Tom Brebner

Tom Brebner is a Senior Associate in Quinn Emanuel’s Singapore office (having also practiced in the firm’s Hong Kong and Sydney offices).  Tom specialises in international arbitration, though he also has experience in complex litigation.  Tom has acted in commercial and investment treaty arbitrations under many arbitral institutions and rules, including SIAC, ICC, HKIAC, LCIA, UNCITRAL and CAA.  He has represented clients in a broad range of industries, and has particular experience in private equity disputes.  He is recommended by Legal 500.

NOTABLE REPRESENTATIONS 

• Acting for a major shareholder of one of the largest life insurance companies in Korea in two shareholder disputes valued, between them, at over US$2 billion shareholders dispute (Seoul seat, ICC Rules).
• Acting for a Korean financial firm in a US$200 million dispute regarding a contested entitlement to a transaction deposit (Korean law, SIAC Rules).
• Acting for an Australian mining company in a US$200 million claim against the Government of a West African sovereign State.
• Acting for a high net worth individual in a shareholder dispute concerning a stake in a major cryptocurrency exchange business (HK law and seat, HKIAC Rules).
• Acted for a Korean private equity firm in a US$1.1 billion breach of warranty claim with respect to the purchase of a major retail chain (London seat, ICC Rules).
• Acted for an American electric vehicles manufacturer in a US$2 billion breach of contract claim, including two emergency arbitrations (Hong Kong law and seat, HKIAC Rules).
• Acted for a Korean private equity firm in a US$200 million breach of warranty claim with respect to the purchase of a major insurance provider (Hong Kong seat, ICC Rules).
• Acted for a Chinese digital media company in a US$200 million claim against the Government of a West African sovereign State (London seat, ICC Rules).
• Acted for NuCoal Resources Ltd and its shareholders in respect of actions taken by the Government of New South Wales regarding a valuable coal exploration licence, including preparations for an arbitration against the Commonwealth of Australia under the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
• Acted for an American gambling operation in a dispute regarding the financing of a Korean Casino (Seoul seat, ICC Rules).
• Acting for a Korean heavy industries company in a US$120 million claim concerning a subsea pipeline in the Middle East (Kuwait law, London seat, LCIA Rules).
• Acting for a Chinese private equity firm in a claim arising out of an aborted acquisition of a life sciences firm (HK law and seat, HKIAC Rules).
• Acting for the Administrator of Greensill Bank in a number of Australian Federal Court proceedings seeking insurance recoveries.
• Acted for a Korean private equity firm in a US$40 million dispute regarding a contested entitlement to a termination fee (Korean law, SIAC Rules).
• Acted for a European bank and its Hong Kong branch in a US$200+ million breach of contract dispute (Taipei seat, CAA Rules). 
• Acted for Korean steel company in a US$200+ million ICC arbitration against its Australian joint venture partner concerning payments made under long term offtake contracts (Perth seat, ICC Rules).
• Acted for a Chinese trading company in a US$50 million dispute concerning the sale of an alleged defective machine for the production of newsprint (Hong Kong seat, UNCITRAL Rules).
• Acted for a Fortune 500 beverages company in a dispute against its Indian distributor (Hong Kong law and seat, HKIAC Rules).