TSMP Law Corporation

Construction & Engineering, Litigation, International Arbitration

Partner, Co-head of Construction & Engineering

Derek is a partner and co-head of the firm's construction practice. Since commencing practice, he has focused on construction, engineering and infrastructure law. His experience in this area is extensive, encompassing practically the entire spectrum of construction legal practice, from drafting construction contracts and advising on related financing structures, to dispute resolution, litigation and arbitration.

Derek's practice has seen him advise on and undertake drafting work for complex civil engineering contracts, such as power plants, refinery plants, subway rail systems and road networks, both within Singapore and regionally. He has experience with practically all major variants of construction contracts and is familiar with most international construction forms. His work also has a multi-jurisdictional dimension: Derek has advised and represented clients on construction and civil engineering projects and transactions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia and the Republic of Palau.

His recent major briefs include representing a major international specialist contractor from Japan, both in contract negotiations and dispute resolution, in relation to their projects in Singapore, including the construction of the SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands; acting for a major publicly listed specialist features, events and displays company in resolving claims relating to the Universal Studios Resorts World Sentosa project; advising on the negotiation of an EPC contract in Indonesia for an Out of Pit Crushing and Conveying System; advising and acting for a specialist oil and gas sub-contractor on payment claims arising from works connected to a petrochemical refinery on Jurong Island; acting for a specialist contractor on claims relating to major civil engineering works for the restoration and improvement of a national monument building; advising one of the largest international oil and gas majors on the redevelopment and expansion of their facilities in Japan; advising a major specialist Japanese contractor on their bid for the design and construction of a major waste-to-energy plant in Hong Kong; representing a major international substructure contractor on claims relating to the construction of a subway system with a contract sum of approximately $600 million, as well as their potential claims against an international materials supplier; and representing a major technology infrastructure corporation in relation to the construction and development of a technology infrastructure centre in Hong Kong.

English, Chinese (Mandarin)

Member, The Inquiry Panel, The Law Society of Singapore

Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators

SIAC Reserve Panel of Arbitrators

Member, Singapore Academy of Law

Member, The Law Society of Singapore

MA (Law) (Hons), University of Cambridge