Joseph Lopez, Managing Partner at Joseph Lopez LLP, specialises in international commercial arbitration, commodities, corporate transactions, cross-border disputes and transactions, energy, negotiation, and risk management. In his 30 years of practice, he has represented a diverse range of corporations and individuals in the Singapore Courts, the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), and in international arbitration under the auspices of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) and the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA). Joseph is regularly instructed for ad-hoc arbitrations and is also familiar with both FOSFA and GAFTA arbitrations.
Since 1997, Joseph has been heavily involved in international commercial arbitration in the Energy and Natural Resources sector, the Maritime/Shipping Sector, Cross Border Joint Venture Disputes Sector, Building and Construction Sector, and has also represented high net worth private clients. He has represented major international energy companies, financial institutions and State-owned entities/companies in Brunei, Indonesia, India, China, Chile and the Philippines in large and complex cross-border arbitration disputes. Joseph also appears regularly in the Singapore Courts and the SICC in respect of arbitration related proceedings such as the enforcement of arbitration awards, stay of proceedings in favour of arbitration, and the setting aside of arbitration awards.
Notable and recent reported cases Joseph was involved in include Coal & Oil Co LLC v GHCL Ltd [2015] SGHC 65, which examined a novel issue of the interpretation of Rule 27.1 of the 2007 SIAC Rules, and Gokul Patnaik v Nine Rivers Capital Ltd [2020] SGHC(I) 23, where Joseph successfully resisted an attempt to set aside an SIAC arbitration award on the grounds of inter alia that the award contravened Indian law in the Singapore International Commercial Court.
Professional Qualifications and Admissions:
- Admitted as a Barrister of the Honourable Society of Middle Temple, London in November 1989
- Admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in February 1991
- Admitted as a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Australia (Australian Capital Territory) in 1991
- Mediator since October 1996
- Commissioner for Oaths since 2001
- Notary Public since 2007
- Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators since 2016
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 2020
Education:
- LL.B. (Hons) London School of Economics
