John Yap

Practice Overview

John is a practising pupil barrister in Chambers. He is building a broad practice across Chambers’ practice areas, with a focus on commercial disputes and international arbitration. He also takes a keen interest in Asian legal markets, especially that of Singapore and Hong Kong.

John has been instructed in or assisted with an array of litigation, arbitration (commercial and investor-state), mediation, and advisory matters. A highlight of his ongoing instructions is acting for MCML Ltd (formerly ED&F Man Capital Markets Ltd) in the upcoming Supreme Court appeal from SKAT v MCML Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 371, seeking to uphold the Court of Appeal's decision to strike out SKAT’s claim (led by Ali Malek KC and Adam Temple).

Before coming to the Bar, John was a Lecturer in Law at Mansfield College, University of Oxford, and a Visiting Researcher at the National University of Singapore. He also assisted with commercial litigation and international arbitration while a scholar of Des Voeux Chambers in Hong Kong.

John’s research has been published in leading law journals. He is a co-author of the upcoming edition of Prof. Andrew Higgins’ Legal Professional Privilege for Corporations: A Guide to Four Major Common Law Jurisdictions (OUP 2014) and their article ‘Class Actions in Context’ (2024) 98 ALJ 544 won the Australian Academy of Law’s Annual Essay Prize in 2023.

John obtained his BA in Jurisprudence (First Class, 2nd in Year) and Bachelor of Civil Law (Distinction) from the University of Oxford – winning proxime accessit to the Martin Wronker Prize. He won awards at international mooting competitions (such as the Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot) and helmed the Law Faculty’s pro bono legal advice clinic. He went on to complete his Bar Vocational Studies (Distinction) as a Gray’s Inn scholar.

John previously served as a Lieutenant in the Singapore Air Force, winning the top national service award and Sword of Honour. He continues to undertake pro bono legal work and volunteer for causes aimed at widening access to justice, education, and a career at the Bar.