May you elaborate on the important thing efforts and notable achievements you have got made on this area?
I began my authorized profession as a building dispute decision lawyer in China. Looking for to develop my experience globally, I pursued grasp’s levels at New York College and the College of London. These transformative abroad experiences not solely enhanced my understanding of dispute decision ideas but additionally supplied priceless mentorship from pioneering professionals.
Over my 23-year profession as a cross-border dispute decision lawyer, I’ve represented purchasers throughout greater than 20 jurisdictions, and contributed to a number of landmark milestones: I sat as the primary emergency arbitrator within the Chinese language Mainland, nominated by GAR for “Finest Improvement of 2019”; I acted because the presiding dispute assessment professional within the first case making use of the Building Challenge Disputes Evaluate Guidelines of the China Worldwide Financial and Commerce Arbitration Fee; I acted because the lead counsel within the first litigation in China between the applicant for impartial assure and the issuer over wrongful cost; I used to be concerned in a landmark case on the popularity and enforcement of an arbitral award rendered by the Sugar Affiliation of London, by way of which the Supreme Individuals’s Court docket of China, for the primary time, confirmed that these violating Chinese language obligatory legal guidelines don’t essentially violate China’s public coverage, and so forth.
Past my authorized apply, my scholarly endeavors embrace founding the “China Building Regulation Evaluate”, China’s first journal devoted to building regulation, and authoring a seminal guide on Singapore Mediation Conference, titled “United Nations Conference on Worldwide Settlement Agreements Ensuing from Mediation – Legislative Background and Articles Interpretation”, which is among the many world’s first expositions.
Along with contributing to the enhancement of authorized practices and scholarly references, I’ve been actively engaged in legislative proceedings in China. Since 2017, I’ve served as China’s consultant in UNCITRAL Working Group II, striving to affect legislative traits in essential areas. Extra particularly, I’ve delivered stories on the ratification recommendation of the Singapore Mediation Conference, the formulation of China’s Industrial Mediation Regulation, and the revision of China’s Arbitration Regulation. Main an professional working group, I performed a key position in drafting proposals for China’s Constructing and Building Business Safety of Cost and Adjudication Regulation.
Globally, I’ve fostered developments within the area of cross-border dispute decision by way of management roles in arbitration establishments. I co-led the institution of the Tashkent Worldwide Arbitration Centre, actively contributed to the formulation of its arbitration guidelines, and at present act as a member of its Supervisory Committee. Moreover, as a Member of the ICC Worldwide Court docket of Arbitration, Board Member of the Singapore Worldwide Mediation Centre, and Member of the Worldwide Advisory Board of the Vienna Worldwide Arbitration Centre, I joined these establishments’ efforts in advancing arbitration practices and engaged in thought management at worldwide boards.
May you share some spectacular worldwide arbitration circumstances out of your profession as counsel?
All through my profession, I’ve been concerned in lots of advanced worldwide arbitration circumstances, two of which stand out attributable to their distinctive challenges and profitable outcomes.
The primary case was representing a Chinese language investor in two parallel proceedings towards the federal government of an African nation. Appearing because the contractor, my shopper entered right into a building contract with the federal government, because the employer of an infrastructure undertaking. Disputes later arose out of the federal government’s repudiation of the contract. Given the intricate info, delicate nature, and substantial dispute worth, this case was notably difficult.
The federal government, enjoying twin roles because the employer of the undertaking and the host state’s authorities, not solely breached the contract but additionally violated treaty obligations outlined in its bilateral funding treaty with China. In response, we pursued each funding arbitration and business arbitration concurrently, aiming to safeguard our shopper’s procedural and substantive rights. This exerted important strain on the federal government, which in the end led to the signing of a settlement settlement favorable to the investor.
This case was a landmark in my profession, marking the primary occasion of a Chinese language regulation agency independently representing a Chinese language investor in an funding arbitration. The success of our technique additional solidified our delight in attaining optimistic outcomes below difficult circumstances.
The second case concerned representing a Chinese language building firm in a number of intertwined ICC arbitration proceedings referring to the development of a stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, culminating in extremely favorable outcomes obtained in September 2023. The dispute arose among the many stakeholders spanning technical points, delay, and quantum issues, and ended up every resorting to ICC arbitration. The stakeholders, respectively situated within the Chinese language Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Qatar, India, and Germany, initiated three separate however intently associated ICC arbitrations. The seat of arbitration was London whereas hearings had been held in Doha. The complexity of the circumstances was immense, involving over 5,000 items of proof and 13 witnesses. The arbitration proceedings prolonged past 2.5 years.
When dealing with these three circumstances, my crew invested substantial time in comprehending the core technical dispute with the help of our purchasers and specialists. This enabled us to current compelling submissions and conduct efficient cross-examinations. As might be clearly seen from the ultimate awards, the tribunals had been very impressed by the independence, objectivity, and technical prowess of our shopper’s specialists. The tribunals additionally acknowledged the effectiveness of our crew’s cross-examinations in highlighting points associated to the counterparty’s specialists’ impartiality and questionable methodologies. Our overarching authorized technique in navigating these three arbitrations proved profitable, contributing to the decision of this exceptionally sophisticated building dispute.
What frequent challenges do counsels sometimes face when representing purchasers in worldwide arbitration circumstances associated to building and infrastructure?
In worldwide arbitration circumstances associated to building and infrastructure, counsel typically face the problem of successfully coordinating a various crew of pros engaged on a single case, together with monetary analysts, technical specialists, and authorized professionals from numerous jurisdictions.
To deal with this problem, my strategy begins with an preliminary case evaluation, which is pivotal for me to determine the varied dimensions of the dispute. Primarily based on the evaluation outcomes, I are likely to encourage the shopper to have interaction key specialists at an early stage. Within the realm of building and actual property, the experience of three key varieties of professionals—technical specialists, delay specialists, and quantum specialists—is commonly important. I often actively help the shopper in participating these specialists and delineate clear roles and obligations for every professional. This helps mitigate the chance of overlaps and guarantee complete protection of each side of the dispute.
In circumstances the place specialists from opposing events want to debate technical or monetary issues, I typically prepare joint conferences. This proactive strategy serves to make clear points, slim down factors of rivalry, and doubtlessly pave the way in which for agreements on particular features. Given the complexity of the method with a number of transferring elements, efficient timeline administration turns into essential. So, I at all times place specific emphasis on establishing cheap timelines for specialists.
Throughout hearings, I meticulously plan the sequence of displays and testimonies to make sure a coherent and logical movement. Contemplating the intricate nature of building and actual property disputes, characterised by advanced factual eventualities, I favor the hot-tubbing strategy. This allows specialists to immediately have interaction, responding to and difficult one another’s views on particular points. This dynamic interplay fosters a radical dialogue, elucidates intricate particulars and aids the tribunal in greedy the nuances of the case.
Wei SUN
Fairness Associate / Beijing
Tel +86-10-5957-2176
Electronic mail sunwei@zhonglun.com
Practices: Litigation & Arbitration, Funding/M&A & Company Governance, Building & Challenge
Industries: Actual Property, City Infrastructure, Vitality & Energy
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