Naresh Mahtani

Practice Areas

Arbitration, Adjudication, Mediation, Neutral Evaluation, Expert Determination

Career

Naresh Mahtani has been in active legal practice for about 40 years, in dispute resolution, international construction and oil & gas projects and commercial transactions, as counsel and advisor, as well as arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator in various institutional (including ICC, SIAC, AIAC and SMC) and ad hoc cases in Singapore and the region.

He was a founding partner (1994-1999) and later a practicing consultant (2004-2012) with ATMD Bird & Bird LLP and a partner with Eldan Law LLP (2013-2018), with an active practice in dispute resolution and construction projects. He is now at Adelphi Law Chambers LLC in Singapore, with an active practice as arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator.

His many roles and appointments in the dispute resolution community during the past few decades includes being Chairman of the Society of Construction Law, Singapore (2006 – 2008), Hon. Secretary and a Course Director of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (2010-2018), CEO of the Law Society of Singapore (1999-2001) and Chair of the Appeals Board of the Council Estate Agencies (CEA) (up to 2022).

He is regularly appointed as Arbitrator in major domestic and international arbitrations, including those in the building & construction and oil & gas industries in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India and the region.

He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (FSiArb) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), as well as an Arbitrator on the panel of arbitrators of various arbitral institutions. As an accredited Adjudicator with the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC), he has been appointed as adjudicator in substantial construction adjudications, as well as mediator in various cases.

He is recognized as a Senior Accredited Specialist in Building & Construction by the Singapore Academy of Law.

Professional Memberships

Society of Construction Law, Singapore, of which he as Chairman in 2006 – 2008)

Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators, of which was Hon. Secretary and a Course Director in 2010-2018

Law Society of Singapore, of which was a Council Member for many years and CEO in 1999-2001

Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Fellow of Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators

Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA), of which he has Council Member and Chairman of International Construction Projects Committee, Vice Chair of Dispute Resolution & Arbitration Committee (1996-2001)

Senior Accredited Specialist in Building & Construction by the Singapore Academy of Law

Disputes & Compensation Resolution Panel of Singapore Wholesale Electricity Market

Adjudication Panel of the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Panel (FIDREC)

Accredited Adjudicator and Associate Mediator at Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC)

Accredited Adjudicator at AIAC (Asian International Arbitration Centre)

He has been an experienced course director and lecturer on arbitration with the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators for many years.

He been a trainer in expert determination for members of the Singapore Institute of Architects (for whom he drafted its Expert Determination Rules in 2011) as well as with P.A.M. (the Malaysian Institute of Architects).

Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), Asia-Pacific Regional Grouping (APRAG) Panel of Arbitrators, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Panel of Arbitrators of Pacific International Arbitration Centre, Vietnam (PIAC), Russian Arbitration Centre at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration (RIMA), Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb), Law Society of Singapore and on LCIA India Database of Neutrals, Distinguished Panel of Arbitrators of the Thailand Arbitration Centre (THAC) and The Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA)

Personal

Naresh has been listed under 'MOST IN DEMAND ARBITRATORS in CHAMBERS ASIA -PACIFIC Dispute Resolution 2023 and as RECOMMENDED LAWYER in WHO'S WHO LEGAL Construction 2023.

These publications have described him describe him, amongst other things, as a "go-to name in the market with "a well-earned reputation as one of the most experienced specialist practitioners in construction arbitration in Singapore"; "His standout quality is the ability to review and distil voluminous and complex documentation into key issues"; "He is known by peers and clients alike for his fair-mindedness and sound decision-making"; that he"...is considered a senior statesman in terms of his experience in adjudicating and arbitrating...". and that he "...is an experienced arbitrator who takes great pride in his work, and this comes through in his manner of conducting the arbitration. His reputation as a sound decision maker is well earned. His determinations are well thought through and carefully reasoned, which gives counsel and the clients confidence that parties will get a fair outcome in the arbitration. Naresh has a good understanding of international practices".

Experience

For over 40 years, from 1982 to the present, Naresh has been very active in dispute resolution in various areas including construction, oil & gas, commercial and civil disputes. He has been advisor and counsel in various litigations and major arbitrations involving large projects such as Marina Centre, Changi Airport Terminal 2, Suntec Convention Centre, various MRT projects, Marina Bay Sands and various others in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and in the Asian region. He has been appointed as arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator in various disputes and projects and has written numerous arbitration awards and adjudication determinations.