Maxwell Chambers

History

The origins of Maxwell Chambers can be traced as far back as 2002 when the Legal Services Working Group of the Economic Review Committee chaired by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stressed the need for “good infrastructure and facilities” to make Singapore a regional alternative dispute resolution service centre.

In 2005, the Ministry of Law started planning for the development of an integrated dispute resolution complex. The architects visited arbitration hearing centres around the world to get design ideas, and then added “a Singapore touch”.

In January 2007, Singapore's former Custom House was chosen as the site and design work commenced. Upon the completion of refurbishment works in July 2009, the building opened for hearings.

Maxwell Chambers was officially launched in January 2010.

Reception

The establishment of Maxwell Chambers was nominated by Global Arbitration Review as one of the “Best Developments” in the arbitration industry in 2010.

Global Arbitration Review’s first survey on hearing centres in 2013 found that Maxwell Chambers was one of the top three hearing centres that leading international arbitration lawyers were most likely to "recommend to a friend". Survey respondents remarked that Maxwell Chambers was “perfect”, “the standout facility” and “currently the gold standard”.

Building

Maxwell Chambers occupies the former Custom House located in Tanjong Pagar in Singapore’s central business district. Built in the 1930s during the British colonial era, the building was the headquarters of the Department of Customs and Excise for over 60 years.

Following the refurbishment of the building, it was renamed Maxwell Chambers and was in 2010 marked the 88th historic site in Singapore by the National Heritage Board.

The building was awarded the International Architecture Award for Best New Global Design (2010) by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

In 2012, the building was also awarded an Architectural Heritage Award by Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Facilities

Maxwell Chambers has 10 custom-designed and fully equipped hearing rooms and 12 preparation rooms, a business centre, and a lounge for arbitrators. It also provides audio-visual and video conferencing facilities and simultaneous translation and transcription.

Tenants

Maxwell Chambers houses the regional offices of several ADR institutions including the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC), the ICC Court of Arbitration, the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center, and the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA). The Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC) will also be based at Maxwell Chambers.

A number of barristers’ chambers and arbitrators are also based at Maxwell Chambers including Essex Court Chambers, 20 Essex Street, 39 Essex Street, One Essex Court, Bankside Chambers and Hanotiau & van den Berg

Signature Events

In addition to providing hearing facilities and office space, Maxwell Chambers also organises a number of signature events: