Nicholas Lingard

The head of Freshfields’ international arbitration practice in Asia, Nick is an experienced international arbitration counsel and advocate.

He leads one of the most active treaty arbitration practices in Asia, representing both investors and states, in high-profile, politically complex cases around Asia and the world.

Nick also represents clients in commercial and construction disputes across a variety of industries, under all major arbitral rules, including ICSID, ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL, HKIAC, AIAC, JCAA, AAA and NAI, and under all major systems of law.

He provides public international law advice to sovereign and private clients, and accepts occasional appointments as arbitrator.

Nick is recognised as a leading international arbitration practitioner by all the major directories. He is ranked in Band 1 for international arbitration in Singapore by Chambers & Partners and as a Band 1 “Leading Individual” for arbitration in Singapore by Legal 500. The directories variously note that “his reputation is fully justified”, “his knowledge is vast and supreme” and “his advocacy is tremendous”.

A former law clerk to the Chief Justice of Australia, Nick was educated at the University of Queensland, where he graduated at the top of his class in law and Japanese, and Harvard Law School, where he was a Frank Knox Memorial Fellow.

Nick speaks English and Japanese.