Biography • Construction

Paul Starr is a partner and head in Hong Kong of King & Wood Mallesons' dispute resolution and construction practices. He has been based in the Far East since 1985, and has conducted and helped to resolve many of Asia's largest infrastructure disputes. In recognition of Paul's arbitration expertise in China over the past 20 years, Paul is an accredited arbitrator at HKIAC, CIETAC Beijing, CIETAC Shanghai and Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration. He is also an accredited arbitrator and mediator with HKIAC.

In addition to the Who's Who Legal publications (including construction, business and commercial arbitration), Paul is also named as "Leading Lawyer" in IFLR's Guide to the World's Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration; IFLR's Guide to the World's Leading Litigation Lawyers; and Asia-Pacific Legal 500 commended Paul as "an exceptional strategist" and "quite simply the best infrastructure lawyer in Asia". He is "recommended by clients for both contentious and non-contentious work". Chambers Asia Pacific adds "everything you need in a lawyer - he's bright and a great listener, but above all a master of tactics and strategy. He is decisive, clear and spot-on. He doesn't just give superb advice, he gives the solution". Chambers Asia describes Paul as a "razor-sharp, supreme strategist who is attuned to clients...'able to think really creatively about the issue at hand'." Chambers 2013 quotes clients as saying "his knowledge of disputes is extraordinary, and his track record speaks for itself. What really amazed me is that though he is so senior on the team, he focuses on details to an amazing degree". Another client remarked, "he instinctively knows what a client wants and delivers tremendous results."

Paul's team gained top tier 2013 rankings by both Chambers and Asia Pacific Legal 500 for Construction China and Dispute Resolution China. Asia Pacific Legal 500 added a top tier for Projects and Energy.

Paul has worked on many of the region's largest construction projects - HK$5 billion of claims at Hong Kong's Airport; Ocean Park Hong Kong; Bangkok Metro; Bangkok Airport; Taiwan High Speed Rail; Jebel Ali in Dubai; numerous arbitrations and mediations in Hong Kong involving major bridges, highways, tunnels; Macau's new casinos; Singapore hotel disputes; Hong Kong Disneyland; Second Crossing Bridge Malaysia; and CIETAC arbitrations in the Mainland.

King & Wood Mallesons has offices in major business centres in China, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States. In China, we have 12 offices in Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Ji'nan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Suzhou and Tianjin.