Lea Woon Yee

Director, Dispute Resolution

Qualifications

  • LL.B (Hons) Singapore Management University (2014)
  • Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore (2015)

Woon Yee has successfully represented clients in both litigation and international arbitration proceedings.

She has represented multinational corporations, governments, and individuals at all levels of the Supreme Court of Singapore and in international arbitrations.

Woon Yee has acted for and advised clients on a variety of high value and complex cross-border matters, including disputes relating to commercial contracts, energy and infrastructure projects, shareholder agreements, banking and finance, equity and trusts, property law, company law, construction law, and probate.

She is also proficient in both spoken and written Mandarin Chinese.

Some of the matters in which Woon Yee has worked on include:

  • Dispute concerning purchase of artwork valued at US$2 billion
    Acting for an ultra-high net worth client as part of a global legal team in a high-profile art dispute with concurrent civil and criminal proceedings in Singapore, Switzerland, Monaco and New York. The dispute – dubbed ‘The Bouvier Affair’ – arose from the sale and purchase of US$2 billion worth of artwork, and involved complex legal issues in multiple jurisdictions. A decision of the Court of Appeal on the dispute is reported at Rappo, Tania v Accent Delight International Ltd and another and another appeal [2017] 2 SLR 265.

  • US$1 billion arbitration relating to a top MMORPG game in Asia
    Acting for an international game developer in an ICC arbitration against a claim for more than US$1 billion. The dispute arose from the licensing and distribution of one of the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) in Asia. The relevant history of the parties’ relationship span more than two decades and the dispute involves complex legal issues under the laws of Singapore, South Korea and the People’s Republic of China.

  • US$100 million arbitration involving purchase of steel plant
    Successfully represented a major Southeast-Asian steel producer against a global supplier of equipment and physical plants in a ICC arbitration for a claim in excess of US$100 million. The dispute arose from the sale and purchase of a steel processing plant. The matter raises complex factual and expert evidence involving novel technology.

  • Mismanagement of public funds
    Successfully represented a town council in a high-profile and widely publicised dispute in Aljunied-Hougang Town Council and another v Lim Swee Lian Sylvia and others and another suit [2019] SGHC 241. The dispute arose from the town councillors’ mismanagement of more than S$30 million of public funds, and involved novel legal issues relating to, among other things, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of statutory duties under the Town Councils Act and the Town Council Financial Rules.

  • Construction dispute involving the façade of Centennial Towers
    Successfully represented a real estate developer and building owner in court proceedings which span seven years. The dispute arose in connection with a contract to design and build, among other things, the external stone façade of Centennial Towers. The High Court has delivered its decision against, among others, the main contractor in Millenia Pte Ltd v Dragages Singapore Pte Ltd and others [2018] SGHC 193. The Court of Appeal has dismissed the main contractor’s appeal.
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Member, Law Society of Singapore