Jim Yang Teo

Associate Ascendant Legal
Jim Yang Teo

Jim Yang Teo

Biography

Jim Yang is a dispute resolution lawyer based in Singapore. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, insolvency, and international arbitration.

He regularly advises and represents multinational clients in energy & infrastructure disputes, joint venture & shareholder disputes, banking & financial disputes and transport & trade disputes. He has acted for clients before the Singapore High Court, Court of Appeal, and Singapore International Commercial Court, as well as in international arbitrations administered under various institutional rules such as the SIAC, ICC, and LCIA Rules. Jim Yang also has experience advising debtor-side and creditor-side clients in distressed or insolvency situations.

Professional experience

Representative experience

Representative experience

  • Global oil and gas conglomerate - in a US$170 million construction dispute against subsidiaries of a distressed Malaysian oil and gas group undergoing Malaysian scheme of arrangement proceedings. Secured a moratorium carve-out to proceed with SIAC arbitrations: Sapura Fabrication Sdn Bhd and others v GAS [2024] SGHC 241; [2025] SGCA 13.

  • Liquidators of a Singapore shipping company - in proof of debt and interpleader court proceedings involving bill of lading and cargo claims arising out of one of Asia’s most high-profile financial collapses.

  • Multinational beverages company - in a shareholder dispute against a Nepalese joint venture partner before the Singapore Court of Appeal and the Singapore International Commercial Court: Carlsberg Breweries A/S v CSAPL (Holdings) Pte Ltd [2022] SGCA(I) 2.

  • Wealth structuring arm of a Swiss-headquartered private bank - in an offshore banking dispute before the Singapore Court of Appeal involving competing claims by a global private bank and Taiwanese life insurer over US$190 million in assets in a Jersey unit trust.

  • Qatari vessel owners - a US$26 million ship sale dispute against a Chinese shipowning company. Obtained a discharge of a Mareva injunction before the Singapore Court of Appeal: Milaha Explorer Pte Ltd v Pengrui Leasing (Tianjin) Co Ltd [2023] SGCA 6.

  • European bank - in a US$587 million ship mortgage claim against an Asian luxury cruise operator. Arrested a flagship luxury cruise ship in enforcement proceedings before the Singapore Courts.

  • Southeast Asian mobile network operator - in an SIAC expedited arbitration seated in Singapore against a telecommunications towers company over the leasing of towers for nationwide mobile network services in a developing country.

  • Satellite broadband operator - in an SIAC arbitration seated in Singapore against a Pacific State and State-owned entity in a dispute over the provision of nationwide satellite broadband services.

  • Southeast Asian logistics company – in an ICC arbitration seated in Hong Kong against a Southeast Asian State concerning an abandoned shorebase project.

Education

Education

LL.B. (summa cum laude), Singapore Management University

Admissions

Admissions

  • Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore 2021

Publications

Publications

  • Report on Review of the Singapore International Arbitration Act (2024), published by the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy (co-author)

  • “Transnational res judicata in international commercial disputes and potential influences for BRI dispute resolution” (2024) 20 Journal of Private International Law 437-472.

  • “Reformulating the test for ascertaining the proper law of an arbitration agreement: a comparative common law analysis” (2020) 17 Journal of Private International Law 439-472 (with Darius Chan).

  • “Ascertaining the proper law of an arbitration agreement: The artificiality of inferring intention where there is none: Enka Insaat Ve Sanayi A.S. v OOO “Insurance Company Chubb” [2020] EWCA Civ 574” (2020) 37 Journal of International Arbitration 635-648 (with Darius Chan).

Speaking engagements

Speaking engagements

“Transnational Res Judicata in International Commercial Disputes along the Belt & Road” at the 9th Journal of Private International Law Conference 2023 in Singapore

Memberships and activities

Memberships and activities

  • Member, Law Society of Singapore
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Member, YSIAC
  • Member, Young ICCA

Languages

Languages

  • English

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