A leading arbitrator. A scholar. A practitioner.
Dan Tan has sat as chair, sole, party-appointed, and emergency arbitrator in more than 50 international arbitrations across every major institution and in major seats. He is adept at hearing cases layered with multiple foreign-law issues, and those involving technical issues.
Chambers Global and Chambers USA separately rank Dan as a leading arbitrator — distinct from his ranking as a leading arbitration counsel. Chambers commends his “experience sitting as arbitrator in complex disputes.” Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration has recognized him every year since 2018.
Dan brings to the tribunal what few arbitrators can offer in combination: 25 years of front-line advocacy in the highest-stakes international disputes, 17 years teaching international arbitration at Harvard Law School, 10 years teaching at Stanford Law School, two years teaching English contract law at Oxford University, and qualifications at five bars across three legal traditions — common law (US, England, Singapore) and civil law influences acquired through ICC, Swiss, and BANI proceedings.
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INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATIONS
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APPOINTMENTS AS CHAIR
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APPOINTMENTS AS PARTY-APPOINTED ARBITRATOR
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YEARS TEACHING (HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, STANFORD LAW SCHOOL, OXFORD UNIVERSITY)
The strongest arbitrators are practitioners whose work as counsel teaches them what a tribunal needs, scholars whose academic discipline teaches them how to reason, and commercial lawyers whose breadth lets them see the dispute from every angle.
i.
An academic who teaches the field.
Seventeen years at Harvard Law School teaching International Commercial Arbitration. Ten years at Stanford Law School teaching arbitration and investment law. Lecturer at Oxford in English Contract Law. Adjunct at Singapore Management University.
Dan Tan's scholarship has been excerpted in casebooks, cited in textbooks, and cited by US Federal courts - called "ground-breaking thinking."
Seventeen years at Harvard Law School teaching International Commercial Arbitration. Ten years at Stanford Law School teaching arbitration and investment law. Lecturer at Oxford in English Contract Law. Adjunct at Singapore Management University.
Dan Tan's scholarship has been excerpted in casebooks, cited in textbooks, and cited by US Federal courts - called "ground-breaking thinking."
ii.
A counsel who has tried the issues.
Twenty-five years acting in arbitrations under ICC, LCIA, AAA/ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, A counsel who has tried the issues. Twenty-five years acting in arbitrations under ICC, LCIA, AAA/ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, UNCITRAL, Swiss Rules, and BANI - including matters where over US$2.4 billion was at stake.
Dan has cross-examined the witnesses, briefed the points, and seen which arguments persuade tribunals and which do not. That perspective sharpens every procedural and substantive call he makes as a sitting arbitrator.
Twenty-five years acting in arbitrations under ICC, LCIA, AAA/ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, A counsel who has tried the issues. Twenty-five years acting in arbitrations under ICC, LCIA, AAA/ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, UNCITRAL, Swiss Rules, and BANI - including matters where over US$2.4 billion was at stake.
Dan has cross-examined the witnesses, briefed the points, and seen which arguments persuade tribunals and which do not. That perspective sharpens every procedural and substantive call he makes as a sitting arbitrator.
iii.
A truly cross-jurisdictional lawyer.
Qualified at five bars - New York, California, DC, England and Wales, and Singapore - and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Master Mediator with the AAA, and member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration.
Fluent across common-law procedure, English commercial principle, and the institutional rules that govern international practice. Speaks Mandarin Chinese.
Qualified at five bars - New York, California, DC, England and Wales, and Singapore - and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Master Mediator with the AAA, and member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration.
Fluent across common-law procedure, English commercial principle, and the institutional rules that govern international practice. Speaks Mandarin Chinese.
Illustrative Arbitrator experience, by industry.
01.
Construction and Infrastructure
9 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
CHAIR
CHAIR
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
CHAIR
CHAIR
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
CHAIR
CHAIR
SOLE
SOLE
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
ICC arbitration over major construction dispute.
ICC arbitration over major construction dispute.
Series of construction projects in Asia.
Construction project with delay and defect claims in Guam.
Construction project with delay and defect claims in Guam.
Sale and delivery of equipment for major construction project with suspension issues.
Construction dispute in Thailand.
Highly complex dispute over an undersea cable system, consolidating seven separate actions across multiple courts and arbitrations.
Highly complex dispute over an undersea cable system, consolidating seven separate actions across multiple courts and arbitrations.
Construction project between US and Canadian entities.
Construction project between US and Canadian entities.
Construction and operation of a power facility.
Construction and operation of a power facility.
Dispute between English and Asian companies over a power project in South East Asia.
Dispute between English and Asian companies over a power project in South East Asia.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
ICC · Los Angeles seat · New York law
ICC · Los Angeles seat · New York law
ICC · San Francisco seat · New York law
ICC · San Francisco seat · New York law
AAA/ICDR · Los Angeles seat · Guam law
AAA/ICDR · Los Angeles seat · Guam law
ICDR / CIAR · New York seat · New York law
ICDR / CIAR · New York seat · New York law
SIAC · Singapore seat · Singapore law
SIAC · Singapore seat · Singapore law
AAA · Hawaii seat · California law
AAA · Hawaii seat · California law
ICC · New York seat · New York law
ICC · New York seat · New York law
ICC · Seoul seat · New York law
ICC · Seoul seat · New York law
ICC · London seat · Indonesian law
ICC · London seat · Indonesian law
VALUE
VALUE
US$90M+
US$90M+
US$100M+
US$100M+
--
--
US$20M+
US$20M+
$34M
$34M
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
02.
Technology
8 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
CO-ARBITRATOR
CO-ARBITRATOR
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Household-name technology company against Russian parties — among the highest-value international arbitrations in the world.
Major technology company against Asian partners.
Licensing of technology dispute with patent infringement and validity issues.
Licensing of technology dispute with patent infringement and validity issues.
Dispute over website and underlying sales technology in the travel industry.
Dispute over website and underlying sales technology in the travel industry.
IP issues over manufacture and distribution of specialist equipment in US and Canada.
IP issues over manufacture and distribution of specialist equipment in US and Canada.
Acquisition of Latin American technology company by European technology company.
Acquisition of Latin American technology company by European technology company.
Dispute in the computer gaming industry.
Dispute in the computer gaming industry.
Telecoms dispute.
Telecoms dispute.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
AAA/ICDR • San Francisco seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • San Francisco seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • San Francisco seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • San Francisco seat • California law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • Chinese, Indian & California law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • Chinese, Indian & California law
AAA/ICDR • San Francisco seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • San Francisco seat • California law
AAA • California seat • California & Canadian law
AAA • California seat • California & Canadian law
ICC • New York seat • New York law
ICC • New York seat • New York law
SIAC • Singapore seat • Delaware law
SIAC • Singapore seat • Delaware law
AAA Commercial Rules • Los Angeles seat • California law
AAA Commercial Rules • Los Angeles seat • California law
VALUE
VALUE
--
--
US$300M+
US$300M+
--
--
US$200M+
US$200M+
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
03.
Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences
6 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
CO-ARBITRATOR
CO-ARBITRATOR
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
SOLE
SOLE
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Pharmaceutical dispute.
Two leading household-name pharmaceutical companies — accounting and tax disputes.
Two leading household-name pharmaceutical companies — accounting and tax disputes.
Joint venture and distributorship disputes in South East Asia.
Joint venture and distributorship disputes in South East Asia.
Pharmaceutical industry dispute.
Pharmaceutical industry dispute.
Pharmaceutical and life sciences industry dispute.
Pharmaceutical and life sciences industry dispute.
Biotech and life sciences industry dispute.
Biotech and life sciences industry dispute.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
ICC • Delaware seat • Delaware law
ICC • Delaware seat • Delaware law
AAA • New Jersey seat • New Jersey law
AAA • New Jersey seat • New Jersey law
SIAC • Jakarta seat • Indonesian law
SIAC • Jakarta seat • Indonesian law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • New York law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • New York law
ICC • New York seat • New York law
ICC • New York seat • New York law
ICC • Singapore seat • New York law
ICC • Singapore seat • New York law
VALUE
VALUE
US$37M+
US$37M+
US$50M
US$50M
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
04.
Aviation & Aerospace
3 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
CHAIR
CHAIR
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Aircraft outfitting and modification agreement between Asian and US parties.
Aircraft outfitting and modification agreement between Asian and US parties.
Breach of contract claims between North American and South East Asian entities in the aviation industry.
Breach of contract claims between North American and South East Asian entities in the aviation industry.
Sale and purchase of helicopters between a Chinese buyer and US manufacturer.
Sale and purchase of helicopters between a Chinese buyer and US manufacturer.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
AAA/ICDR • Seattle seat • New York law
AAA/ICDR • Seattle seat • New York law
ICC • New York seat • New York law
ICC • New York seat • New York law
HKIAC • Portland (OR) seat • Oregon law
HKIAC • Portland (OR) seat • Oregon law
VALUE
VALUE
US$45M+
US$45M+
--
--
--
--
05.
Energy, Oil & Gas, Power
3 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
SOLE
SOLE
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Construction and operation of a power facility.
Construction and operation of a power facility.
Power project in South East Asia between English and Asian companies.
Power project in South East Asia between English and Asian companies.
Product defect and indemnity claims involving materials used to manufacture drilling equipment for oil wells.
Product defect and indemnity claims involving materials used to manufacture drilling equipment for oil wells.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
AAA/ICDR • Seattle seat • New York law
AAA/ICDR • Seattle seat • New York law
ICC • London seat • Indonesian law
ICC • London seat • Indonesian law
ICC • Singapore seat • New York law
ICC • Singapore seat • New York law
VALUE
VALUE
--
--
--
--
--
--
06.
Corporate, M&A & Shareholder Disputes
5 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
CHAIR
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Alleged breaches of Share Purchase Agreement and Shareholder’s Agreement.
Alleged breaches of Share Purchase Agreement and Shareholder’s Agreement.
Shareholder dispute arising out of share purchase agreement.
Shareholder dispute arising out of share purchase agreement.
Household-name Asian manufacturer in dispute with European company.
Household-name Asian manufacturer in dispute with European company.
Share buy-back and corporate disputes involving US and Chinese companies.
Share buy-back and corporate disputes involving US and Chinese companies.
Asian parties in dispute with related bankruptcy proceedings.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • Hong Kong law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • Hong Kong law
HKIAC-administered • Hong Kong seat • New York law
HKIAC-administered • Hong Kong seat • New York law
ICC • Maui seat • New York law
ICC • Maui seat • New York law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • New York law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • New York law
SIAC • Singapore seat • Singapore law
SIAC • Singapore seat • Singapore law
VALUE
VALUE
US$70M+
US$70M+
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
07.
Joint Venture, Sales & Distribution
12 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
CO-ARBITRATOR
CO-ARBITRATOR
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
CO-ARBITRATOR
CO-ARBITRATOR
PARTY-APPOINTED
PARTY-APPOINTED
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Sales of goods dispute between US and European companies.
Shareholder dispute arising out of share purchase agreement.
Shareholder dispute arising out of share purchase agreement.
Breach of licensing agreement of products manufactured and distributed in China and Hong Kong.
Breach of licensing agreement of products manufactured and distributed in China and Hong Kong.
Dispute between US and Asian entity over joint venture agreement.
Dispute between US and Asian entity over joint venture agreement.
Sale of goods between US and Chinese parties.
Sale of goods between US and Chinese parties.
Sales of goods dispute.
Sales of goods dispute.
American company against Brazilian company for breach of contract.
American company against Brazilian company for breach of contract.
US and Canadian companies.
US and Canadian companies.
Chinese and US parties — commissions and royalties from investment contract.
Chinese and US parties — commissions and royalties from investment contract.
Distribution agreement dispute.
Distribution agreement dispute.
US-Chinese investor JV — medical industry.
US-Chinese investor JV — medical industry.
Dispute over sales contract and subsequent settlement agreement between US and Chinese parties.
Dispute over sales contract and subsequent settlement agreement between US and Chinese parties.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
ICC • Singapore seat • English law
ICC • Singapore seat • English law
AAA/ICDR • New York seat • New York law
AAA/ICDR • New York seat • New York law
AAA/ICDR • New York seat • New York law
AAA/ICDR • New York seat • New York law
ICDR • California seat • California law
ICDR • California seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • San Jose seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • San Jose seat • California law
AAA • Sacramento seat • California law
AAA • Sacramento seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • New York seat • New York law
AAA/ICDR • New York seat • New York law
ICC • Albany (NY) seat • New York law
ICC • Albany (NY) seat • New York law
UNCITRAL • Hong Kong seat • California law
UNCITRAL • Hong Kong seat • California law
AAA/ICDR • Texas seat • Texas law
AAA/ICDR • Texas seat • Texas law
AAA/ICDR • Nevada seat • governing law TBD
AAA/ICDR • Nevada seat • governing law TBD
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • Hong Kong law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • Hong Kong law
VALUE
VALUE
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
US$10M+
US$10M+
--
--
--
--
--
--
08.
Entertainment & Media
1 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
CHAIR
CHAIR
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Joint venture agreement in the live entertainment industry.
Joint venture agreement in the live entertainment industry.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
ICC • London seat • Delaware & New York law
ICC • London seat • Delaware & New York law
VALUE
VALUE
--
--
09.
Shipping & Leasing
1 APPOINTMENTS
ROLE
ROLE
CO-ARBITRATOR
CO-ARBITRATOR
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Ship and container leasing agreement dispute.
Ship and container leasing agreement dispute.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
AAA • San Francisco seat • California law
AAA • San Francisco seat • California law
VALUE
VALUE
US$60M+
US$60M+
10.
Other Sectors
3 APPOINTMENTS — REAL ESTATE, EMPLOYMENT, MEMBER SERVICES
ROLE
ROLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
SOLE
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
Real estate investment contracts in New York.
Real estate investment contracts in New York.
High-value employment and corporate dispute involving a US company’s activities in the Asia Pacific region.
High-value employment and corporate dispute involving a US company’s activities in the Asia Pacific region.
Contractual dispute brought by chief executive officer against country club.
Contractual dispute brought by chief executive officer against country club.
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
FORUM · SEAT · LAW
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • New York law
HKIAC • Hong Kong seat • New York law
AAA • Utah seat • Utah law
AAA • Utah seat • Utah law
SIAC • Singapore seat • Singapore law
SIAC • Singapore seat • Singapore law
VALUE
VALUE
--
--
--
--
--
--
The complete profile.
01
Harvard, Oxford, NUS
LL.M., Harvard Law School. B.C.L., Oxford University. LL.B., National University of Singapore. Trained across the leading common-law academic traditions on three continents.
01
Harvard, Oxford, NUS
LL.M., Harvard Law School. B.C.L., Oxford University. LL.B., National University of Singapore. Trained across the leading common-law academic traditions on three continents.
01
Harvard, Oxford, NUS
LL.M., Harvard Law School. B.C.L., Oxford University. LL.B., National University of Singapore. Trained across the leading common-law academic traditions on three continents.
02
Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School (2008 – 2025)
Seventeen years teaching International Commercial Arbitration to the next generation of practitioners.
02
Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School (2008 – 2025)
Seventeen years teaching International Commercial Arbitration to the next generation of practitioners.
02
Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School (2008 – 2025)
Seventeen years teaching International Commercial Arbitration to the next generation of practitioners.
03
Lecturer in Law, Stanford Law School (2013 – 2025)
Ten years teaching International Arbitration and International Investment Law — the latter focusing on disputes touching state-investor and treaty issues.
03
Lecturer in Law, Stanford Law School (2013 – 2025)
Ten years teaching International Arbitration and International Investment Law — the latter focusing on disputes touching state-investor and treaty issues.
03
Lecturer in Law, Stanford Law School (2013 – 2025)
Ten years teaching International Arbitration and International Investment Law — the latter focusing on disputes touching state-investor and treaty issues.
04
Lecturer in Law, Oxford University (2002 – 2004)
Two years teaching English Contract Law at Oxford — the body of law that governs more international commercial contracts than any other.
04
Lecturer in Law, Oxford University (2002 – 2004)
Two years teaching English Contract Law at Oxford — the body of law that governs more international commercial contracts than any other.
04
Lecturer in Law, Oxford University (2002 – 2004)
Two years teaching English Contract Law at Oxford — the body of law that governs more international commercial contracts than any other.
05
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Also Master Mediator with the American Arbitration Association. Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ICC Task Force on Arbitration Involving States or State Entities.
05
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Also Master Mediator with the American Arbitration Association. Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ICC Task Force on Arbitration Involving States or State Entities.
05
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Also Master Mediator with the American Arbitration Association. Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ICC Task Force on Arbitration Involving States or State Entities.
06
Five-bar qualification
Admitted in New York, California, the District of Columbia, England and Wales, and Singapore. Fluent across US state law, US federal procedure, English commercial law, and Singapore law.
06
Five-bar qualification
Admitted in New York, California, the District of Columbia, England and Wales, and Singapore. Fluent across US state law, US federal procedure, English commercial law, and Singapore law.
06
Five-bar qualification
Admitted in New York, California, the District of Columbia, England and Wales, and Singapore. Fluent across US state law, US federal procedure, English commercial law, and Singapore law.
07
Across every major institution
Has sat in arbitrations administered under ICC, AAA/ICDR, HKIAC, SIAC, UNCITRAL, and ad-hoc rules — including emergency arbitrator and sole arbitrator appointments. Seats include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Albany, Sacramento, San Jose, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Jakarta, London, and Maui.
07
Across every major institution
Has sat in arbitrations administered under ICC, AAA/ICDR, HKIAC, SIAC, UNCITRAL, and ad-hoc rules — including emergency arbitrator and sole arbitrator appointments. Seats include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Albany, Sacramento, San Jose, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Jakarta, London, and Maui.
07
Across every major institution
Has sat in arbitrations administered under ICC, AAA/ICDR, HKIAC, SIAC, UNCITRAL, and ad-hoc rules — including emergency arbitrator and sole arbitrator appointments. Seats include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Albany, Sacramento, San Jose, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Jakarta, London, and Maui.
08
Practitioner’s instincts
25 years as front-line counsel in disputes valued from millions to billions — including the Three Arrows Capital crypto matter (US$2.4B), an investor-state ICSID matter against the UAE, and a US$500M+ oil and gas pipeline arbitration.
08
Practitioner’s instincts
25 years as front-line counsel in disputes valued from millions to billions — including the Three Arrows Capital crypto matter (US$2.4B), an investor-state ICSID matter against the UAE, and a US$500M+ oil and gas pipeline arbitration.
08
Practitioner’s instincts
25 years as front-line counsel in disputes valued from millions to billions — including the Three Arrows Capital crypto matter (US$2.4B), an investor-state ICSID matter against the UAE, and a US$500M+ oil and gas pipeline arbitration.
09
Scholarship that courts cite
Authored articles in leading academic journals, excerpted in casebooks, and cited in textbooks and US Federal court decisions. Called “ground-breaking thinking.” Wrote the US Supreme Court amicus brief in Hall Street Associates v. Mattel on judicial review of arbitral awards.
09
Scholarship that courts cite
Authored articles in leading academic journals, excerpted in casebooks, and cited in textbooks and US Federal court decisions. Called “ground-breaking thinking.” Wrote the US Supreme Court amicus brief in Hall Street Associates v. Mattel on judicial review of arbitral awards.
09
Scholarship that courts cite
Authored articles in leading academic journals, excerpted in casebooks, and cited in textbooks and US Federal court decisions. Called “ground-breaking thinking.” Wrote the US Supreme Court amicus brief in Hall Street Associates v. Mattel on judicial review of arbitral awards.
“Experience sitting as arbitrator in complex disputes.”
Chambers Global, on Dan Tan
Chambers Global, on Dan Tan
