One Essex Court Seminar

Vivekananda Neelakantan

Vivek has over 18 years’ experience in international dispute resolution and arbitration. Prior to re-joining SIAC, as partner at a leading law firm in Singapore, Vivek regularly acted as counsel on international arbitrations conducted in Singapore under various institutional rules. He has considerable experience acting on emergency arbitrator proceedings, expedited procedure arbitrations, and advising on arbitral award challenge and enforcement actions in Singapore. Vivek has also acted as an arbitrator and has been appointed as emergency arbitrator, and to three-member and sole arbitrator tribunals.

Vivek was previously part of the SIAC Secretariat, involved in the establishment of SIAC’s first overseas office in Mumbai, India and spent time in private practice in India. He is recommended for his ‘remarkable command over legal nuances’ and as a ‘name to note for India-related disputes’ by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, is listed by Who’s Who Legal as a ‘Future Leader’ and ‘praised for his knowledge of cases and law’ by GAR100. Vivek graduated from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore and was admitted to the Bar Council of Delhi in 2006.

Laurence Emmett KC

Laurence Emmett’s practice extends over the full range of issues that arise in commercial disputes, including litigation and international arbitration. His experience covers issues of contractual interpretation, jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments and injunctive relief. He has particular experience in the energy industry (including hydrocarbon-based and renewable resources), banking and finance and the pharmaceutical industry.

Henry Forbes Smith KC

Henry is recommended as a new silk by Legal 500 for four areas: International Arbitration (2025), "Henry is extremely intelligent and sees the big picture. He is adept at distilling a large amount of information and regulation into a coherent core theory, He therefore excels at the legally complex", and (2024), “Henry has a first rate and astonishingly innovative legal mind, particularly on all issues concerning the conflict of laws”, Banking & Finance (2025), "Great choice, unique international and comparative law experience, very hard working", and (2024), “‘One of the most hardworking and academically intelligent lawyers solicitors know”, Civil Fraud (2025), "An exceptionally clever silk with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law" and (2024), “A brilliant academic lawyer. An intellectual heavyweight with deep knowledge of law and procedure”, and Public International Law (2025).

Paul Tan

Paul Tan is an independent counsel with One Essex Court, specialising in international arbitration (commercial and investor-State), litigation (trials and appeals) and arbitration-related litigation. He regularly leads the advocacy for his clients. Paul is ranked as a leading lawyer in his practice areas and described in the following terms – “you cannot get anyone better than him”; “an absolute star” and “a standout and gifted advocate.” Paul is the co-author of three books on international arbitration: Mustill & Boyd: Commercial and Investor-State Arbitration (LexisNexis, 3rd ed, forthcoming); A Commentary on the Singapore International Arbitration Act (Oxford University Press, 2023) and The Law and Theory of International Commercial Arbitration in Singapore (Academy Publishing, 2022). Paul also co-chairs the ADR committee of the Law Society of Singapore and is currently a member of the Income Tax Review Board.

Sophie Weber

Sophie undertakes a wide range of commercial work in both litigation and arbitration. As well as acting as sole counsel, Sophie has experience of being led in substantial, complex and high-value litigation in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. She also has significant experience of international arbitrations (including but not limited to ICC rules) and sits as an arbitrator. She has also assisted with proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) and the Singapore Court of Appeal (SCA). Sophie has a particular expertise in jurisdiction and choice of law.

Tom Foxton

Tom’s practice spans the full spectrum of commercial disputes, including banking and finance, civil fraud, commercial chancery (including company law, insolvency and contentious trusts), energy and natural resources, general commercial litigation, insurance and reinsurance, international arbitration and professional liability.