SINGAPORE – A new international judge has been appointed to the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) and he will start on April 1.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on March 26 that Justice David Wolfe Rivkin from the United States was appointed by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will serve in the SICC until Jan 4, 2027.

Justice Rivkin, who graduated from Yale University in 1977 and Yale Law School in 1980, has more than 40 years of experience in private and public international law.

His areas of legal expertise include international arbitration, international litigation, public international law, joint venture and shareholder disputes, and business and human rights.

The PMO said Justice Rivkin has long been recognised as a global leader in international arbitration, and has been ranked in the top band by Chambers and Partners in its global and United States guides.

The research firm ranks international lawyers and law firms based on attributes such as technical legal ability and professional conduct.

Justice Rivkin holds positions in many arbitration institutions, including as co-chair at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, deputy president of the International Council for Arbitration for Sport’s anti-doping division, and panel member at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.

He was also the president of the International Bar Association from 2015 to 2016 and was the first American to hold the position in 25 years, the PMO said.

The SICC was established in 2015, and is an international court based in Singapore as an option for the resolution of international commercial disputes, such as mediation and arbitration.

Following Justice Rivkin’s appointment, the Supreme Court will have a total of 34 judges and 21 international judges.