London commercial barristers’ chambers One Essex Court has welcomed Paul Tan as an international counsel and arbitrator from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

This addition significantly enhances the set’s expertise and global reach, particularly in Asia, where it has an annexe in Singapore. Tan, previously the head of arbitration for Asia at Gibson Dunn, has two decades of legal experience across sectors such as telecommunications, renewable resources, technology, media, construction and finance, showcasing his extensive expertise.

Tan is a prominent commercial arbitration and litigation lawyer in Singapore, known for representing a diverse clientele, including multinational corporations, insurers, financial institutions and Asian governments. He specialises in handling complex, high-value disputes under common and civil law systems.

His arbitrator experience is no less impressive. He has served as an arbitrator for the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

In his new role, Tan will continue to make court appearances in Singapore through Paul Tan Law LLC while expanding his international practice. His move is strategic for his career and One Essex Court, as it seeks to bolster its presence in Singapore and the broader Asian region.

Having first worked as a court clerk, rising to assistant registrar before the High Court, Tan was called to the Singapore Bar in 2007. Dual-qualified in both Singapore and England and Wales, he qualified as a solicitor and advocate at Rajah & Tann, interspersed with a stint at Essex Court Chambers in 2012 and a stage at Swiss arbitrators, Lalive, before returning to Singapore. He became a partner at Rajah & Tann in 2013 before moving in 2020 to Clifford Chance, where he headed up the litigation department, and then arrived at Gibson Dunn in 2022.  

Tan will join Jern-Fei Ng KC and Matthew Gearing KC as one of the few barristers able to practice before the Singaporean and London courts, with Ng first being called to the Bar and then joining Duxton Hill Chambers last year, alongside arbitral work.  

The set’s joint heads of chambers, Sonia Tolaney KC and Daniel Toledano KC, expressed their enthusiasm for Tan’s arrival. “Paul will be a fantastic addition to Chambers and further increase Chambers’ commitment to, and presence in, Singapore and the region,” they said. The duo took over from Lord Grabiner KC, who stepped down in April after three decades.

A spokesperson from Gibson Dunn said the firm wished Tan well in his new role and highlighted the firm’s existing team, which includes partners Brian Gilchrist and Elaine Chen, adding: “We will also continue recruiting the best legal talent in Singapore in the future.”

Tan is not the only arrival at One Essex to add international expertise. The set accepted Jarret Huang as a tenant in October 2024, along with Moritz Grimm. Huang, who also qualified in Singapore, has combined practice with academia at Oxford and Harvard.

Like Tan, he is a former clerk to the Singapore courts, having also served in public sector roles as a deputy public prosecutor and later as state counsel, where he focused on arbitration involving state entities and judicial review.

Other arrivals at One Essex include James Gardener from Twenty Essex, who was called in the BVI, Eastern Caribbean and London, and Katherine Boucher from 3VB earlier in the year.

Two of the set’s leading counsel have also taken on new roles recently. Lord Wolfson KC, the former justice minister, became shadow Attorney General in the Lords, shadowing Lord Hermer KC, while Laurie Rabinowitz KC succeeded Michael Brindle KC as chairman of the Takeover Panel.