Clara Tung

Clara is an arbitration and litigation specialist with approximately 10 years’ experience practicing in Singapore and London.  Her clients include the largest international corporates in the technology sector, as well as in energy, healthcare, and financial services.  

In her international arbitration practice, Clara has acted for clients under most sets of major international rules including the SIAC, HKIAC and UNCITRAL Rules. Clara also has considerable experience as an advocate, having appeared before all levels of the Singapore courts, including as amicus curiae before the Supreme Court of Singapore on a matter concerning remittance of funds in breach of UN sanctions.

With a background in intellectual property, Clara’s practice also covers protection of trade secrets and confidential information, data breaches, takedown operations, cyber attacks, and related investigations.  As a part of the Linklaters’ global cross-practice technology sector group, Clara works closely with colleagues from the TMT and IP practices to advise clients and develop innovative and robust solutions whether through arbitration, litigation, mediation or negotiation.   

Work Highlights

Clara has acted for clients in a wide range of disputes.  Recent examples include acting for:

Arbitration 

• BP in a multi-billion dollar UNCITRAL arbitration against the Government of India concerning cost recovery under a production sharing contract 
• A Southeast Asia-based global mining-sector client in a USD200m SIAC arbitration, emergency arbitration, and Singapore and Indonesian court proceedings relating to Indonesian coal offtake agreements
• A global utilities-sector client in a USD 80m SIAC arbitration against a PRC state-owned entity relating to construction and operation of PRC water treatment facilities 
• An Indonesian client in a multi-billion dollar SIAC arbitration against a Philippine conglomerate in an infrastructure dispute

Litigation 

• J Trust on a claim for US$250m in Singapore court proceedings arising from its acquisition of PT Bank J Trust Indonesia, as well as managing associated proceedings in Mauritius, Japan, New York, Indonesia and Delaware
• A global digital payments company in Singapore court proceedings relating to a pan-Asia e-payments joint venture
•  A global HR software company in litigation over alleged breach of confidence and copyright infringement in relation to proprietary source codes and personal data

Cybersecurity, technology and IPRs 

• Various international companies on large-scale cyberattacks and resulting civil claims
• Various international companies on online safety legislation, AI regulation, and regulator engagement
• A global tech giant on cybersecurity regulation and a botnet takedown operation

Clara was a Justices’ Law Clerk in the Supreme Court of Singapore, clerking for members of the High Court and Court of Appeal of Singapore. She then worked for several years in one of the largest law firms in Singapore where she specialized in international arbitration, commercial litigation, and contentious intellectual property.  

Clara’s academic interests lie in the interface between technology and dispute resolution, and in international arbitration and related court proceedings, and she writes regularly in relation to these topics.  

Prior to her career in the law, Clara worked in the visual effects industry as a digital character animator. 

Clara studied Law at St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge.  She also holds a Diploma in Visual Effects and Animation from the Vancouver Film School.

She speaks Chinese (Mandarin).

• ‘Point of No Return – when a party will lose the right to switch from litigation to arbitration’ Published by Lexology
• ‘Reverse Veil-Piercing in Singapore and Its Consequences’:  Published in the Singapore Academy of Law Journal, co-authored with Hans Tjio
• ‘Staying Well Out of Confusion’ on the test for confusion in trademark infringement and use of well-known marks: Published in the Singapore Academy of Law Journal