Orrick Expands International Arbitration Practice to Singapore

• Elaine Wong joins Orrick’s International Arbitration practice as a partner. She is based in Singapore.
• Elaine acts for multinational leaders in energy & infrastructure, finance, life sciences and technology in international arbitrations and cross-border disputes involving Singapore, Japan and the Southeast Asia region.
• Elaine joins a team of nearly 50 International Arbitration lawyers at Orrick – a group active in all the major arbitral seats and recognized by Chambers, Legal 500 and Global Arbitration Review as a Top 30 firm worldwide nine times in the last decade, including in the most recent edition.
• The firm’s Singapore office, launched in 2021, now has seven partners, six of whom focus on project finance for the energy & infrastructure sector.
• Orrick has added 16 partners internationally in 2025, nearly 40% of the firm’s hires, including Anna Howell as Global Head of Oil & Gas in London in September and energy & infrastructure projects advisor Akira Takahashi in Tokyo last month.
• Elaine joins from Herbert Smith Freehills, where she practiced in Singapore and Tokyo.

“Singapore is one of the world’s most significant arbitration forums, and it’s continuing to grow as investment flows into the region. Adding top-tier capability in this market has long been a strategic priority, and we are thrilled to welcome Elaine, whose proven record for the most sophisticated clients makes our platform stronger,” said Mark Beeley, the London-based head of Orrick’s global International Arbitration practice.

“International arbitration is a natural next step in building our Asia offering, complementing the project finance team we have established in Singapore to serve the pan-Asian market. Elaine is a well-respected advisor with deep connections throughout the region, which makes her perfectly suited to support clients in all the markets that we are focused on, including Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, India and Vietnam,” added Singapore Office Leader Karthik Kumar.

“I’m excited to join Orrick’s market-leading disputes platform and to collaborate with the incredible talent the firm has attracted in Singapore,” Elaine said. “I look forward to building together in one of the world’s most vibrant markets.”

A native of Singapore, Elaine is recognized by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500. She is dual-qualified in Singapore and in England & Wales.

Elaine’s recent experience includes:

• Counsel to a consortium comprising three Japanese companies in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore against the employer in relation to an EPC project for the construction of a power plant and port in Bangladesh.
• Counsel to a Japanese trading house in disputes with the Tunisian national electricity and gas company on the one hand and its Turkish subcontractor on the other hand in relation to the design and construction of a power plant in Tunisia.
• Counsel to a Japanese trading house on a VIAC arbitration with the employer in relation to delays and disruptions on an EPC project for the construction of an urban railway in Vietnam.