Experience

International Arbitration Experience | Domestic Arbitration Experience
Mediation Experience | Commercial Experience


International Arbitration Experience

Michael Pryles has extensive experience in International Arbitration. The list below illustrates the diverse spectrum of experiences that Michael has gained during his career:

  • Party appointed arbitrator in a multi-party investment dispute between Canadian and British Virgin Islands investors and a Central Asian Republic concerning rights in the uranium mining industry. UNCITRAL Rules. Amount in dispute US$ 4 billion.
  • Chairman of an arbitration of a multi-party dispute in the Indian telecommunications industry including parties from India and Malaysia. Place of arbitration: Singapore. SIAC Rules. Amount in dispute: US$ 800 million.
  • Chairman of an arbitration of a dispute in the oil industry between a Canadian/Chinese company, a Singapore company and a Cayman Islands company.  UNCITRAL Rules administered by HKIAC.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a pharmaceutical dispute between parties from Korea and USA.  Amount in dispute US$ 15 million. ICC Rules.  Place of arbitration: Singapore.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a multiparty dispute involving parties from Malaysia, USA, Korea, Bermuda and Belgium.  ICC Rules. Amount in dispute US$ 65 million)
  • Sole arbitrator in a dispute between UK and US pharmaceutical companies.  Amount in dispute US$48 million.  Place of arbitration: London.  ICC Rules.
  • Sole arbitrator of a dispute between a Korean company and a Japanese company under a technology licensing agreement.  Place of arbitration: Singapore.  Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.
  • Sole arbitrator of a dispute between an English insurer and a State party under the Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a German and two Chinese companies concerning the supply of liquid gas.  Place of arbitration: Stockholm.  Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Rules.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a multi-party shareholders dispute involving 16 parties from Korea, U.A.E and the Netherlands.  ICC Rules.  Place of arbitration: Singapore.  Amount in dispute US$ 4.7 billion.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving Indonesian and United Kingdom parties concerning an investment dispute in Indonesia.  Place of arbitration: Jakarta.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving Japanese, Egyptian and Kuwaiti parties concerning performance under an engineering contract.  Amount in dispute: US$34 million. Place of arbitration: Singapore.
  • Chairman of an ad hoc arbitration concerning various insurance disputes between an American company and a company incorporated in Bermuda. Place of arbitration: London.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a Thai and a BVI company under the UNCITRAL Rules.  Place of arbitration: Singapore.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a US corporation and Canadian, Vietnamese and BVI companies concerning a resources project in Asia.  ICC Rules.  Amount in dispute US$4 billion.  Place of arbitration: Toronto, Canada. 
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a European maritime company and a Korean engineering company concerning liability for tax under a contract.  Amount in dispute US$25 million.  Place of arbitration: Seoul.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute concerning a power purchase agreement.  Place of arbitration: Kuala Lumpur.  Rules for Arbitration of the Regional Centre for Arbitration Kuala Lumpur.
  • Chairman of an ICC dispute concerning a share purchase agreement entered into between two Korean corporations.  Amount in dispute US$32 million.  Place of arbitration: Singapore.
  • Chairman of an Investor-State arbitration under a BIT concerning a Dutch claimant and a central European country.  UNCITRAL Rules; amount claimed Euros 250 million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute in the energy industry in Pakistan.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between the subsidiary of a European owned oil company and an Indonesian company.  Place of arbitration: Singapore.  ICC Rules.
  • Chairman of an ICC tribunal hearing a dispute concerning oil exploration rights.  Amount in dispute: US$775 million.  Place of arbitration: Jakarta.
  • Sole arbitrator of a dispute between a Bermuda corporation and a State in eastern Europe involving satellite communications. Amount in dispute €44 million.
  • Party appointed arbitration in a dispute between a Singapore company and a south-east Asian State concerning technical exploration rights. SIAC Rules.
  • Chairman of an ad hoc arbitration involving a US corporation and a Bermuda company concerning a re-insurance dispute. Place of arbitration - London.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving middle eastern and Japanese parties concerning construction claims. Amount in dispute US$46 million. Place of arbitration - Tokyo.
  • Chairman of an arbitration between two Korean companies concerning a dispute under a M & A contract. ICC Rules. Amount in dispute US$90 million. Place of arbitration - Paris.
  • Party appointed arbitration in a dispute between a Swiss company and a Chinese company concerning royalties payable under a licensing agreement. ICC Rules. Place of arbitration - Singapore.
  • Chairman of a NAFTA arbitration under the ICSID Additional Facility Rules; seat, Toronto; hearings, Washington DC.
  • Presiding arbitrator in a commercial dispute (copyright and breach of contract) under the rules of the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association. Place of arbitration: Tokyo.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a Korean and a US company concerning the sale of a chemical plant.  ICC Rules.  Amount in dispute US$29 million.  Place of arbitration - Seoul.
  • Sole arbitrator of a shareholder agreement involving Singaporean, Indian and Thai parties.  ICC Rules.  Amount in dispute US$94 million.  Place of arbitration - Singapore.
  • Party appointed arbitrator of a dispute concerning the operation of a power plant in south Asia. Amount in dispute S$36,241,000. UNCITRAL Rules.
  • Sole arbitrator of a supply agreement between a Singapore company and a PRC company; ICC Rules; amount in dispute US$31 million; place of arbitration - Singapore.
  • Party appointed arbitrator of a dispute between a Chinese and a US corporation under a distribution agreement. SIAC Rules. Amount in dispute US$10 million.
  • Chairman of an ICC tribunal including a shareholders investment dispute. Place of arbitration - London.
  • Party appointed arbitrator of a dispute under the ICSID rules involving a middle-eastern State.
  • Party appointed arbitrator of a construction dispute. Amount in dispute US$19 million. Swiss rules of international arbitration. Place of arbitration: Zurich.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving a dispute concerning design services in relation to an infrastructure project in Taiwan. Amount in dispute US$45 million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in an investment dispute between a Singapore company and the investment authority of a south Asian country. ICC Rules.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a CIETEC arbitration involving a dispute between Chinese and Singaporean parties. Place of arbitration - Shanghai.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a supply dispute between a South American and Korean company. ICC Rules. Amount in dispute US$55 million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in an ICC Arbitration involving 3 Korean parties.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration in Singapore between a Singapore company and two Korean companies.  Amount in dispute US$44 million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a Middle Eastern company and an Asian company.  Place of arbitration - London.  ICC Rules.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in an ICC arbitration in California involving American and Asian parties.  Amount of dispute US$250 million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in an ICSID arbitration between an American investment company and an East European State.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving a South East Asian country and a privatised airport terminal operator.  Amount in dispute US$1.5 Billion.
  • Chairman of an arbitration in Kuala Lumpur involving a dispute between a contractor and a sub-contractor.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a coal contract dispute under the UNCITRAL Rules, administered by the LCIA. Amount in dispute US$110 Million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in an electricity facility dispute in Thailand involving Japanese, US and Thai parties.
  • Sole arbitrator of an investment dispute between a claimant and 20 respondents. Please of arbitration: Singapore. SIAC Rules of Arbitration.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving 14 parties concerning investment disputes under share sale agreements. Place of arbitration - Singapore. Amount in dispute US$72 million.
  • Chairman of an UNCITRAL arbitration involving a dispute between a European distributor and an Asian manufacturer of motor vehicles. Amount in dispute DM71 million. Place of arbitration - London.
  • Sole arbitrator of a dispute between a Singapore company and a Taiwan company concerning the sale and installation of computer technology. Place of arbitration, Hong Kong; HKIAC Rules.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration in Seoul involving a dispute between a Korean company and a German company concerning a design and construction contract. Amount in dispute is US$25 million.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration in Singapore involving a construction dispute concerning a hydro-electric facility in the Philippines with an asserted amount in dispute of US$107 million.
  • Party appointed co-arbitrator in the Singapore arbitration under the rules of the SIAC involving a dispute between Malaysian and Swedish interests concerning option agreements.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration between a Japanese corporation and an Indian company concerning a licensing agreement. This ICC arbitration, with its seat in Tokyo, involved an amount in dispute of US$23 million.
  • Counsel for a listed Australian Mining Company involved in an arbitration in Paris concerning a joint venture in Africa. Amount in dispute US$30 million.
  • Counsel for a French enterprise involved in a four party consolidated arbitration in Melbourne concerning electricity and steam co-generation plants. Amount in dispute A$50 million.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a construction dispute in Laos. Amount in dispute US$3 million.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving a dispute between a Bermuda corporation and a Philippine corporation. Amount in dispute US$201million.
  • Co-arbitrator in four related arbitrations in Singapore concerning a technical and supply agreement.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration in California involving a technology dispute between a Korean organisation and a US corporation. Amount in dispute US$150 million.
  • Sole arbitrator in a dispute between a Canadian corporation and an Australian company in proceedings governed by the law of British Columbia.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in an UNCITRAL arbitration concerning a dispute between two companies incorporated in Indonesia concerning a consultancy services agreement.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a company incorporated in the Netherlands and a company incorporated in Indonesia concerning a television supply and distribution agreement. Arbitration governed by the UNCITRAL Rules.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a company incorporated in Hong Kong and a company incorporated in Indonesia concerning a dispute under a joint venture service agreement. Arbitration governed by the UNCITRAL Rules.
  • Party appointed arbitrator in a dispute between a company incorporated in the Netherlands and a company incorporated in Indonesia, concerning a dispute under a technical and consultancy services agreement. Place of arbitration, Singapore.
  • Chairman of an arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules between a water company and the government regulator in the Philippines. Amount in dispute Pesos 4,122 million.
  • Sole arbitrator of two arbitrations under the Rules of the SIAC concerning disputes between partners under a joint venture contract in China in the water industry. Amount in dispute in the first arbitration US$12 million; second arbitration US$1.274
  • Chairman of an arbitration concerning the construction of a gas pipeline in Thailand. Amount in dispute US$123 million
  • Party-appointed arbitrator in a construction dispute in India.
  • Chairman of an arbitration involving an investment dispute in the Philippines (amount claimed US$54 million)
  • Chairman of an arbitration involving a dispute between an American energy corporation and the government of an Asian country concerning a geothermal energy concession (amount claimed US$603 million)
  • Sole arbitrator of a dispute between a Singapore company and a Vietnamese company under the rules of the SIAC concerning sale of goods.
  • Sole arbitrator of an ICC arbitration in Singapore involving a computer industry dispute between an American corporation and a Korean company. Amount in dispute is US$34 million. Place of arbitration Singapore.
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving a construction dispute in India involving French, Japanese and Indian parties. Amount claimed: US$500 million
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving a Thai company and the Government of Laos. Amount in dispute: US$8 million
  • Sole arbitrator of an ICC arbitration between Singapore companies and a Hong Kong resident (amount in dispute US$3,300,000)
  • Sole arbitrator of an ad hoc arbitration (under the UNCITRAL Rules) involving a Swiss corporation and an Indonesian corporation in a technology transfer and joint venture dispute (amount claimed US$9,000,000)
  • Sole arbitrator of an ad hoc arbitration involving a Chinese state corporation and an Australian corporation involving a dispute under a technology transfer contract (amount claimed US$5,400,000)
  • Chairman of an ICC arbitration involving an American corporation and several Philippine corporations (amount claimed US$60,000,000)
  • Sole arbitrator of an ICC arbitration involving a joint-venture dispute between an Australian company and a Singapore company (amount claimed A$150,000)
  • Nominated sole arbitrator of an ICC arbitration involving companies incorporated in the Philippines and Thailand (amount claimed US$75,000)
  • Arbitrator of numerous WIPO Domain Name disputes.

Domestic Arbitration Experience

Michael Pryles has gained invaluable skils and knowledge through his domestic arbitration experience during his career. The list below indicates Michael's domestic arbitration appointments:

  • Special referee appointed by the Country Court of Victoria.
  • Sole arbitrator of approximately 30 retail tenancy disputes in Melbourne, Australia. One award was the subject of a series of appeals to the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Australia. The High Court of Australia in a unanimous 5-0 decision (Justices Gaudron, McHugh, Gummow, Kirby and Callanan) upheld the award. Figgins Holdings Pty Ltd v. SEAA Enterprises Pty Ltd, High Court of Australia, 6 May 1999.
  • Sole arbitrator of many domestic commercial disputes including:
    • dispute between a banker and its customer concerning loan facilities (arbitration on documents alone);
    • dispute between five members of a medical partnership;
    • property dispute between a vendor and purchaser.
    • A construction dispute between a municipal council and a contractor.
  • Appointed as an Expert Arbitrator to resolve a dispute on pricing in an electricity-steam co-generation plant agreement.
  • Panel member, Essential Services Commission Appeal Panel constituted under the Essential Services Commission Act 2001 (Vic) hearing an appeal against a decision of the Essential Services Commission.

Mediation Experience

Michael's mediation experience includes:

  • Mediation of a planning dispute between hotel operator and owners of adjoining properties
  • Party representative in a mediation and arbitration involving a building and construction dispute, Melbourne
  • Mediator appointed by the Supreme Court of Victoria in a copyright dispute
  • Mediator appointed by the Supreme Court of Victoria in a dispute between a bank and its customer
  • Mediator appointed by the Supreme Court of Victoria in a dispute between a life insurance company and a commercial corporation
  • Conciliator nominated by the President, Institute of Arbitrators, Australia in a corporate dispute involving shareholders
  • Conciliator in various retail tenancy disputes

Commercial Experience

Over 10 years experience as a commercial/corporate lawyer. Work undertaken includes:

  • drafting joint venture agreements for Australia, China, Taiwan and Indonesia
  • lead lawyer for the PowerGen (UK) consortium which acquired the Yallourn electricity generation company in Australia ($2.74 billion)
  • acting for EDF (France) and National Grid (UK) in bids to acquire other energy companies in Australia
  • legal adviser to the government of the State of Victoria on the restructure of the electricity industry, water regulation and re-structure and privatisation of the betting and gaming industries in Victoria
  • lead lawyer advising the Basslink Development Board of the State of Tasmania on the establishment of an undersea electricity cable connection to join the Tasmanian and Victorian electricity grids
  • various other commercial transactions in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States
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