Neil Trevor Kaplan is an international arbitrator, licensed to practise law in Hong Kong, Australia and New York. He is currently an international arbitrator at Arbitration Chambers Hong Kong, and has been described as the "Father of Hong Kong Arbitration". Chambers and Partners ranks Kaplan as one of the Most In Demand Arbitrators in Global Market (Band 1).

Education

Born in 1942, Kaplan attended

St Paul's School, London St Paul's School is a Selective school, selective Private schools in the United Kingdom, independent day school (with limited boarding school, boarding) for boys aged 13–18, founded in 1509 by John Colet and located on a 43-acre site by Rive ...

(1956–1961) and

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

(1961–1964) earning his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1964. In 1965 he was called to the Bar of England and Wales, where he practised in London until 1980, when he was named Deputy Principal Crown Counsel at the Attorney General's Chambers (Hong Kong), specialising in civil litigation. Two years later he

took silk A King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarch is a woman, the title is Qu ...

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

for Hong Kong and became Principal Crown Counsel. Two years later, in 1984, he founded and became the first Head of Des Voeux Chambers, a leading barristers' chambers in Hong Kong. In 1983, he was admitted to practise as a

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

and solicitor in

Victoria, Australia Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of ; the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), with a population of over 7 million; ...

. In 1986, he was admitted to the Bar in

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

. From 1984 to 1989 (with a brief break), Kaplan chaired the Hong Kong branch of the

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (abbreviated as CIArb) is a professional organisation representing the interests of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioners. Founded on 1 March 1915, it was granted a royal charter by Queen Elizabe ...

. He later became Overseas Vice-president of the institute, and finally President in 1999–2000. From 1990 to 1994, he served as a High Court Judge in Charge of the Construction and Arbitration List in Hong Kong. From 1991 until 2004, he was Chairman of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, of which he is a founder. In 1995 he became a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and is now a Governing Board member. From 1999 to 2004 he chaired the WTO Review Panel for Hong Kong. In the

2001 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 2001 was announced on 16 June 2001 for the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), New Zealand (4 June), Australia (11 June), Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Sa ...

, Kaplan was awarded a

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

for services to international arbitration. In 2007, he was awarded the

Silver Bauhinia Star The Silver Bauhinia Star (, SBS) is the second rank of the Order of the Bauhinia Star under the honours system of Hong Kong, awarded to people who have taken a leading part in public affairs or voluntary work over a long period. The award was ...

by the

Chief Executive of Hong Kong The chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and head of the Government of Hong Kong. The position was created to replace the office of Governor of ...

. Kaplan is the author of numerous articles, speeches, and books on international arbitration.

Fellowships

* Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators * Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators * Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators

References

http://www.hk-lawyer.org/content/father-hong-kong-arbitration

External links

HKIAC webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaplan, Neil Trevor 1942 births People educated at St Paul's School, London Alumni of King's College London Members of the Inner Temple British King's Counsel British solicitors Recipients of the Silver Bauhinia Star Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Barristers of Hong Kong British Hong Kong judges 20th-century King's Counsel Living people Date of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Hong Kong Queen's Counsel