Dr Colin Ong KC is a member of the Brunei, English and Singapore Bars. He has broad experiences as counsel and arbitrator in commercial matters, including banking and finance, construction and infrastructure projects (airports, bridges, pipelines; ports; roads), insurance, mining and minerals disputes, energy disputes (coal mining and supply disputes, production sharing contracts, electricity supply, gas contracts and oil exploration joint ventures), information technology, shipping, telecoms, technology transfer, and general commercial trade related matters.

He qualified as a barrister in England and Wales in 1991 and is a master of the bench of the Inner Temple in England. He has acted as counsel in many arbitrations governed under civil law as well as under common law applying most major institutional rules as well as UNCITRAL rules. He was the first ASEAN national lawyer to be appointed silk.

Testimonials

Colin enjoys an excellent reputation for being an arbitrator in substantial commercial disputes. He is an efficient arbitrator, diligent, assiduous in his administration and oversight of the arbitral process, scrupulously fair and turns work out on a prompt and efficient basis. His language skills make him popular in disputes in Asia. It is not surprising that he is always in demand.Legal 500 2024
He masters the details brilliantly, and has a commanding presence with real gravitas.Legal 500 2024
I have worked with – and against Dr Ong- both as an opponent Counsel in arbitrations and when he has sat as an arbitrator. As Counsel, he is outstanding, since he is a fine lawyer and fast to pick up the material; and he has a great ability to pick out the important points. He is qualified to handle both Common Law Cases and Civil Law Cases.... As an arbitrator, he stands out as a tower of ability.Legal 500 2024
Colin is a fine lawyer, who is qualified both at common law and also in civil law and he regularly practices in both fields.Legal 500 2024
He is very knowledgeable in this area and a leading practitioner. He works well in a team. His understanding of the relevant law and different arbitration provisions and processes is excellent.Legal 500 2024

Areas of expertise

He has conducted many arbitrations and also sat as arbitrator under BANI, CIETAC, HKIAC, ICC, ICDR, KLRCA, LCIA, LMAA, SIAC, UNCITRAL and WIPO rules under many applicable laws including English, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Hong Kong, PRC, Singapore and Thai law.

He is a chartered arbitrator and holds several legal qualifications including an LLB (Sheffield), an LLM, a PhD in Law (Queen Mary, London), an FCIArb, an FMIArb, an FSIArb and a DiplCArb.

Further information

External Publications

He is the author of several legal texts including chapters in leading books on the subject of advocacy and cross-examination and is on the editorial board of several international journals, including:

Arbitration (CIArb)
Asian International Arbitration Journal
Business Law International
Butterworths Journal of International Banking & Financial Law
Badan Arbitrase Nasional Indonesia Journal
China-ASEAN Law Review
Dispute Resolution International
Maritime Risk International.

Appointments & Memberships

He is the president of the Arbitration Association Brunei Darussalam; an advisory member of the China-ASEAN Legal Research Centre; vice president of APRAG; Governing Board member of the Indonesian National Board of Arbitration (BANI); Advisory Committee, PCERA and board member of Cambodia National Arbitration Centre. Colin is listed by Global Arbitration Review as one of the 45 leading international arbitration practitioners under the age of 45. He has been a consultant to the ASEAN centre for energy (2002 – 2003); and a panel member (nominee of Brunei Darussalam) of the ASEAN protocol on enhanced dispute settlement mechanism; a former vice chairman of the IBA arbitration committee; a former vice president of the LCIA Asia-Pacific users council; and a core drafting member of Malaysian PAM 2006 standard building forms of contract.

He is a visiting professor of law or has been a visiting professor at both civil and common law jurisdictions including the National University of Malaysia (UKM), the National University of Singapore, University of Malaya, Kings College (London), Universitas Indonesia, Padjajaran University (Indonesia) and Queen Mary, University of London.

English
Chinese
Malay

Back to Members