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Alvin Yap acts as counsel in state-to-state, investor-state and commercial disputes. He has represented states in proceedings before the International Court of Justice, the Iran-US Claims Tribunal and arbitrations administered by the PCA and ICSID. He has acted in commercial arbitrations administered by the SIAC, ICC and FOSFA. He also regularly advises states and corporations on matters of public international law, particularly on land and maritime boundary issues and upstream oil and gas matters.
He was appointed as an adjunct lecturer at NUS from 2017 to 2019, where he taught a course on inter-state disputes. He has also given lectures and spoken at various seminars and events on a wide range of topics on public international law and international dispute settlement.
State-to-State Disputes
- Represented and appeared for India in an arbitration commenced by Italy under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the killing of two Indian fishermen by Italian marines stationed on board an Italian-flagged tanker (The “Enrica Lexie” Incident).
- Represented Iran before the Iran-US Claims Tribunal.
- Represented Timor-Leste in an arbitration instituted against Australia concerning the invalidation of a treaty as a result of alleged espionage conducted by Australia during the negotiations of that treaty (The Timor Sea Treaty Arbitration).
- Representing various states in four cases before the International Court of Justice.
Investment Arbitration
- Represented the government of Slovenia in an ICSID arbitration commenced by an Italian construction company under the Italy-Slovenia BIT concerning the construction of a highway tunnel in Slovenia (Impresa Grassetto S.p.A., in liquidation v. Slovenia).
International Commercial Arbitration
- Represented a Chinese state-owned company in a SIAC arbitration seated in Singapore against a Singapore company concerning a dispute arising out of a contract for the sale of iron ore pellets.
- Represented a Chinese state-owned company in a FOSFA arbitration seated in London against a US company concerning alleged breaches of payment terms in two contracts for the sale of iron ore pellets.
- Represented a Singapore sports marketing company in a SIAC arbitration seated in Singapore involving alleged breaches of licensing agreements for marketing sports events in India.
- Represented a US pharmaceutical company in a SIAC arbitration seated in Singapore involving alleged breaches of a licensing and supply agreement for pharmaceutical products.
- Acted as tribunal secretary in two ICC arbitrations and two ad hoc arbitrations seated in Singapore.
Education
- National University of Singapore, LL.B., Overall Dean’s List, 2012
Admissions
- Singapore, 2013
Memberships and Affiliations
- Founding Member, Young Singapore Public International Lawyers Group
- Member (Alternate), International Law Association Committee on Procedures of International Courts and Tribunals
- Member, ICC Singapore Arbitration Group
- Member, Young SIAC
- Member, International Law Association (Singapore Branch)
- Expert Mentor, NUS International Economic Law Clinic Programme, 2020 – 2021
Languages
- English
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Excellence in Advocacy Award, Singapore International Arbitration Academy, 2016
- Champion, Singapore National Round of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2012
Publications
- Author, “Right to Regulate in the Context of Expropriation”, WikiNotes, Jus Mundi, September 2020.
- Co-Author, “The Algiers Accords and the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal (1981) (Algiers)”, World Arbitration Reporter, last updated January 2020.
- Co-Author, “The Application of Mandatory Rules by Arbitral Tribunals under Singapore Law: A Need for Greater Certainty?” Singapore Arbitration Journal, 2019.
- Co-Author, “Challenges of Arbitrators in Investment Arbitration: Still Work in Progress?” Arbitration Under International Investment Agreements: A Guide to the Key Issues (2nd Edition), Oxford University Press, 2018.
- Co-Author, “Assignee’s right and obligation to arbitrate under Singapore law: a missed opportunity by the Court of Appeal?” Indian Journal of Arbitration Law, January 2017.
- Author, “Brunei”, Investment Protection in Southeast Asia, Brill|Nijhoff, 2016.
- Author, “Indonesia”, Investment Protection in Southeast Asia, Brill|Nijhoff, 2016.
Speaking Engagements
- “Twenty Years of the ILC Articles on State Responsibility”, Public International Law Webinar Series organised by Fietta Law, Essex Court Chambers and The University of Sydney, 16 October 2020.
- “Document Production in Arbitration”, 7th Annual International Arbitration Summit, Jakarta, 22 November 2019.
- “Application of Mandatory Rules by Arbitral Tribunals under Singapore Law”, Launch of Singapore Arbitration Journal, 26 November 2019.
- Lecturer, “Introduction to Public International Law for International Moots”, National University of Singapore, 2017-2019.
- Guest Lecturer, “Sexual Violence against Men in Times of Armed Conflict”, Paññāsātra University of Cambodia, 2012.