Alex Chung > Withers > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile
Withers Offices
30/F United Centre
95 Queensway
HONG KONG
Hong Kong
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Alex Chung
Work Department
Private Client and Tax
Position
Partner
Career
Alex is a partner in our private client and tax team.
Dual qualified in Hong Kong and New York, Alex’s practice covers trust and estate planning, US taxation and cross-border probate matters.
As a trust law and US tax adviser, Alex advises high net worth individuals (including those with US connections) on the establishment and restructuring of their family trusts. He is also experienced in advising individuals in relation to their relinquishment of US citizenship or green card and their pre-US immigration tax planning, as well as those who are looking to invest in US real estate. He also assists individuals with coming into compliance with their US tax and reporting obligations.
In addition, Alex specializes in cross-border probate matters, in particular probate matters involving estates with US connections (such as estates of a US person decedent and estates of a non-US person decedent owning US situated assets). Alex has considerable experience in assisting personal representatives on obtaining grants of probate and letters of administration in Hong Kong, as well as working with foreign counsel in relation to the administration of estates in overseas jurisdictions. Alex also advises personal representatives on the US tax and reporting issues relating to the decedent’s estate.
Alex also has considerable experience in drafting estate plans (often with cross-border elements) for high net worth individuals. Clients often appreciate the insights offered by Alex, as a probate practitioner, into the practical issues which executors might encounter during the estate administration process and what steps a testator could take during his lifetime to smoothen the probate processes (whether in Hong Kong or outside of Hong Kong).
Alex has also assisted clients with setting up a trust company in Hong Kong (including dealing with the relevant registration and TCSP licensing requirements), as well as assisting independent trust companies with preparing their precedent trust deeds.
Alex is recognized in Private Client Global Elite Directory 2023 as a “Global Elite – Lawyer”. He was recently acknowledged in the Citywealth Leaders List 2023/2024 and for the NextGen Top 40 under 40 – IFC 2023. Alex has also been recognized in ALB’s Rising Stars Hong Kong 2023. Alex received the “Wealth Management Rising Star Under 40” Award at the Sixth Annual Greater China WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2021. He was also recognised in the Citywealth’s 2021 “Top 100 Private Client Lawyers” list. He was also shortlisted as a Finalist for the “Young Practitioner of the Year (30 or Under)” Award at the 15th Annual STEP Private Client Awards 2020. Alex received the “Lawyer of the Year – IFC – Associate” Silver Award at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2019, in addition to being named in the Citywealth’s “2019 Future Leaders Top 100: Super Advisors” list. Alex was also awarded the “Private Wealth Lawyer of the Year (Hong Kong)” Award in Finance Monthly FinTech Awards 2019.
Alex is a full member (TEP) of STEP, and is currently a member of the Wills and Estates Sub-committee of STEP Hong Kong Branch.
Languages
English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Memberships
Full Member, The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Education
University of Hong Kong, P.C.LL., 2014
University of Hong Kong, LL.B., 2013
University of Hong Kong, BBA(Law) with Minor in Accounting, 2011
Lawyer Rankings
Hong Kong > Private Client and Family
(Next Generation Partners)Lauded by a client as ‘the most experienced and well-resourced private client and family team in Hong Kong’, Withers continues to excel in advising high-net-worth individuals, their families, advisers, and family offices. International and cross-border issues, such as complicated financial arrangements or estate planning, form a sweet spot of the firm’s offering. Katie Graves has particular expertise in advising UK expatriates and Asian families with UK connections on their personal tax issues, and co-leads the team alongside Jocelyn Tsao, who is praised as ‘simply the best, whether in terms of legal knowledge, or team and client management’ and has represented clients in some of the most high-profile cases before the courts of Hong Kong. Tsao is a keen advocate for the voices of children throughout the divorce and custody process. Other key names at a partner level include the ‘dynamic and hard-working’ Billy Ko, Alex Chung, who specialises in cross-border probate matters with an emphasis on estates with US connections; as well as Anisha Ramanathan, who is experienced in all areas of matrimonial law with a ‘deep understanding of children’s arrangements’. Trust and succession planning expert Deirdre Fu and experienced litigator Samantha Gershon are also recommended. In team news, Anisha Ramanathan was recently promoted to partnership, while Vanessa Duff joined Charles Russell Speechlys LLP in June 2023 and Tim George left to become the CEO at Loke Family Office.