Don Jeon
Legal DirectorDon leads the Litigation and Regulatory practice in Abu Dhabi. He is a seasoned disputes lawyer with extensive experience across the Middle East, East Asia and South East Asia, acting on behalf of clients in construction, engineering, aerospace, naval defense, financial services, pharmaceutical, medical device and IT industries.
Don brings a wealth of experience in many high profile arbitration and cross border disputes with a particular focus on addressing complex legal, commercial and technical issues, including acting on issues arising out of naval submarine systems, biopharmaceutical plants, insurance company valuations and airport operations systems serving as counsel in ICC, LCIA, DIAC, NAI and KCAB cases.
Don also has extensive experience in advising settlement negotiations, having settled high-stakes disputes on behalf of global construction engineering companies, manufacturers and government entities in cases spanning across the globe, including settling a major processing plant dispute in Saudi Arabia, a marine refinery development in Saudi Arabia and a series of manufacturing disputes across South America, Africa and South East Asia.
Don is also an expert contract negotiator, having successfully negotiated contracts for major projects on behalf of employers, contractors and subcontractors across multiple jurisdictions.
Don acts as arbitrator and mediator. He has also contributed to various publications, including International Construction and Energy Law and Korea Arbitration Review.
Clients appreciate Don for his innovative and strategic approach to disputes, highlighting his ability to turn challenging matters into winning outcomes.
- Vanderbilt University Law School (J.D., 2008)
- Yale University (B.A., Political Science, 2005)
EXPERIENCE
Engineering & Construction
- Acted for a global EPC contractor consortium in an LCIA arbitration concerning the construction and commissioning of a Gas-to-Liquid Project in a Central Asian state with a claim value of over USD3bn.
- Acted for a global auto-manufacturer in its negotiation of a Design Service Agreement with a world-class architecture firm for a landmark project in Seoul.
- Advised a Korean EPC Contractor with respect to contract negotiations for the long-term supply of transformers to a major Australian project.
- Acted for a Middle Eastern government authority in an ICC arbitration with respect to a dispute arising out of the engineering, procurement and design of a USD2.1bn IWPP.
- Advised multinational JV in respect of a DIAC arbitration concerning massive cost overruns and delay arising out of a major international airport.
- Advised a UK global contractor in relation to an Expert Determination arising out of a mixed-use development in Doha, Qatar.
- Advised a major Korean contractor in relation to a dispute regarding a USD4bn refinery marine terminal in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against the largest state-owned developer.
- Acted for a global heat exchanger manufacturer in NAI arbitration against a Dutch company in a licensing contract breach case.
Defense
- Acted for a global aerospace company in an ICC arbitration concerning the payment of fees in a Middle Eastern state.
- Acted for a global defense company in multiple ICC arbitrations concerning the sale of naval submarine equipment.
- Acted for a global defense company in an ICC Seoul arbitration concerning the sale of naval submarine equipment.
Commercial / Financial Services
- Acted for a consortium of private equity investors in an ICC arbitration concerning a shareholder agreement with a large Korean life insurance firm with a claim value of over USD1.7bn.
- Advised a Big Four global accounting firm in respect of a Korean financial supervisory authority investigation.
Pharmaceutical / Medical Devices
- Acted for a global biopharmaceutical manufacturer in an ICC London arbitration concerning a JV dispute with a US pharmaceutical developer with a claim value of over USD2bn.
- Advised a global medical device company in its design-build contract negotiations against a Japanese contractor as part of a new build project in Vietnam.
- Korean
- English
Publications and media
- Understanding the Cultural Challenges of Arbitrating in the Middle East, in The Plurality and Synergies of Legal Traditions in International Arbitration (Wolters Kluwer, Apr. 2024) (co-author).
- Disclosure in International Arbitration, in Document Discovery in Korea (Kim & Chang, Sept. 2020).
- Construction Arbitration: South Korea, Global Arbitration Review (July 2020).
- A Note on Trends in English Case Law Relating to Interpretation of FIDIC Standard Form Contracts, International Construction & Energy Law (2019).
- Procedural Orders and Beyond: Tailoring the Arbitral Process to Maximize Efficiency, Korea Arbitration Review (Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, 6th ed. 2017) (co-author).
