languages
English, Malay, Mandarin
about
Kelvin has a broad commercial/civil litigation practice with a focus on corporate and commercial, property, and building and construction disputes.
For over 12 years, he has acted for clients before Australian courts including the Supreme Court of Victoria and Federal Court.
He is adept in managing high-value and complex litigated and unlitigated disputes and experienced in managing all aspects of trial (in person and virtual).
Previously, Kelvin worked in an international firm's Singapore office where he handled international arbitrations under the LMAA, ICC, SIAC and UNCITRAL rules for clients in the energy, commodities and shipping sectors.
Kelvin is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Laws (LLM) from the University of Melbourne.
Kelvin was recognised in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers guide as “Ones to Watch” in the Alternative Dispute Resolution category.
EXPERIENCE
- Advising and acting for parties in shareholder/partnership disputes and oppression proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria
- Acting for property developers and landowners in high value, multi-party contract claims. See for e.g Liu v Resi Ventures Leakes Pty Ltd (No 2) [2019] VSC 638 (also acted for the First Defendant seeking security for costs).
- Defending landowner against claim in Supreme Court regarding sale of land for $81.25 million and allegations of wrongful forfeiture of deposit and instalment payments and whether default provisions in contract of sale constituted a penalty.
- Advising clients on debt and insolvency issues such as winding up or bankruptcy and voidable transactions claims including unfair preferences, unreasonable director-related transactions and loans.
- Acting for parties in high-value building defects claims, in particular, claims on behalf of owners corporations and multiple lot owners for defective works and breaches of statutory warranties under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995.
- Acting for taxpayers in Federal Court proceeding against the ATO objecting to notices of assessments for capital gains derived by taxpayer from the sale of land in Victoria for $30 million.
- Acting for taxpayers in land tax appeals against the SRO in VCAT or the Supreme Court of Victoria.
- Acting for one of the world's largest global commodities traders in sale and purchase dispute with a Sri Lankan state enterprise over supply of low sulphur fuel oil and late delivery. Arbitration seated in Singapore and governed by UNCITRAL Rules.
- Acting for one of the world's largest soft commodities trader in a charterparty dispute with ship owners over off-hire issues arising in Chittagong port, Bangladesh. Arbitration seated in London and governed by LMAA Rules.

