Profile

Tat has acted as mediation counsel in over 500 litigated and arbitrated cases.

He has acted as mediator in over 200 cases, from commercial and relational conflicts to cross border multiparty disputes involving substantial claims to public interest disputes involving environmental and social concerns.

Conduct as mediator affirmed and approved by the court in Chan Gek Yong v Violet Netto [2018] SGHC 208.

Who’s Who Legal: Mediation (2016) described Tat as “always prepared for the unexpected”, a quality that makes him “a true asset to any mediation”. Who’s Who Legal: Mediation (2017) described Tat as an “outstanding” mediator and “a distinguished figure in Singapore mediation”. In Who’s Who Legal: Mediation (2018), Tat was lauded as “the best in Singapore” for mediation services by his peers.

Tat has three decades of extensive experience in litigation, arbitration, adjudication, mediation and collaborative dispute resolution practices, and has appeared as counsel in all levels of the Singapore Courts and in domestic and international arbitrations. He has represented local and international clients in high value cases involving multiple jurisdictions and spanning across a wide range of industries, including energy, recycling, entertainment, construction, manufacturing and real estate.

His practice focuses on conflict and dispute resolution. He adopts a multifaceted approach to dispute resolution and utilises varied dispute resolution modes to obtain optimal outcomes for clients. He heads his firm’s dispute resolution practice based in Singapore, which has received accolades and awards for its mediation and civil litigation practice. The Legal 500 (2016) described Tat as “knowledgeable and sharp”, leading a team that “punches above its weight in heavyweight commercial litigation”.

He has been appointed as an expert in Singapore law for foreign court proceedings, and as arbitrator and mediator in a wide range of cases. He has also been appointed as chair of tribunals convened by the Chief Justice, Singapore, Singapore Medical Council and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and has served on public committees undertaking reviews of the litigation processes in the State Courts.

Tat is accredited with many distinguished mediation panels, including SMC (Singapore), SIMC (Singapore), NEMS (Singapore), SCCDR (Singapore), FJC (Singapore), JIMC (Kyoto, Japan), AAA-ICDR (USA), CEDR (UK), HKMAAL (Hong Kong) and NMAS (Australia). He is an IMI certified mediator, a designated mediator under the investment agreement framework of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Mainland China, and a Mediator / Regional Consultant of the Compliance Advisory Ombudsman (CAO), International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group.

He is a member of SMC’s Board of Directors, a member of IMI’s Independent Advisory Committee, Co-Chair of the IBA Mediation Committee, and Chair of the Society of Mediation Professionals (Singapore). He is also a 2017 Weinstein JAMS International Fellow.

As a Principal Trainer with the Adjunct Training Faculty of SMC, Teaching Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education and Adjunct Teaching Staff of Singapore Institute of Technology, he delivers negotiations and mediation workshops, seminars and lectures to students, judges, lawyers, arbitrators, mediators, business executives and professionals.

He is also a contributor to various publications including Singapore Civil Procedure published by Thomson Reuters Sweet & Maxwell, Mediation in Singapore: A Practical Guide published by Thomson Reuters Sweet & Maxwell, Lexis Practical Guidance – Dispute Resolution published by LexisNexis.

For his contribution and service to the State Courts of Singapore, Tat was presented with the State Courts’ Outstanding Court Volunteer (Advocate & Solicitor Category) Award in 2013. He is also the recipient of awards for his contribution and service to SMC, LSS and Ministry of Education.

Bachelor of Laws (Hons), National University of Singapore)

Master of Laws & Master of Business Administration, National University of Singapore

Master of Science, Construction Law & Arbitration (With Merit), King’s College London