Singapore’s Big Four law firm Rajah & Tann has announced the appointment of Michelle Li as the new head of its international arbitration, construction, and projects group in China. Li will succeed Hew Kian Heong, who joined the firm in January 2024 from Herbert Smith Freehills’ joint operation in the country. Heong, who has played a key role in Rajah & Tann’s expansion in China, will continue to lead the firm's newly launched Shenzhen office.
Li’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as Rajah & Tann officially opened its Shenzhen office in the fourth quarter of 2024, after receiving approval from China's State Council in July. The Shenzhen office marks the firm’s second international venture in China, underscoring the growing bilateral relations between China and Singapore, particularly after the signing of the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
Li brings extensive experience in the construction and infrastructure sectors, specializing in engineering, procurement, and construction contracts, as well as concession-based agreements. Her expertise extends to advising clients on contractual disputes, claims, and transactional matters within industries such as energy, chemicals, mining, rail, and power generation. Currently, she is involved in supporting Chinese outbound clients on projects in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Her practice in China has focused on representing clients in the construction sector before domestic arbitration commissions. Li is also a listed panel arbitrator for over ten prominent institutions in the region, including the Beijing International Arbitration Court and the Shanghai International Arbitration Center.
Before joining Rajah & Tann, Li was a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, where she worked alongside Hew Kian Heong. The two, along with infrastructure lawyer Ellen Zhang, joined Herbert Smith Freehills in 2017 from Pinsent Masons. Zhang later left the firm in 2022 and is now an international legal consultant in the UK.
The firm’s managing partner, Patrick Ang, expressed confidence in Li’s appointment, noting her vast experience advising both Chinese and international clients on complex infrastructure projects and cross-border disputes. He added that her deep understanding of the Chinese market would significantly bolster Rajah & Tann’s ability to offer market-leading advice in China-related disputes.
Shenzhen, which has rapidly grown into one of China’s key financial and technological hubs, has seen increasing interest from international firms. Over the past 18 months, firms like Bird & Bird, Holman Fenwick Willan, and Morgan Lewis & Bockius have also set up operations in the city.