Zhihui’s practice covers domestic and international commercial disputes, with a particular focus on matters arising from construction, infrastructure, energy, offshore and marine projects. He is experienced in litigation, arbitration, and adjudication, as well as alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation.
In addition to contentious work, Zhihui regularly advises clients on a broad range of transactional and advisory matters, including drafting and advising on contracts, employment issues, corporate restructuring, and general corporate and legal advisory matters.
Zhihui is widely recognised by leading legal directories, including The Legal 500, Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal), Benchmark Litigation, Asialaw, and Asian Legal Business (ALB). He is recommended by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for International Arbitration (2023) and Construction (2025), and is recognised by Lexology Index as a Future Leader in Commercial Litigation (2025). Asialaw and Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific have respectively ranked him as a Rising Star in Dispute Resolution (2025) and Future Star in Construction (2025). In 2025, Asian Legal Business named Zhihui as one of the “exceptional legal talents across Asia” in its ALB Asia 40 Under 40 list.
Clients have described him as “a very solid construction disputes lawyer”, “always a phone call away to provide professional and sound advice”, “extremely diligent, analytical, knowledgeable”, able to make “complex legal concepts easy to understand”, and “a brilliant lawyer and very easy to work with”.
Zhihui graduated from the University of Southampton with First Class Honours, where he was the top student in his first and second year and the joint runner-up in the final year. He received several academic prizes, including those for Best Dissertation, Top Student in Contract Law, and Top Student in Equity and Trusts. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore.
He is fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese.
Some of Zhihui’s recent experience includes:
Energy & Renewables
- Gas fired power plant & Injunction – dispute in relation to a project in Bangladesh.
- Waste-to-Energy plant – project advisory for a waste-to-energy plant project.
- Onshore Wind Farm Arbitration – arbitration in relation to the construction of an onshore wind farm project in Vietnam.
Construction & Infrastructure
- Various civil and infrastructure projects in Singapore – advising and acting for contractors, subcontractors, specialist contractors, consultants, etc. on various projects.
- Infrastructure Project Arbitration – arbitration in relation to a project in Philippines.
- Mixed-Development Project Arbitration – arbitration in relation to the construction of a prestigious residential, office and commercial mixed-development in Singapore.
Arbitration and Arbitration-related litigation
- Share Purchase Arbitration – arbitration in relation to the sale and purchase of shares in a Vietnamese incorporated company.
- Setting Aside Application – resisting an application to set aside the arbitration award: HC/OA 94/2022 and HC/OA 228/2022.
International trade dispute
- CIETAC Arbitration – CIETAC arbitration in relation to a supply contract with claims in excess of US$30 million.
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Construction 2025 – Recommended Lawyer International Arbitration 2023 – Recommended Lawyer
“Chen Zhihui is a very solid construction disputes lawyer.”
“Christopher Chong and Chen Zhihui are always a phone call away to provide professional and sound advice.”
“… a solid team, whether as a whole or individually, are more than capable of pulling their own weight and delivering value to us in the context of the role they play; we must mention … Zhihui Chen ...”
Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal)
Commercial Litigation 2025 – Future Leader
Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific
Construction 2025 – Future Star
Asialaw Leading Lawyers
Dispute Resolution 2025 – Rising Star
Asian Legal Business (ALB)
Recognised as one of the 40 exceptional legal talents under the age of 40 – “40 Under 40 list” (October 2025 issue)
He has been praised by clients, who describe him as "extremely diligent, analytical, knowledgeable", "makes complex legal concepts easy to understand", and "a brilliant lawyer and very easy to work with".