Brenda Horrigan
Singapore
Brenda Horrigan Pte Ltd
30 Woollerton Park, #06-34
Singapore 257530, SG
Singapore
Tel: +65 8788 1966
Email:
brenda@brendahorrigan.com
Web:
www.brendahorrigan.com
Brenda is a US-qualified lawyer and internationally recognised arbitration practitioner with over 30 years of extensive global experience, having worked from the US, Paris, Moscow, Shanghai, Sydney and now as an independent arbitrator, based in Singapore. She is fluent in English, French and Russian.
Prior to establishing her own practice in 2021, Brenda was the Head of International Arbitration in Australia at Herbert Smith Freehills’ Sydney office. She commenced her career as a transactional lawyer and has spent nearly 20 years focussing exclusively on complex international commercial and investment treaty arbitration matters at both the arbitration and enforcement stages.
Brenda is consistently ranked by the foremost industry publications as a leading arbitration practitioner. Some of her most recent recognitions include:
- Who’s Who Legal – Recognised as a Thought Leader and Highly Recommended in South East Asia and Globally in the Arbitration (2023).
- Chambers Global – Recognised as one of Singapore’s Most In-demand Arbitrators (2023).
- Expert Guides – Women in Business Law edition, one of only 6 lawyers recognised in Singapore (2022)
- Legal 500 – Leading Individual, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (2021)
- Women in Business Law Awards – Best in Commercial Arbitration (2020)
Brenda is the immediate past president of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA) and remains a member of its executive committee. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has acted as arbitrator and/or counsel under a variety of rules, including SIAC, HKIAC, LCIA, ICC, KCAB International, JCAA, SCC, NZDRC, CIETAC, UNCITRAL and ICSID.
She has taught international arbitration as a Global Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University’s Shanghai campus and as a guest lecturer at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and Sciences Po in Paris. She is regularly invited to speak at conferences and seminars on arbitration.
Education & Qualifications
- Bar Admission, Washington DC (USA); Illinois (USA) (inactive); NSW (Australia) (inactive)
- Columbia University School of Law, JD, Stone Scholar Honours
- Columbia University Harriman Institute of Russian Studies, Certificate in Russian Studies/Law
- Moscow State University Law Faculty, Research scholar studying land privatization (Moscow)
- Grinnell College, BA with honours
- Emergency arbitrator in a SIAC Emergency Arbitration between Asian and European parties in connection with a sports promotion agreement
- Chair in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules between Singaporean and Caribbean parties in a dispute in respect of an acquisition agreement in the pharmaceutical sector
- Sole arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration between Canadian and Singaporean parties in a dispute in the pharmaceutical sector
- Sole arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration between Asian and North American parties in a dispute in relation to a social media acquisition agreement
- Co-arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between Chinese and European parties in the energy sector
- Sole arbitrator in an LCIA arbitration between Asian parties in the consumer products sector
- Chair in a KCAB arbitration between Chinese and Korean parties in the technology sector
- Sole arbitrator in an NZDRC arbitration between Singapore and New Zealand parties in the consumer goods sector
- Sole arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration between Asian and African parties in the energy sector
- Sole arbitrator in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules between Australian and Asian parties in the services sector
- Emergency arbitrator in a SIAC Emergency Arbitration between Asian parties in connection with an acquisition agreement
- Chair in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules between North American and Asian parties in connection with an acquisition agreement
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between Caribbean and Central Asian parties in the energy sector
- Sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between Eastern European and Asian parties in the services sector
- An Australian client in pre-arbitration negotiations in relation to a dispute with a European counterparty and potential arbitration — ICC Rules (with the CISG as the governing law of the contract)
- A Middle Eastern client in an arbitration brought by its Asian counterparty in connection with a dispute under a long-term contract — JCAA Rules
- An Asian subsidiary of a multinational company in an arbitration brought by its Chinese and Korean counterparties in connection with a dispute over a resource contract in the manufacturing sector, and in related proceedings in the Singapore courts — SIAC Rules
- An Asian entity in an arbitration against its Central Asian counterparty in connection with a dispute over a turnkey project in the telecommunications industry, and in related proceedings in the Chinese courts relating to the project and in Singapore with respect to an application for set-aside — ICC Rules
- An Asian client in an arbitration brought by its European counterpart in connection with a dispute under a share transfer agreement involving allegations of fraud — CIETAC Rules
- An Asian client in an arbitration against a Hong Kong entity in connection with a dispute over a joint venture in the paper industry involving allegations (by each party against the other) of fraud and forgery of documents — SIAC Rules
- A Chinese client in an arbitration brought by its European counterparty in connection with a dispute arising under a supply agreement in the solar sector — ICC Rules
- A Middle East-based investment fund in relation to pre-arbitration efforts to recover funds following a failed investment in mainland China
- A Chinese client in a commercial arbitration against a North American entity relating to a joint venture dispute in the textile industry — HKIAC Rules
- A European client in a pre-arbitration dispute against a Chinese entity relating to a licensing agreement in the media sector — SIAC Rules
- A Chinese subsidiary of a Hong Kong listed company in a commercial arbitration against a European entity relating to a dispute arising under an equipment supply contract in the green energy sector — HKIAC Rules
- Chinese and Hong Kong clients in a commercial arbitration against a European entity relating to a dispute arising under a substantial purchase contract — SIAC Rules
- A North American client in a pre-arbitration dispute against a Chinese entity relating to a commercial dispute in the manufacturing sector — SIAC Rules
- A European client in a commercial arbitration against a Chinese entity relating to a technology license arrangement in the transportation sector — CIETAC Rules
- A Chinese client in an arbitration against, and related mediation with, its European counterparty in connection with a joint venture dispute in the food and beverage sector — HKIAC Rules
- A Western client in an arbitration against a major Russian company in connection with an oil pipeline project in a CIS jurisdiction — ICC Rules
- A European client in two arbitrations against a CIS entity relating to a project for development of a gas field in a CIS jurisdiction — SCC Rules
- Pre-arbitration advice to Chinese claimant in a potential investment treaty dispute against a Central European state
- Faculty member, UNCTAD Training on Investment Treaty Drafting for treaty negotiators from APEC member countries
- Rumeli Telekom A.S. and Telsim Mobil Telekomunikasyon Hizmetleri (Turkey): Co-lead counsel in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Kazakhstan in connection with a dispute in the telecoms sector
- GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft (Germany): Co-lead counsel in an ICSID arbitration against Ukraine in connection with a dispute in the natural resources sector
- Central European client: Special counsel advising in connection with a potential ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Kazakhstan relating to a dispute in the natural resources sector
- Canadian client and its UK parent: Lead counsel in a potential ICSID Additional Facility arbitration against the Republic of Romania relating to a dispute in the natural resources sector
- European Media Ventures (a Luxembourg entity): Lead counsel in a BIT arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules against the Czech Republic relating to an investment in the media sector
- Joseph Charles Lemire (US): Special counsel in an ICSID arbitration against the State of Ukraine in connection with a dispute in the media sector
“Brenda is well versed in the nuances of international commercial & investment treaty arbitration. Based out of Singapore since 2021, she has experience sitting as arbitrator in SIAC, LCIA and KCAB matters.”