notice of Arbitration a proposal on tribunal size (2025 SIAC Rules, r 6.3(g)). If the agreement is silent and the claimant proposes three or more arbitrators, ...
Arbitration
SIAC Arbitration 2025: Conduct of Proceedings, Evidence (including documents, witnesses and experts), Hearings and Confidentiality
PRACTICE NOTES
SIAC Arbitration 2025: Conduct of Proceedings, Evidence (including documents, witnesses and experts), Hearings and Confidentiality
This Practice Note is prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, Ms Divya Harchandani, Foreign Lawyer, and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, Foreign Lawyer, all from WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. The 7th Edition of the SIAC Rules took effect on 1 January 2025 and is available here. This Practice Note reviews the principal provisions of the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) (7th edition) 2025 (2025 SIAC Rules) on the presentation of evidence. The 2025 SIAC Rules apply to arbitrations commenced on or after 1 January 2025, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Evidence and conduct of proceedings Under the 2025 SIAC Rules, the tribunal may conduct the arbitration as it deems appropriate, whilst at all times acting fairly and impartially, and with diligence and professionalism, in accordance with the principles in rules 3.5(a)-(c) (2025 SIAC Rules, r 32.1 and 32.2). The tribunal has broad discretion to determine the procedures to be followed and the manner in which evidence is adduced. Although the 2025 SIAC Rules are not unduly prescriptive on evidence, rule 32.3...
Arbitration
SIAC Arbitration Rules 2025: Early Dismissal of Claims and Defences (r 47) and Preliminary Determination (r 46)—procedure, thresholds, timelines and Singapore court guidance (DBO v DBP)
PRACTICE NOTES
SIAC Arbitration Rules 2025: Early Dismissal of Claims and Defences (r 47) and Preliminary Determination (r 46)—procedure, thresholds, timelines and Singapore court guidance (DBO v DBP)
This Practice Note is prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, Ms Divya Harchandani, Foreign Lawyer, and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, Foreign Lawyer, all from WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. The 7th Edition of the SIAC Rules took effect on 1 January 2025 and can be accessed here, notably. This Practice Note reviews the early dismissal of claims and defences under the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) (7th Edition) 2025 (2025 SIAC Rules) herein. The 2025 SIAC Rules govern arbitrations commenced on or after 1 January 2025, unless the parties have agreed to the contrary. Early dismissal under the 2025 SIAC Rules, r 47 SIAC was among the earliest leading international commercial arbitration institutions indeed to adopt a process for the early dismissal of claims and defences. When first introduced in the SIAC Rules 2016, the purpose of the provision was to cut time and costs in matters where the claims or defences are manifestly without legal merit or manifestly outside the tribunal’s jurisdiction. The summary dismissal of claims and defences is a hallmark, for instance, of English civil litigation (see: Summary judgment and strike...
Arbitration
Singapore International Arbitration Centre 2025 Rules—Responding to a Notice of Arbitration: deadlines, response requirements, practical steps and jurisdictional objections
PRACTICE NOTES
Singapore International Arbitration Centre 2025 Rules—Responding to a Notice of Arbitration: deadlines, response requirements, practical steps and jurisdictional objections
Prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, and foreign lawyers Ms Divya Harchandani and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, all from WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. The SIAC Rules, Seventh Edition, took effect on 1 January 2025 and can be accessed here. This Practice Note outlines what a respondent should do upon receiving a notice of arbitration from the claimant, pursuant to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Arbitration Rules, 2025, Seventh Edition (the 2025 SIAC Rules). It addresses respondent steps upon receipt of a Notice under the 2025 SIAC Rules. These Rules took effect on 1 January 2025. Unless the parties have agreed differently, the 2025 SIAC Rules govern arbitrations initiated on or after 1 January 2025. Note: Singapore judgments mentioned in this Practice Note are not reported by LexisNexis® UK. Response to the Notice Following service of the Notice, the respondent’s initial filing is the Response to the Notice of Arbitration (the Response). The Response must be lodged within 14 days of the arbitration’s commencement, or within 14 days of the respondent receiving the Notice, whichever is applicable (2025 SIAC Rules, r 7.1). Calculating the 14-day window for...
Arbitration
Singapore International Arbitration Centre Rules 2025: Procedures and Criteria for Multiple Contracts, Consolidation, Co-ordinated Proceedings and Joinder
PRACTICE NOTES
Singapore International Arbitration Centre Rules 2025: Procedures and Criteria for Multiple Contracts, Consolidation, Co-ordinated Proceedings and Joinder
This Practice Note has been prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, Ms Divya Harchandani, Foreign Lawyer, and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, Foreign Lawyer, all of WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. It examines the treatment of multiple contracts, joinder, and consolidation under the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) (7th Edition) 2025 (the 2025 SIAC Rules). The 7th Edition of the SIAC Rules took effect on 1 January 2025 and is available here. The 2025 SIAC Rules govern arbitrations commenced on or after 1 January 2025, unless the parties have agreed to a different regime. SIAC's multi-party and multi-contract rules The 2025 SIAC Rules set out detailed provisions addressing: multiple contracts (2025 SIAC Rules, r 15) consolidation (2025 SIAC Rules, r 16) co-ordinated proceedings (2025 SIAC Rules, r 17) joinder (2025 SIAC Rules, r 18) In this respect, SIAC aligns with other leading international arbitral institutions whose rules similarly reflect the realities of contemporary multi-party and multi-contract disputes (see examples below). Multiple contracts SIAC has set out a mechanism enabling parties to consolidate disputes arising out of...
Arbitration
Singapore SIAC Arbitration Rules 2025 on awards and costs: procedures, scrutiny, finality, post-award correction/interpretation/additional awards, remission, confidentiality, enforcement, and fees, deposits, apportionment and interest
PRACTICE NOTES
Singapore SIAC Arbitration Rules 2025 on awards and costs: procedures, scrutiny, finality, post-award correction/interpretation/additional awards, remission, confidentiality, enforcement, and fees, deposits, apportionment and interest
This Practice Note has been prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, Ms Divya Harchandani, Foreign Lawyer, and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, Foreign Lawyer, all of WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. The 7th Edition of the SIAC Rules took effect on 1 January 2025 and can be accessed here. This Practice Note examines the provisions concerning awards and costs under the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) (7th edition) 2025 (2025 SIAC Rules). The 2025 SIAC Rules apply to arbitrations begun on or after 1 January 2025, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. Note: Singapore judgments cited in this Practice Note are not reported by LexisNexis UK. Definition of the award Under the SIAC Rules, an award encompasses interim, interlocutory, consent, partial, final, or additional awards, and also includes an Emergency Arbitrator’s award. In an arbitration conducted pursuant to the 2025 SIAC Rules, the tribunal may issue more than one award at various stages of the proceedings, addressing different elements of the matters for decision. Every SIAC award...
Arbitration
Starting arbitrations under the 2025 SIAC Rules: pre-conditions, Notice of Arbitration, service, fees, SIAC Gateway, Emergency Arbitration and protective preliminary orders, Streamlined and Expedited Procedures, and conduct
PRACTICE NOTES
Starting arbitrations under the 2025 SIAC Rules: pre-conditions, Notice of Arbitration, service, fees, SIAC Gateway, Emergency Arbitration and protective preliminary orders, Streamlined and Expedited Procedures, and conduct
This Practice Note has been prepared in collaboration with Ms Koh Swee Yen, Senior Counsel and Partner, Mr Joel Quek, Partner, Ms Magdalene Ong, Partner, Ms Divya Harchandani, Foreign Lawyer, and Ms Thea Elyssa Vega, Foreign Lawyer, all from WongPartnership LLP, Singapore. The seventh edition of the SIAC Rules took effect on 1 January 2025 and can be accessed here. This note addresses how to initiate arbitration under the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) (7th edition) 2025 (the 2025 SIAC Rules). Please note that Singapore judgments mentioned in this Practice Note are not reported by LexisNexis® UK. Prior to commencing an arbitration Before beginning an arbitration, there must be a ‘dispute’ that is capable of referral to arbitration. At the outset, assess whether an arbitration agreement exists and whether there is a ‘dispute’ that may properly be referred to arbitration. Consider as well any additional jurisdictional objections a respondent might advance. The following matters should be reviewed prior to starting any arbitration (among others): whether there is an arbitration agreement between the parties. The arbitration agreement may or may not...
Arbitration
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