Crystal (Wai Chin) Wong

Practice Areas

International Arbitration

Adjudication

Energy, Natural Resources & Utilities

Engineering & Infrastructure Projects

Construction

Professional Memberships

Panel Arbitrator, Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC)

Panel Arbitrator, Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei

Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)

Director of the CIArb, Malaysia Branch

Committee Member, Belt & Road Committee for the Young Practitioners Group of AIAC

Regional Ambassador of the HK45, Hong Kong International of Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)

Regional Leader, Asia Pacific, Interlaw, Special Business Team – Arbitration and ADR

Member of the Bar Council Arbitration & Construction Law

Publications

Contributor — Malaysian Civil Procedure (Sweet & Maxwell Asia 2013, 2015 and 2018 editions)

Contributor — Bullen & Leake & Jacob’s: Malaysian Precedents of Pleadings (1st and 2nd editions)

Author — Research paper on “Climate Change & Energy: Malaysia’s Energy Policy – where roads paved with good intentions lead?” nominated for Best Paper Award, International Conference on the Future of Law & Legal Practice 2019

Co-author — The COVID-19 Act and Contracts, 23 October 2020

Co-author — The Coronavirus Epidemic: Does it count as Force Majeure? [2020] MLN(A) xiii

Co-author — The Rise of Mediation: An Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum in the Times of COVID-19, 16 April 2020

Co-author — Changing for Climate Change: Renewable Energy Regulation in Malaysia, Master Builders Journal, Issue 119, Vol. 2/2020

Co-author —Enforcing foreign arbitral awards in Malaysia, Lexis®PSL, 2 June 2016

Personal

Crystal has an active arbitration practice throughout Malaysia, Singapore, and the ASEAN region, with an emphasis on electricity, conventional and renewable energy generation, water supply, and complex infrastructure & engineering projects. She is a trusted advisor to clients comprising of utility companies, independent power producers, government- linked companies and multinational companies. Her experience includes an extended stint with a leading international utilities conglomerate.

As co-head of the Firm’s China Desk, Crystal has also gained a strong reputation as a trusted advisor and leading solicitor to Chinese state-owned enterprises and other mainland Chinese companies investing in Malaysia. In this area of her practice, she is aided by the Chinese legal training she received at Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, as well as her fluency in English and Mandarin and first- hand understanding of Chinese corporate and social culture.

Crystal is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and sits on the panel of arbitrators for the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) and Chinese Arbitration Association, Taipei. Crystal also holds numerous committee appointments, including Committee Member of the Arbitration Committee for the Bar Council of Malaysia, Director of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Malaysia Branch, and Committee Member of the Belt & Road Committee for the Young Practitioners Group of AIAC. She is also a Regional Ambassador of the HK45, Hong Kong International of Arbitration Centre, the sole member from Malaysia of the Rising Arbitrators Initiative, and the founder of the Malaysian Chapter of Energy Related Arbitration Practitioners (ENERAP).

In 2022, she was selected by Asian Legal Business (ALB) as one of the “Malaysia Rising Stars 2022”. Crystal was also described as “a very capable, dedicated and reliable lawyer”, who is “knowledgeable and has great commercial acumen”, "extremely hard-working and always puts in the extra efforts to really understand and analyse the clients' matter, regardless of its complexity and technicality", “responsive and great communication skills”, “excellent organization skills” and “delivers work of quality that exceeds clients' expectations”. She has been ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023 as an “Up & Coming” disputes lawyer who specialises in construction mandates, who “is especially well versed in the intricacies of arbitration”. Most recently, Crystal was also named "Young Lawyer of the Year" by Asian Legal Business Malaysia Law Awards 2023, and a “Future Star” by the Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2023 for Construction. Crystal was recommended in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023 rankings.

Crystal’s contributions to publications and speaking engagements, particularly on arbitration and energy, have spanned national and international conferences and have been included in various books and journals. She is a regular contributor to the Arbitration chapter of Malaysian Civil Procedure (Sweet & Maxwell, 2015, 2018 and 2021 editions). In her pro bono capacity, Crystal serves as a commissioner on the National Executive Board of the Girl Guides Association Malaysia. Crystal is also a Member of TrustLaw, under the Thomson Reuters Foundation.