Professional Experience/Areas of Expertise Walter Chen, S.C. Partner, FCIArb, FHKIArb, has been practising law for nearly 30 years and has a wealth of practical experience in transnational and cross-border arbitration, litigation and non-litigation. He is one of the very few leading international dispute resolution lawyers and international arbitrators in China who can effectively handle cases in English. Waler Chen has extensive experience in representing and assisting clients in handling complex and high value legal matters, as well as cases that have been accepted by overseas arbitral and judicial institutions such as the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), the Chinese Courts of Law at all levels, the High Court of Hong Kong, and the United States District Courts, etc. or that have been dealt with by ad hoc arbitration (e.g. LMAA). The cases he has represented and assisted clients in handling include, among others, the international cooperation and RICO dispute between a US company and a Chinese automobile company heard respectively in a US federal district court and HKIAC with claimed amount of over USD 15 billion; the joint venture contract dispute brought by a US company against a Chinese Company in Hong Kong as ad hoc arbitration involving claimed amount of over RMB 10 billion; the refund guarantee dispute brought by a Singaporean ship owner against a Chinese bank in London under the LMAA Rules with claimed amount of over USD 30 million; the IP license and supply agreement disputes between GE/ABB and a Chinese company respectively heard in ICC Atlanta and HKIAC; and the M&A dispute brought by Toshiba against a giant Chinese electrical appliances group company heard in ICC Singapore. In respect of project service, he was once involved in providing comprehensive legal services emcompassing contract drafting, review, negotiation and signing for the Jaguar Land Rover China Automotive Joint Venture project, which has a total investment exceeding RMB 10 billion. The project was recognised as the “The Deals of the Year 2012” by the Hong Kong-based China Business Law Journal. In addition to being a counsel, Walter Chen has been an arbitrator for 24 years. Over the years, he sat as sole arbitrators, party-appointed arbitrators and presiding arbitrators in over 100 commercial cases in CIETAC, CMAC, HKIAC, DIFC-LCIA, CIETAC Hong Kong Center, BIAC, SCIA etc., applying among others UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, HKIAC Rules, LCIA Rules, CIETAC Rules, BIAC Rules, SCIA Rules and SHAC Rules. Walter Chen is a regular speaker and moderator for numerous large legal conferences or seminars that involve CIETAC, HKIAC, ICC, SIAC, SCC, BIAC etc. Due to his excellence in legal practice, Walter Chen has over the years been awarded with honors such as the “Man of the Year in China’s Legal Service” (2016), “Top 10 Lawyers of the Belt and Road in China” (2018) ，“Top 10 Lawyers Engaged in Cross-Border Legal Affairs in Jiangsu Province” (2018), “Outstanding Foreign Related Lawyer of Nanjing Bar Association” (2020-2022), the “Arbitration Lawyer of the Year (2022)” and the“ Best Arbitration Lawyer of the Year (2023)” of Lawyer Monthly, UK.
Education
- University of Liverpool (LLM in international business law, 2000)
- Fudan University, China (LLB in International Business Law,1991)
- Anhui Normal University, China (A in English language and literature,1987)
- University of Hamburg, Training Program for Lawyers Dealing with Cross-Border
- M&As and interned at Hamburg Office, DLA Piper (Certificate, 2013)
- University of Maryland, Visiting Scholar and interned at Washington
- D.C Office, Jones Day (Certificate, 2007-2008)
Professional Membership/Current Positions
- S.C, Partner of Grandall Law Firm (Nanjing)
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrator (FCIArb)
- Fellow of Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators（FHKIArb）
- Steering Committee Member, and Vice President of the UK Sub-Association of Western Returned Scholars Association (Overseas-educated Scholars Association) of China
- Member of Arbitration and Lawyers Mediation Committee of All China Lawyers Association (ACLA)
- Member of ICC China Arbitration Committee
- Member of Steering Committee of China Academy of Arbitration Law (CAAL)
- Committee Member of Beihai Asia International Arbitration Centre, Singapore
- Expert Member of the International Commercial Expert Committee of the Nanjing International Commercial Court, China
- Member of the Leading Chinese Lawyers Dealing with Cross-Border Legal Affairs of All China Lawyers Association (ACLA)
- Member of Talent Pool of Lawyers Dealing with Cross-Border Legal Affairs，Ministry of Justice, China
- Member of the “Leading Foreign Related Lawyers”, Ministry of Justice, China
- Member of Advisory Panel for CCPIT as UNCITRAL Observer on Dispute Settlement
- Expert in the “Civil and Administrative Prosecution Expert Advisory Network” of the Sixth and Seventh Prosecutor’s Offices of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor’s Office, China
- Member of Belt and Road Committee of the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA)
- Member of the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association (BRILA)
- Mediator of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)/China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC)
- Mediator of International Centre for Appropriate Dispute Resolution & Prevention, Pakistan
- Vice President of Jiangsu Yangtze River International Commercial Mediation Center
- LLM Tutor or Research Fellow for universities in China such as Southeast University, Nanjing Normal University, Zhongnan University of Economics and law and Universita Di Roma and China University of Political Science and Law
Accredited/ Nominated Panels of Arbitrators
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
- Member of Panel of International Arbitrators of the KCAB INTERNATIONAL (KCAB)
- Member of the Distinguished Panel of Arbitrators of the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of the Borneo International Center for Arbitration and Mediation (BICAM)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of the Vietnam-China International Trade Arbitration Center (VCITAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of DIFC LCIA
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of the International Commercial Dispute Prevention and Settlement Organization (ICDPASO)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of the Arbitration Center Across the Straits, China
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Beijing International Arbitration Center (BIAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA)
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Guangzhou Arbitration Commission
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Chongqing Arbitration Commission
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Hainan International Arbitration Court
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Guiyang Arbitration Commission
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Xian Arbitration Commission
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Nanjing Arbitration Commission
- Member of Panel of Arbitrators of Hefei Arbitration Commission
- Member of the Database of Arbitrators of London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
- Member of the Internal Database of Arbitrators and Mediators of MCCI Arbitration
Publications
- One of the three-member Editorial Board (with Stephen Jagusch K.C, Colin Ong K.C) in three consecutive years (2021-2023), and co-author for China Chapter of the “CDR Essential Intelligence – Belt and Road Initiative ” launched in London by the Global Legal Group, GLG；
- Co-author of the “Insights on the Ruling of the Shanghai Maritime Court Recognizing Judgments of the English Courts” published by Asian Dispute Review (2023).
- Editor in Chief and contributor of the “Seventh Five-Year-Plan Nationwide Legal Education Campaign” Textbook titled “Laws and Risks Prevention for Non-State-Owned Enterprises” sponsored by National Office of Legal Education, the Ministry of Justice, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (Legal Press 2017).
- Editor in Chief and contributor of four consecutive years (2014-2018) of the “Chinese Lawyers in Action” series sponsored by All China Lawyers Association and published by Legal Press, China.
- Co-Edited the Selected Foreign-Related Cases published by the All-China Lawyers Association (Law Press, 2018), and contributor of the “The Urgent Need to Prevent and Control Criminal Legal Risks for Enterprises Going Abroad – Starting from the Successful Termination of the Dutch Criminal Accusation Case by a Chinese Enterprise”.
- Author of Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions in China: Law and Practice (English, LexisNexis Hong Kong 2009).
- Editor in Chief of the Legal Guidance for Establishing Corporations in 40 Countries and Regions (bilingual, LexisNexis, and China CITIC Press, 2008).
- Executive Editor in Chief of a Practical Handbook of Laws and Regulations on China’s Enterprises Cross-Border Investment and Operation (Legal Press, 2007).
- Author, Dispute Resolution and the WTO, China Law & Practice, Dec2001/Jan 2002, Volume 15 No.10.
Languages
- Mandarin Chinese (native)
- English (fluent)
