Yu-Jin Tay

Practice Areas

“…Yu-Jin Tay, who has 'an impressive network of clients and contacts in the region', 'is very responsive', 'very knowledgeable and very sharp', 'strategically very sound and very experienced in international matters'.”

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2019)

Yu-Jin Tay is the Managing Partner of Mayer Brown's Singapore office and is the head of Mayer Brown’s International Arbitration in Asia. He specialises in international arbitration arising from a broad range of commercial disputes across a range of sectors including energy, natural resources, manufacturing, technology, construction and infrastructure, as well as hospitality and real estate. Yu-Jin has experience of most of the world’s leading arbitral seats (including Paris, London, Geneva, Zurich, New York, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Seoul and Dubai) as well as under the rules of key arbitral institutions (including the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, CIETAC, LCIA, DIAC, AAA-ICDR, KCAB, KLRCA, BANI, VIAC, ICSID and UNCITRAL Rules). Since 2001, Yu-Jin has advised or represented investors or states in investment treaty arbitrations and, since 2013, he has been a member of ICSID's panels of arbitrators and conciliators, designated by the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. In addition to counsel work, Yu-Jin has served as presiding, sole, or co-arbitrator in ICC, SIAC, LCIA, HKIAC, VIAC and ad hoc arbitrations.

In 2011, Yu-Jin was one among few Asian lawyers featured in Global Arbitration Review’s global 45 under 45 ranking. He has also been listed annually as a leading individual in global legal directories including GAR’s International Who’s Who of Commercial Arbitration (since 2010), Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (since 2008; Asia-wide, Singapore, Korea and Indonesia chapters), the Euromoney Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration (since 2006) and Benchmark Litigation (Local Disputes Star, 2013). Directories report Yu-Jin as having been described by peers as “a specialist among specialists” (Chambers, South Korea, 2016), “great at resolving complex problems and explaining them simply” (Chambers, Singapore, 2017). He has been described by clients as their “first choice for arbitration matters” and “extremely sophisticated” (Chambers, South Korea, 2017), “logical and solution-oriented… tough in making points” (Chambers, Singapore, 2016), and a “very good, articulate advocate who is one of the faces of the next generation of Singaporean arbitration practitioners” (Chambers, Singapore, 2014), “noteworthy for his seasoned and creative strategic advice” (Chambers, Asia Pacific, 2015).

Before Mayer Brown, Yu-Jin practiced for over 16 years in international firms and has also worked in London, Paris and Washington DC. Prior to private practice, he served as counsel and military prosecutor in the Ministry of Defense in Singapore and trained as a barrister at Fountain Court Chambers in London. He speaks English and Mandarin.