Partners

Samuel Koh

Associate Director, Dispute Resolution

Key Practices

Qualifications

  • LL.B. (First Class Honours), National University of Singapore
  • LL.M. (International Legal Studies), New York University
  • Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore (2019)
  • Attorney and Counselor-at-Law in the State of New York (2022)

Samuel acts for clients in a range of complex cross-jurisdictional civil and commercial disputes in various industries, and maintains an active litigation and arbitration practice. He has experience in international arbitrations conducted under a variety of institutional and ad hoc rules (including the ICC, LCIA, SIAC and UNCITRAL Rules).

Samuel is dual-qualified to practice in Singapore and New York.

Samuel graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from the National University of Singapore in 2016. He also holds a Master of Laws with a specialisation in International Legal Studies from New York University.

In 2023, Samuel joined the International Arbitration Practice Group of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP in London as a Senior Associate on a six-month secondment, during which he acted for clients in a range of complex international commercial and investment treaty disputes.

In 2022, Samuel was appointed Young Amicus Curiae in an appeal before the Singapore High Court that raised novel issues of criminal procedure. The Court broadly agreed with all his recommendations on the questions posed, and “thank[ed] Mr Koh for his comprehensive submissions that were of assistance to this court”: William Lim Tien Hou v Ling Kok Hua [2023] SGHC 18.

Before joining private practice in 2019, Samuel was a Justices’ Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of Singapore.

Samuel speaks English and Mandarin.

Some of the noteworthy matters which Samuel has handled include:

  • Successfully acted for a Chinese government-linked company in an SIAC-administered arbitration commenced under the UNCITRAL Rules in respect of a dispute arising from the construction of a coal-fired supercritical thermal ultra-mega power plant located in India. The claims and counterclaims amount to more than US$579 million, and involve English law, Singapore law and Indian law. The client was awarded US$146million in damages. The matter also involves parallel proceedings seeking interim asset preservation relief before the Delhi High Court.
  • Successfully defended Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd in a challenge brought by India’s Reliance Infrastructure Limited before the Singapore International Commercial Court, preserving a US$146 million SIAC award. The challenge was based on allegations that the underlying arbitration agreement was forged: see Reliance Infrastructure Limited v Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd [2024] SGHC(I) 3.
  • Acted for a major US-incorporated oil and gas company in an arbitration commenced under the ICC Rules by a British multi-national oil and gas company, in a dispute arising out of the interpretation of an agreement for the sale and purchase of LNG. The agreement was governed by English law and raised issues of contractual interpretation as well as technical issues regarding the operation of a floating LNG facility.
  • Acted for a Thai Ultra High Net Worth individual in an arbitration commenced under the ICC Rules against a Swiss-incorporated multi-national company (MNC), which is the world’s largest food and beverage conglomerate, in a dispute arising out of the Swiss MNC’s termination of the joint venture agreement in relation to the parties’ coffee business in Thailand. The dispute involved claims amounting to US$5.5 billion. The dispute raised issues of contractual interpretation under English law and corporate offences and economic torts under Thai law.
  • Successfully acted for a Chinese High Net Worth individual in proceedings before the Singapore High Court relating to alleged breaches of contract and trust alleged by a Chinese corporation. The client faced claims of breach of contract, trust and/or duties owed to the plaintiff, by allegedly failing to return sums in excess of S$3 million. The High Court did not find in favour of the client at first instance. However, the team successfully overturned the first instance decision on appeal to the Appellate Division of the High Court: see Ma Binxiang v Hainan Hui Bang Construction Investment Group Ltd [2022] SGHC(A) 37.

Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2024

“Samuel was very responsive to communications and built an excellent relationship with HKA and its experts. He was a pleasure to work with and very helpful in providing direction and clarity on instructions.”

Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2023

“Samuel was on top of all the details and had a clear vision of how to progress the matters at the heart of the case.”

  • Assistant Editor for Southeast Asia, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (2024-present)
  • Member, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2020-2023)
  • Member, International Relations Committee, Law Society of Singapore (2022)
  • Member, YSIAC
  • Member, Young International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
  • Member, ICC Singapore Arbitration Group
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Member, Law Society of Singapore