Wen Jin Teh
Call: 2020
Languages:
Wen Jin Teh was called to the Bar in 2020 and became a tenant at Keating Chambers in 2021.
Wen Jin is developing a thriving practice in all of Chambers’ main practice areas and is comfortable
acting as either sole counsel or as part of a wider team. He has particular experience with large
and/or technically complex disputes (both domestic and international).
Recent highlights include acting:
In a c. £100 million multi-party HKIAC arbitration concerning defects to a post tensioned
concrete bridge (led by Philip Boulding KC and Justin Mort KC);
In a c. £175 million ADCCAC arbitration concerning delays to the construction of an airport in
the Middle East (led by Marc Rowlands KC);
In a c. £1.7 million adjudication concerning the compliance of an animal vaccine manufacturing
facility with bio-containment and sterility regulations (led by Harry Smith); and
In two related ICC arbitrations (totalling c. £500 million) concerning the termination of contracts
to design and build deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs (led by Adam Constable KC).
Having grown up in Singapore, Wen Jin is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and is familiar with the East
Asian and Southeast Asian region. He is also a contributor to Keating on Offshore Construction and
Marine Engineering Contracts.
CCMC (Brighton County Court) – Appeared for the Defendant employer and successfully
obtained permission to amend the Defence, as well as a substantial reduction in the Claimant’s
consequent costs to amend.
Final hearing (ADCCAC Arbitration) – Appeared for the Claimant subcontractor in a £175
million ADCCAC arbitration in the Middle East (led by Marc Rowlands KC). Cross examined the
Defendant’s delay expert on his assessment of various delay windows.
Application to set aside default judgment (Romford County Court) – Appeared for
the Defendant homeowners in a dispute concerning the impact of construction works to
a neighbouring property. Successfully obtained the setting aside of two previous default
judgments, as well as the consolidation of the Claimant’s multiple claims into a single set of
proceedings.
Final hearing (ICC Arbitration) – Appeared for the Claimant subcontractor in a £15 million
ICC arbitration in the Middle East (led by Lucy Garrett KC). Cross examined the Defendant’s
quantum expert on his assessment of applicable manhour rates.
Application for summary judgment (Luton County Court) – Appeared for the Defendant
contractor to resist the Claimant’s application for summary judgment in relation to a dispute
concerning building works to two luxury London townhouses.
Preliminary issues hearing (Bournemouth and Poole County Court) – Appeared for the
Defendant contractor in a preliminary issues hearing concerning the identity of the contracting
parties.
CCMC (TCC in Manchester) – Appeared for the Claimant contractor in a dispute concerning
improper installation of a roofing system within a modular housing development. Successfully
obtained permission to amend the Particulars of Claim, and consequent directions in the form
sought.
CCMC and preliminary issues hearing (Reading County Court) – Appeared for the
Defendant developer in a dispute concerning water ingress to a leasehold flat. Successfully
obtained partial strike out of the claim on limitation grounds, and consequent directions in the
form sought.
Application for stay of proceedings (TCC in Birmingham) – Appeared for the Defendant
subcontractor to resist the Claimants’ application for a further stay in the context of a claim that
had not been significantly progressed for more than 3 years.
Final hearing (Coventry County Court) – Appeared for the Defendant employer and
successfully defended against a claim alleging improper termination of a construction contract.
Advising the Claimant homeowner on the procedural and substantive aspects of a dispute
concerning defects to a listed townhouse in Central London (led by Charlie Thompson,
ongoing).
Drafted Particulars of Claim for the Claimant contractor in a dispute concerning delays to the
alteration and extension of a sports pavilion in Hampshire.
Drafted Particulars of Claim for the Claimant employer in relation to design and workmanship
defects in the MEP system of a commercial insect breeding facility (led by Thomas Lazur).
Drafted Defence and Counterclaim for the Defendant homeowner in relation to the defective
refurbishment of a luxury apartment in Chelsea.
Assisted in advising the Defendant contractor on quantum in relation to a dispute concerning
repairs to the external cladding of an office building in Singapore (led by Adam Constable KC).
Drafted Particulars of Claim for the Claimant contractor in relation to damage caused by an
explosion on a construction site in Manchester.
Drafted Particulars of Claim on behalf of the Claimant subcontractor in relation to the design,
supply and installation of balcony cradle access systems in relation to the development of a
tower block in Central London.
Advised on potential avenues of recovery following the passage of the Building Safety Act 2022
in relation to fire defects at a high rise development in Portsmouth.
Drafted Defence on behalf of a groundworks contractor, against whom liability was alleged in respect of subsidence issues to a block of garages in Stanmore.
Advised on potential liabilities of the Employer’s Agent in relation to fire related defects at a high
rise development in Lambeth.
Drafted Particulars of Claim against a subcontractor for negligent groundworks which resulted
in rotational sinking and damage to neighbouring properties.
Drafted Particulars of Claim against a contractor in relation to the negligent design and
construction of an assisted living development comprising 64 residential units.
Prepared witness statements and assisted in general trial preparation for the Defendant
engineering firm in relation to a multi-party HKIAC arbitration (c. £100 million) concerning
defects to a post tensioned concrete bridge (led by Philip Boulding KC and Justin Mort KC). The
claim settled shortly before the hearing.
Appeared for the Claimant subcontractor in an ADCCAC arbitration (c. £175 million) concerning
delays to the construction of an airport in the Middle East (led by Marc Rowlands KC). Drafted
written submissions, prepared cross examination notes, and cross examined the Defendant’s
delay expert on his assessment of various delay windows.
Appeared for the Claimant subcontractor in an ICC arbitration (c. £15 million) concerning delay
and disruption to the construction of a metro system in the Middle East (led by Lucy Garrett
KC). Drafted written submissions, prepared cross examination notes, and cross examined the
Defendant’s quantum expert on his assessment of applicable manhour rates.
Drafted pleadings and witness statements, and assisted with general trial preparation for the
Claimant builder in relation to two related arbitrations concerning the design and construction
of semi-submersible offshore drilling rigs in Singapore (led by Adam Constable KC). The
collective value of the claims was over £500 million.
Assisted the tribunal in an ICC arbitration concerning the termination of two FIDIC construction
contracts in relation to the development of hospitals in Ghana.
Advised a subcontractor on the prospects of resisting and/or staying enforcement of an
Adjudicator’s decision on natural justice grounds.
Drafted the Responding Party’s submissions in relation to an adjudication on the true value of
an interim account. Successfully obtained a 95% reduction of the c. £560k payment sought by
the Referring Party.
Drafted the Referring Party’s submissions in relation to a dispute against the main contractor
concerning the proper construction of a pain/gain provision within a settlement agreement
(led by Calum Lamont KC).
Drafted the Responding Party’s submissions in relation to an adjudication on the true value of
the final account. Successfully obtained an 85% reduction in the c. £160k payment sought by
the Referring Party.
Drafted the Responding Party’s submissions in relation to a ‘smash and grab’ adjudication
brought against them by their building contractor. Successfully argued that the contractor was
estopped from relying upon the contractual notice regime.
Drafted the Responding Party’s submissions in relation to a dispute against the main contractor
concerning delays to the fitting out of an office building in Central London (led by Jennie Wild).
Drafted the Referring Party’s submissions in a c. £1.7 million adjudication concerning the
design and construction of a vaccine manufacturing facility (led by Harry Smith). Successfully
obtained a decision in their favour.
Drafted the Referring Party’s submissions in a payment notice adjudication against the main
contractor. Successfully obtained a decision ordering payment of the notified sum.
Advised a mechanical and electrical subcontractor on the prospects of enforcing an
Adjudicator’s final account decision in their favour. The advice allowed for the parties to reach a
settlement prior to the issue of proceedings.
Professional Career
Tenant, Keating Chambers 2021
Pupil, Keating Chambers 2020 – 2021
Called to the Bar, Inner Temple 2020
Education
Bar Professional Training Course, BPP 2019 – 2020
MA Law, Girton College, University of Cambridge 2016 – 2019
Wen Jin enjoys Olympic weightlifting and playing the piano, though practises neither as often as he should.
Career Commitment Scholarship, BPP 2020
George Long Prize in Jurisprudence, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge 2019
Mary Arden Prize in Law, Girton College, University of Cambridge 2019
Master of Moots, Cambridge University Law Society, University of Cambridge 2019
Mary Higgins Scholarship, Girton College, University of Cambridge 2018
James Williams Squire Scholarship, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge 2018
Atkin Chambers Moot Winning Team 2018
Oxford-Cambridge Advocacy Cup Winning Team 2017
Quadrant Chambers Moot Winner 2017