Simon Chapman KC
Simon is the Joint Managing Partner of Dispute Resolution and Global Co-Head of International Arbitration.
Simon leads the firm's market-leading disputes practice in Asia and focuses on international arbitration and arbitration-related litigation. A specialist advocate, he appears regularly as lead counsel before courts and tribunals in the world's foremost arbitration centres.
His practice covers investment treaty and commercial arbitration under all of the major arbitral rules, with particular expertise in complex claims in fraud and breach of warranty, as well as post-M&A, joint venture and shareholder disputes.
Simon has acted for governments, state-owned entities, sovereign wealth funds and corporations across a range of industries, including in the energy, private equity, cryptocurrency, finance, hospitality and TMT sectors.
An expert in set-aside proceedings, Simon has appeared in some of the largest cases before the Hong Kong courts concerning challenges to arbitral awards and has advised on related proceedings before the courts in Singapore and England & Wales. He is regularly instructed to obtain urgent, interim measures from courts and emergency arbitrators, including anti-suit relief to restrain litigation proceedings in favour of arbitration.
In addition to his work as counsel, Simon sits regularly as arbitrator, including as presiding arbitrator, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator across a range of institutional and ad hoc cases. He has been a member of the ICC Court of Arbitration since 2021 and is ranked in the top tier in all of the major directories. Simon was named International Lawyer of the Year by Benchmark Litigation in 2021 and 2023, and was recently listed in Global Arbitration Review's '45 under 45' list of leading arbitration practitioners.
Background
Simon has worked in the Asia disputes team for over a decade, having previously been based in the firm's London and Paris offices.
He is dual-qualified in Hong Kong and England and Wales, with higher rights of audience in both jurisdictions. One of a small number of solicitors to have been appointed Queen's Counsel (now King's Counsel) in England & Wales, Simon has appeared as lead counsel before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong and advises regularly on challenges to arbitral awards in other jurisdictions, notably Singapore and England & Wales.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- appearing as advocate for Sinopec in its successful multi-billion dollar SIAC claim in fraud arising from the purchase of oil and gas assets in the UK North Sea, including advising on related proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Court
- defending an Asian private equity firm against a US$1 billion claim in fraud, negligent misstatement and breach of warranty connected to the sale of an insurance company under the ICC Rules in Hong Kong
- lead counsel in the landmark C v D case before the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, the leading authority in model law jurisdictions concerning the distinction between admissibility and jurisdiction in the context of applications to set aside arbitral awards
- obtaining multiple awards (including permanent injunctive relief) for a leading Asian satellite business in UNCITRAL proceedings in Hong Kong, including appearing as lead counsel in related proceedings before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong
- appearing as advocate for the Government of Malaysia as the successful party in a US$1.2 billion ad hoc arbitration against the Republic of Singapore concerning the interpretation of a bilateral treaty
- appearing as advocate for a global private equity firm defending multiple claims for breach of warranty arising from a USD 1.5 billion sale of a business in Asia
- obtaining an award of damages and specific performance for a leading Asian private equity firm in HKIAC proceedings relating to the exit of an investment in China, including successfully defending a subsequent challenge to the award in the Hong Kong courts
- obtaining anti-suit relief for a global hospitality business to restrain proceedings before the Thai courts in favour of arbitration proceedings in Singapore under the SIAC Rules
- defending a cryptocurrency platform in Hong Kong arbitration proceedings and related court litigation brought by a US venture capital firm
- appearing as advocate for a major private equity firm in HKIAC proceedings seated in Hong Kong under a suite of Hong Kong and Korean law agreements arising from a secondary sale in the private equity market
- appearing as advocate for a renewable energy company in consolidated proceedings under the ICC Rules in Hong Kong arising from the breakdown of a joint venture in the solar energy sector, including defending subsequent set-aside proceedings before the Hong Kong court
- appearing pro bono for the Law Society of Hong Kong as intervener in proceedings before the Court of Appeal and Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong concerning rights of audience of solicitor advocates
- appearing as advocate for a Chinese energy company in a US$1 billion claim under the UNCITRAL Rules in Hong Kong arising from an investment in offshore oil and gas blocks.
