Our Disciplinary Tribunal
Prof. Gary SOO, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M., CEng, CQP, MIStructE, MICE, MHKIE, MASCE, FHKIArb, FCIArb, FHKIoD
- Arbitrator
- Mediator
- Barrister -at-Law
- Chartered Engineer
Prof. Gary Soo is a practising Barrister and Chartered Engineer. He has been practicing in areas of civil litigation involving international commercial and construction disputes and arbitration for some 20 years. From 2008 to 2010, he took up the position to serve as the Secretary-General of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). Also, he was the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (HKIArb), from the year of 2006 to 2008 & 2010 to 2011. Prof. Soo was a former vice-chairman of the China Nansha International Arbitration Centre and was also the First Chairman of the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau Commercial Mediation Alliance.
During these years, he was participating in leading and running the HKIAC and HKIArb on a day-to-day basis, including preparation and implementation of policy decisions of council meetings. As Secretary-General of the HKIAC, he managed and administered all ADR cases at HKIAC, including arbitration cases, mediation cases, adjudication cases and domain name disputes, and he organized conferences and training events for all sectors in Hong Kong and overseas. Prof. Soo was also involved in the marketing and promoting HKIAC locally and overseas, for encouraging Hong Kong as an international dispute resolution Centre. Also, he served as a main liaison with authorities, international institutions, ADR bodies, government officials, judges, ADR neutrals, professionals, academics and industry sectors. At the time, he had developed dispute resolution schemes including the Lehman-Brothers-Related Products Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Scheme and gave advice in the setting up on other ADR institutions including the Joint Mediation Helpline Office and the Financial Dispute Resolution Centre.
Prof. Soo had been involved in hundreds of local and international cases through the years. In addition, as an arbitrator, he has served as party-appointed arbitrator, sole arbitrator or presiding arbitrator in more than dozens of local and international cases in both interim and institutional arbitrations (including HKIAC, ICC, etc. which the organizations involving international commercial arbitrations). In 2021, Mr. Soo was recognized as Leading Junior for construction in Hong Kong Bar in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021.
Prof. Soo is the Accredited Mediator of CEDR and Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited as well. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the HKIArb, a Chartered Member of Engineering New Zealand, a Member of the Institution of The American Society of Civil Engineers, the institution of Structural Engineers, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Chartered Quality Institute.
In addition, he is a listed panelist for domain name dispute of the HKIAC, the China International Economic Trade and Arbitration Commission, and the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre. He is also the panel of arbitrators of the World Trade Center Macau Arbitration Center and a number of Mainland China arbitration commissions.
On publication, he is the editor of the book “Construction Contract Essentials in Hong Kong”, the co-author of “Construction Law and Practice in Hong Kong”, contributing author of “Construction Arbitration in Hong Kong: A Practical Guide” and “The Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance: Commentary and Annotations”.