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Lynette Chew

Director

Contact
Holborn Law LLC
7 Straits View #19-01
Marina One East Tower
Singapore 018936
Languages English, Chinese, Malay

Lynette Chew is a Partner in CMS Singapore and a Director of CMS Holborn Asia, the Formal Law Alliance with CMS Singapore and Singapore law practice, Holborn Law LLC. She is Co-Head of the Infrastructure and Construction practice in Singapore.

Lynette’s area of practice encompasses a wide range of contentious and non-contentious work in the infrastructure, construction and energy sectors in Asia. She specialises in high-value and complex projects in Singapore and Asia. 

On the contentious side, Lynette acts as lead counsel in complex domestic and cross border disputes at the highest levels of the Singapore Courts, in institutional arbitrations including under the arbitration rules of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (Malaysia) (AIAC), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA), before adjudication tribunals under Singapore’s Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004, and has extensive experience of mediation both as counsel and as mediator. With more than 25 years of experience, Lynette assists clients to identify and realise effective and commercial outcomes – she is recognised for her “insightful and honest” advice, and those who work with her have described her being "always well prepped on the issues and informed on what was happening at all times”.

On the non-contentious side, Lynette has been involved in building and infrastructure projects in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region, including greenfield developments of data centres, power plants, luxury hotels and integrated resorts, manufacturing facilities and commercial developments. Lynette is well versed in project and risk management issues that occur throughout the project cycle – including workplace safety, project insurance coverage and claims in builders and contractors risk policies – and regularly advises on tender and project documentation in domestic and regional construction, engineering and infrastructure projects. Lynette has been a recommended “Global Leader” for Hospitality in Who’s Who Legal since 2020. Among key representations, Lynette was project counsel to the Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) for its iconic integrated resort project from tender to completion, and in that role advised and drafted over 150 contract packages valued at S$6 billion. 

Lynette is recommended in legal directories for her expertise in construction, projects and energy work, including Chambers Asia-Pacific, Legal 500, asialaw and Asian Legal Business. She is the sole woman lawyer among 29 ranked individuals recognised for both contentious and non-contentious matters in the Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2022 Guide for Construction in Singapore, and only 1 of 2 woman lawyers ranked for front-end work. She is also the only woman lawyer to be accredited by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) as a Senior Accredited Specialist for Building and Construction Law. 

As Co-Head of the Infrastructure and Construction practice in Singapore, Lynette has been recognised as leading a “skilled, well managed team” that “has the ability to get things done” (Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific) and as “part of a formidable global team, frequently landing major local and international engagements on front-end and contentious matters” (The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific).

She is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is on the Asian International Arbitration Centre‘s Panel of Arbitrators. Lynette is an SMC Accredited Mediator, as well as a Specialist Mediator on the panel of the SIMC for Construction, Infrastructure and Energy. 

Lynette sits on the Law Society of Singapore’s Building & Construction Committee – a standing committee that addresses and provides guidance, provides feedback in public and other consultations on legislative and practice changes, and liaises with the Courts, relevant bodies and other stakeholders on building and construction law matters. Lynette also sits on the SAL’s Law Reform Sub-Committee for Building and Construction Law. She serves on the board of the Catholic Welfare Services, Singapore.

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"Her knowledge of the details is impressive and her service to the client is very good."

Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2023

"Her attention to details and cross-examination skills for factual and expert witnesses were impeccable." "Her advice is often insightful and honest."

asialaw, 2023

"Recommended individual for Construction"

Legal 500

Relevant experience

  • A Korean main contractor in a Singapore seated ICC arbitration arising from the construction of a 2x400MW combined cycle power plant project. 
  • An international main contractor in a Singapore seated SIAC arbitration arising from the construction of an LNG and regasification plant.
  • An international contractor and supplier on delay and design issues in 2 Offshore windfarm projects in Taiwan. 
  • A French telecommunication company in its claim against Employer in a telecommunication project in Myanmar.
  • The project insurer in arbitration in one of the largest insurance claims in Singapore that resulted from the Nicoll Highway collapse.
  • The main contractor in dispute in integrated healthcare and hospitality complex.
  • The owner of an integrated resort as Project Counsel for the development of a US$6billion integrated resort in Singapore.
  • The main contractor in a statutory adjudication dispute in an LNG and regasification plant.
  • The main contractor in a claim arising from ceiling works in a luxury mixed used development.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Senior Accredited Specialist (Building & Construction), Singapore Academy of Law.
  • Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators.
  • Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
  • Specialist Mediator, Singapore International Mediation Centre.
  • Accredited Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre.
  • Member, ICC Singapore Arbitration Group.
  • Member, Law Reform Sub-Committee (Building and Construction), Singapore Academy of Law. 
  • Panel of Arbitrators, Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). 
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Education

  • 2011 - Graduate Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration (DiplCArb), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, University of Oxford, Keble College.
  • 1996 - Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court, Singapore.
  • 1995 - Barrister at law, Lincoln’s Inn.
  • 1994 - LLB, Hons, University of London.
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Feed

02/04/2020
Singapore to fast-track Bill granting temporary relief from effects of...
This article is produced by CMS Holborn Asia, a Formal Law Alliance between CMS Singapore and Holborn Law LLC. The outbreak and global escalation of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has caused...
07/08/2019
Singapore Convention on Mediation signed by 46 countries at opening in...
This article is produced by CMS Holborn Asia, a Formal Law Alliance between CMS Singapore and Holborn Law LLC. The United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation...
28/06/2019
“Com­ply-or-ex­plain” Code of Governance introduced for Singapore’s Town...
This article is produced by CMS Holborn Asia, a Formal Law Alliance between CMS Singapore and Holborn Law LLC. Singa­pore’s Ministry of National Development (MND) has developed a “com­ply-or-ex­plain”...
03/06/2019
An “innocent omission” does not excuse material non-disclosure in an injunction...
This article is produced by CMS Holborn Asia, a Formal Law Alliance between CMS Singapore and Holborn Law LLC. Singapore’s Court of Appeal has held in Bintai Kindenko Pte Ltd v. Samsung C&T Corporation...
27/05/2019
Court of Appeal clarifies scope and application of earlier decisions regarding...
A Court of Appeal decision earlier this month has provided authoritative guidance as to the scope and application of its earlier decision in Audi Construction Pte Ltd v Kian Hiap Construction Pte Ltd...
24/05/2019
Fit for what purpose? Singapore High Court rejects implied term of fitness...
Introduction Does a consultant engineer owe an implied obligation to an owner to ensure that its designs would be fit for their intended purposes? This is what the Singapore High Court (the “Court”)...
06/05/2019
CIArb launches guidelines for witness conferencing in international arbitration
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (“CIArb”) has recently launched its Guidelines for Witness Conferencing in International Arbitration (“Guidelines”) in Singapore. The Guidelines aim to assist...
14/01/2019
Singapore High Court considers application of “legitimate interest” test...
Overview In Seraya Energy Pte Ltd v Denka Advantech Pte Ltd and another suit (YTL PowerSeraya Pte Ltd, third party) [2019] SGHC 2 (“Denka Advantech”), the Singapore High Court considered the “legitimate...