Singapore’s Duxton Hill Chambers has expanded its London presence with the arrival of Anglo-Australian barrister Lucas Bastin KC from Essex Court Chambers.
Bastin has acted in more than 60 investment treaty arbitrations, including high-profile cases involving the Energy Charter Treaty and the Spanish state, as well as ICSID cases involving the Czech Republic, Libya and many others. He has also acted in more than 20 commercial and investment arbitrations, under all the major arbitral rules and in all the major seats, as well as sitting as arbitrator.
Bastin, called in 2013, brings academic distinction to the London set, with double first-class honours from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Civil Law with distinction and a PhD, both from Magdalen College, Oxford. He was world champion in the Jessup International Law Moot, the WTO Moot and others, and has held multiple visiting and adjunct academic roles in international law and arbitration.
Bastin, who qualified in New South Wales in 2007, first served as a judicial associate to the Federal Court of Australia, before relocating to Latham & Watkins as an associate in London. He transferred to the Bar in 2013 and joined Quadrant Chambers, moving to Essex Court Chambers in 2016 where he spent 10 years, taking silk in 2022. He also joined Sydney commercial set Banco Chambers as a barrister sole in 2025.
Writing on LinkedIn, Bastin said: “After many great years at Essex Court Chambers, and deeply valuing the relationships I have developed with colleagues there, I am pleased to announce that I am joining Duxton Hill Chambers, London.”
He added: “I look forward to this exciting next chapter in my practice in international disputes with clients in the UK and abroad.”
Bastin joins fellow silks and former Essex Court colleagues Toby Landau KC and Jern-Fei Ng KC, as well as Matthew Gearing KC – a former Allen & Overy partner and later a Fountain Court arbitrator and advocate – following Duxton Hill’s August 2025 London launch.
Landau said: “Lucas is a leading international practitioner, with whom many of us have worked closely for over a decade. We are looking forward to harnessing his energy and expertise to further develop a truly special and distinct set of chambers in London,” calling it “a first-of-its-kind cross-jurisdictional set, now based in the oldest corner of Lincoln’s Inn”.
Landau is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in international arbitration alive today, and one of the few barristers, alongside Gearing and Ng, to be called to the Singapore Bar. He is a keynote speaker at London International Disputes Week’s International Arbitration Day.
Bastin’s move follows Joshua Hiew’s April arrival at Duxton Hill’s Singapore group practice. Hiew has a broad disputes practice with a focus on commercial litigation and international arbitration. He arrives with extensive experience before the Singapore courts and international arbitration tribunals, accumulated over eight years at Allen & Gledhill, one of Singapore’s largest law firms.
Hiew has an impressive track record in mooting competitions, including the 2016 Jessup International Law Moot, with Landau hailing him as “an outstanding lawyer who brings additional depth and experience to our chambers in Singapore”. The practice farewelled founding member Colin Liew last year, who left to join Providence Law Asia.
The hires come as Duxton Hill’s London set takes new premises at 16 Old Buildings in Lincoln’s Inn, while also hiring two experienced London clerks – Sam Biggerstaff and Lucy Burrows – cementing its commitment to the London market.
The arrival of Biggerstaff and Burrows – a past winner of the Women and Diversity in Law Awards and a former clerk at One Essex Court, 3 Verulam Buildings and 4 Pump Court – add genuine commercial heft in London.
Former Essex Court senior clerk, David Grief, is expected to continue clerking for Landau directly, while Benjamin Tan manages the Singapore group practice, which includes former Attorney General VK Rajah SC.
Grief previously assisted Duxton Hill in its early years in Singapore, with Ng and Landau both leaving their predecessor practice after China sanctioned Essex Court in 2021. Ng joined 7 Bedford Row before moving to Duxton Hill.
Essex Court declined to comment.
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