Vinayak P. Pradhan

Vinayak has been an Advocate & Solicitor in Malaysia for over 34 years, appearing at all levels of the Malaysian Courts. He is a partner of SKRINE, Advocates & Solicitors, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and heads the firm’s Construction, Engineering and Arbitration Practice Group. SKRINE is one of the largest, full service law firms in Malaysia with over 45 years experience in the legal industry.

Special appointments include:

  • 1st August 1998 to 31 August 2003: a Commissioner with the United Nations Compensation Commission dealing with construction and civil engineering claims, from corporate entities, arising out of the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait which are compensable pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution No. 687 of 1991.  One of a 3 member panel which assessed the claims made and made recommendations on whether the claims should be dismissed or allowed in whole or in part and, where the claims were allowed, recommended the compensation payable.  The panel finished its work in July 2003.  The panel dealt with 196 claims approximating US 3 billion.
  • May 2003, appointed a Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (“PCA”), The Hague.
  • January 2008. appointed  Vice Chair of the ICC Commission on Arbitration.  
  • 22 July 2008, appointed to the Panel of Conciliators and Panel of Arbitrators of ICSID.
  • 2006. appointed a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne
  • 2006. appointed on the Register of Arbitrators of the Olympic Council of Malaysia.
  • 2009 appointed on the Council of Advisors of the SIAC.

litigation

Vinayak has appeared at all levels of the Courts of Malaysia. Reported cases include commercial matters, banking, insurance, construction and engineering, arbitration.

Vinayak Acted for the senior appellate judge facing a Constitutional Tribunal to enquire into the conduct of 5 judges of the highest Court in Malaysia in 1988.

He has given expert evidence in the courts of the Republic of the Philippines.

 

Commerecial Arbitration

Vinayak acted in domestic and international arbitrations as presiding arbitrator, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator. These arbitrations include those conducted under the ICC Rules, in which he has been appointed Chairman in a number of arbitrations, the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration Rules, the UNCITRAL Rules, the LCIA Rules, the HKIAC Rules, the PORAM Rules and the SIAC Rules. Many of these disputes are cross-border disputes and have involved the following territories; Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, China, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.


His experience as arbitrator is extensive and includes the following subject matter: Design and construction of boilers using agricultural waste for power production; insurance; boiler explosion; engineering and construction of a panelboard plant; investment dispute concerning the interpretation of statutes and a question of whether a part of the investment agreement was ultra vires a statutory authority’s powers; architects’ fees; construction of extensions to an existing factory; franchising agreements; distribution agreements; construction of a hotel; tubular handling services for an offshore oil platform; EPIC contract for an off shore central processing platform and topsides contract; construction of the sale of and improvements done to engines; joint venture agreement and guarantees involving questions of  PRC law; joint venture involving mining operations; highway constructions; tunneling contract; joint venture for the manufacture and distribution of medical and pharmaceutical products; construction of sailing vessels; breaches of contract relating to international trade; freight forwarding and ancillary services and sales and port services agency

 

 

.

Professional qualifications

  • Advocate & Solicitor, West Malaysia (1974)
  • Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court, Singapore (1991)
  • Advocate & Solicitor in Malaysia for over 35 years, appearing at all levels of the Malaysian Courts
  • Senior partner of SKRINE, Advocates & Solicitors, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and heads the firm’s Construction, Engineering and Arbitration Practice Group.  SKRINE is one of the largest, full service law firms in Malaysia with over 45 years experience in the legal industry
  • Associate Member of Littleton Chambers, Kings Bench Walk, London

 

 

Publications and Conferences

He regularly appears as a guest speaker and has delivered lectures and papers at more than 60 local and international conferences and workshops as well as at the University of Malaya, the International Islamic University and the Judicial and Legal Officers Training Institute, Malaysia. 

Vinayak has lectured at ICC workshops in Beijing, Singapore and Bangkok  and has also written numerous articles and chapters on construction law and arbitration and other dispute resolution processes which have been published in legal journals and in books on arbitration.

accolades

  • Ranked in Band 1 as a leading individual for Construction Dispute Resolution by Chambers Asia 2010 and cited as a “tremendous lawyer to work with in every way – an excellent arbitrator, top counsel and a skilled litigator”.
  • Ranked in Band 1 as a Leading Individual for the Most In-Demand Arbitrators Asia-wide for international arbitrations by Chambers Asia 2010.  He is also cited as being one of “the two best arbitrators when it comes to Malaysian work.”
  • Ranked as a leading individual for the Most In-Demand Arbitrators Asia–wide for international arbitrations in Chambers Asia 2009. In his capacity as Counsel, he has been described by the same publication as being an “eloquent lawyer” and “a leading name in arbitration circles”.
  • Consistently nominated by the Who’s Who Legal (The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers) as a leading individual in commercial arbitration.


© Littleton Chambers 2013

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader