Friven Yeoh
Counsel
Friven Yeoh is a counsel in the International Practice and resident in the Firm's Hong Kong office. He joined O'Melveny from a major international law firm, where he had been based in London and more recently, Hong Kong.
Friven's practice involves both transactional and adversarial work. In his adversarial practice, Friven has experience in the resolution of Chinese-foreign business disputes and has represented clients in arbitrations before various arbitral institutions including the ICC, HKIAC, CIETAC, SIAC, SSC and WIPO. He has also represented clients in a variety of commercial litigation and regulatory investigations involving product risk and liability, energy, corporate affairs and financial services matters. Friven's adversarial experience includes:
- advising a multinational energy company in a US$500m claim in a Stockholm arbitration conducted under SCC rules, arising from the breach of a petroleum exploration and production contract
- acting for a multinational computer manufacturer in the defence of a US$70m claim in Hong Kong under the UNCITRAL arbitration rules arising from a software manufacturing and services agreement
- advising a major information technology company in a CIETAC claim against a joint venture partner of several service centers in China
- defending a U.S. leisure goods conglomerate in an SIAC arbitration against allegations of breach of a worldwide exclusive distribution agreement
- pursuing a US$80m claim on behalf of a major European energy company against a significant Chinese state owned company in an ad hoc arbitration in Singapore in respect of breaches under a share transfer arrangement
- representing a Japanese consumer product company in a multi-million dollar Hong Kong arbitration in respect of misrepresentation and breach of warranty arising from a stock purchase agreement
- advising several major European and Japanese financial institutions in relation to investigations carried out by the UK Financial Services Authority and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission
- advising a major consumer products manufacturer in defending product liability claims in several EU states and in Asia, and formulating a global defence strategy
- advising a State entity in a Royal Commission inquiry and class action proceeding before the Federal Court of Australia arising from a gas plant explosion and disruption to gas supply
In his transactional practice, Friven is involved in advising clients on China-related mergers and acquisitions, direct investments, regulatory compliance, antitrust, and corporate governance issues. He recently:
- advised a major European retailer in setting up retail operations in the greater China region
- acted for a U.S. energy company in the negotiations of nuclear fuel supply and technology transfer arrangements
- advised a U.S. multinational on an aluminum fabrication joint venture
- advised a U.S. printing and media company in the acquisition of printing operations in Hong Kong and the PRC
- assisted a European multinational company in the review of its global compliance strategy
Professional Activities
Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, LCIA Young International Arbitration Group, China Arbitration Forum, Hong Kong Law Society, Law Society of England and Wales, Law Institute of Victoria
Recognition, Chambers Asia 2009 Leading Individual (Asia-wide, International Arbitration; Hong Kong, Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration)
Author, "Enforcement of Dispute Outcomes in China" in
Duelling with Dragons: Managing Business Disputes in Today's China (Kluwer Law, 2007)
Co-Author, "Choosing an Arbitral Institution in Cross-border Commercial Arbitration,"
PLC Cross-border Dispute Resolution Handbook 2006/07; "Hong Kong and Mainland China Proposal on Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments: An Alternative Means of Resolving Sino-foreign Business Disputes?"
Mealey's International Arbitration Report, Vol. 21, No. 6 (June 2006); "New Supreme People's Court Interpretation on Mainland China's Arbitration Law,"
Mealey's International Arbitration Report, Vol. 21, No. 9 (September 2006); "China: Development and Trends,"
Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review 2007; "The People's Courts and Arbitration - A Snapshot of Recent Judicial Attitudes on Arbitrability and Enforcement,"
Journal of International Arbitration, Vol. 24, No. 6 (December 2007); "Recognition and Enforcement of Awards under the New York Convention - The China and Hong Kong Perspectives," Journal of International Arbitration, Vol. 25, No. 6 (December 2008)
Speaker, Dispute Avoidance and Resolution Conference, Beijing, 29 August 2006; Managing Business Disputes in China Today, Tokyo, 14 November 2006, Shanghai, 15 March 2007 and Silicon Valley, 28 March 2007; Juris Conference on Doing Business in China, Stockholm, 18 April 2008; "What's Next for China" Conference, Singapore, 12 November 2008
Appointment, Assistant Editor, Journal of International Arbitration
Languages, English; Cantonese; Mandarin Chinese