Lim Dao Kai

Partner

Dao Kai is Deputy Head of the Firm’s Construction & Engineering Practice. He undertakes a wide range of contentious work in the areas of construction, engineering and infrastructure projects. His practice also spans a broad spectrum of arbitration (both domestic and international) as well as civil and commercial litigation matters, including shareholders’ disputes, breaches of directors’ duties, fraud and employment disputes. 

On the contentious front of his construction and engineering practice, Dao Kai has significant experience acting for and advising statutory boards, government-linked companies, international developers and contractors in various domestic and international arbitration, litigation and adjudication.

Dao Kai is ranked in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024 for Construction, where he is described as "one of the best lawyers I have encountered thus far in his ability to capture all the details of the case. He is able to carry out the client's instruction accurately without any deviations."

As part of his broad dispute resolution practice, Dao Kai has appeared as counsel and acted for global multinational corporations, listed companies and state-owned enterprises in international and domestic arbitrations under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), as well as litigation in the Singapore Courts, including the Singapore International Commercial Court.

Proficient in Mandarin, he frequently advises on and acts in disputes involving Chinese parties. Dao Kai joined the Firm in 2006 after he was called to the Singapore Bar and has been a Partner since 2013.

Work Highlights

• Acting as counsel in an international arbitration where the disputes arose from an EPC contract for a floating storage and offloading vessel with a contract price of almost US$300 million.
• Acting for a dye company that is listed on the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange in India in its minority oppression claim before the Singapore International Commercial Court, where the shareholding company is one of the top global dyes and related chemicals producers with annual turnover in excess of US$800 million.
• Acted for a major construction company in successfully resisting its developer’s call on a performance bond in the Singapore Court of Appeal.