At Allen & Overy, the team is representing two energy companies as claimants in an arbitration commenced against the government of India, concerning disputes arising from production sharing contracts pertaining to oil and gas fields. Practice head Matthew Gearing QC has extensive experience handling investment treaty and commercial disputes. Matthew Hodgson is noted for his expertise in handling disputes for clients in the construction, energy and infrastructure sectors.
Dispute resolution: international arbitration in Hong Kong
Herbert Smith Freehills
At Herbert Smith Freehills, the 'organised' team is representing Malaysian telecoms company Axiata in arbitration proceedings brought against the Nepalese government, concerning a tax dispute arising from an investment treaty. Simon Chapman QC (appointed to silk in England and Wales in March 2020) leads the practice. Justin D’Agostino, May Tai, and Kathryn Sanger, who has expertise in advising on M&A and joint venture disputes, are names to note.
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Testimonials
‘The quality of the legal advice is high while the advice is practical, both at a strategic and tactical level‘.
Key clients
Addax
Axiata
SIPC
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance's 'excellent' team garners praise for providing 'practical advice, and understands the needs of clients inside and out'. The practice has established expertise in handling private equity-related disputes, and is well versed in acting for clients drawn from the finance, technology, and aviation sectors in complex, often cross-border disputes. The 'very bright and personable' Cameron Hassall (who splits his time between Sydney and Hong Kong) leads the team. The 'assertive' Thomas Walsh and senior associate Tania Tse ('a rising star') are also singled out.
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Testimonials
‘Very pragmatic and commercial, explains complex arguments clearly and concisely‘.
‘Just excellent – creative, assertive, and outcome-oriented‘.
‘Cameron Hassall is always well prepared‘.
Work highlights
- Representing four private equity funds as claimants in arbitration proceedings and Vietnamese civil and criminal proceedings relating to alleged fraud following the clients’ investment into a group of companies in Vietnam.
- Acting for a private equity firm in a $21.8m dispute arising from a private equity investment in the Indian engineering sector.
Latham & Watkins LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP's practice, led by the 'excellent arbitration practitioner' Ing Loong Yang, houses a 'diligent' team, which successfully represented Pegatron Corporation in an arbitration against a Swiss and a Canadian company regarding a dispute over the design and manufacture of a commercial product. Associates Tina Wang, Sam Wong and Andrew Halliwell are other key names.
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‘Very responsive‘.
Key clients
Glory Empire Global
Shenzhen Yihua Computer
Pegatron Corporation
Lansha Information Technology (Shanghai)
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP's team is led by Rory McAlpine, 'a master strategist, calm, very hard-working, and charming'. The group counts private equity-related arbitrations as a key area of instruction, and reports an increase in disputes from the construction sector, and a rise in cross-border insolvency-related disputes. The 'astute' counsel Wilfred Ho is a name to note.
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‘Rory McAlpine demonstrates great leadership‘.
Deacons
Deacons counts construction sector matters as a core pillar of strength. Joseph Kwan leads the 'very "hands-on"' team; key names to note are the 'very hard-working and diligent' Joseph Chung; Kwok Kit Cheung, who represents contractors, subcontractors and developers in arbitrations; commercial disputes expert Robert Clark; and the 'very personable and enthusiastic' Justin Yuen.
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‘The team is very personable and approachable‘.
‘Justin Yuen – young bright lawyer with a great future. Good with clients and very personable and enthusiastic. Hard-worker and knowledgeable in his field‘.
Dentons Hong Kong
Dentons Hong Kong's practice houses 'a top class team that is always able to produce excellent work for their clients'. Recent work for the group includes handling disputes for clients from the retail, technology, aviation, telecoms, and financial services sectors. Keith Brandt leads the team; Robert Rhoda has extensive experience in commercial and contractual-related disputes; and Richard Keady is 'smart, pragmatic, and thorough, an expert in his field and very responsive to client needs'.
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‘Richard Keady stands out as being a partner who is very much hands on and is extremely approachable. One of his strengths is being able to see the broader picture‘.
Key clients
Abercrombie & Fitch
Akbank
BASF
beIN Media Group
Breakaway Private Equity Fund
Work highlights
- Defending a Chinese coal products company in HKIAC arbitration proceedings concerning the enforcement and payment of an alleged $23m settlement agreement arising from previous arbitrations.
- Acting for Breakaway Private Equity Fund in HKIAC proceedings relating to a shareholder dispute over the operation of a bauxite mining business.
Hogan Lovells
The arbitration practice at Hogan Lovells is well versed in handling arbitrations regarding financial services, construction, energy, engineering and leisure sector disputes, to name a few areas of strength for the team. Timothy Hill is well known for his expertise in engineering-related disputes; he shares leadership of the practice with James Kwan. Senior associate Zoe Dong is also singled out.
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King & Wood Mallesons
Paul Starr leads the team at King & Wood Mallesons. The practice is widely recognised for its expertise in assisting Chinese state-owned enterprises with construction and infrastructure-related arbitrations. Key names include Edmund Wan, who is very experienced in handling commercial and construction-related disputes, and Barbara Chiu, who is noted for acting in directors and shareholders' disputes.
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Mayer Brown
Menachem Hasofer shares leadership of Mayer Brown's practice with John Hickin and Singapore-based Yu-Jin Tay. The practice counts contentious work in the construction sector as a core strength, and has also been handling disputes for clients from the energy sector. Thomas So is very experienced in handling shareholders' disputes.
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Norton Rose Fulbright
Construction sector disputes are prominent in the team's workload at Norton Rose Fulbright. The group is also noted for providing 'sound advice' on infrastructure-related work, often involving international clients. Camille Jojo leads the practice. Key names include the 'very professional' Alfred Wu and consultant Philip Nunn.
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Testimonials
‘Very friendly, personal and most importantly professional approach‘.
‘They are attentive to details and provide prompt advice for difficult situations‘.
Work highlights
- Representing a construction and engineering contractor in arbitration proceedings relating to contractual disputes concerning the redevelopment of a residential development in Hong Kong.
Shearman & Sterling
Shearman & Sterling's 'professional' team continues to represent the Republic of China in an ongoing ICSID arbitration brought against the client by German company Hela Schwarz, under the China-Germany bilateral investment treaty. Practice head Nils Eliasson (who operates out of the firm's Beijing and Hong Kong offices) is noted for his expertise in investment and commercial disputes. Hong Kong-based associate Kitty Zheng is also a key contact.
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The People’s Republic of China
CMS
At CMS, Nicolas Wiegand leads the arbitration practice. Arbitrations regarding investment and shipping disputes are core strengths of the practice; Mariel Dimsey is well versed in the former area, and is equally adept at advising on commercial-related disputes. Andrew Horton is a key contact for shipping-related disputes. In April 2020 Sherlin Tung joined Withers as partner.
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‘Extremely diligent, quick thinkers, hands-on, provide effective solutions‘.
‘Nicolas Wiegand – smart lawyer, strategic thinker‘.
Fangda Partners
The arbitration practice at Fangda Partners is led by Peter Yuen. Mining, oil and gas, financial services, and shipping-related disputes have been prominent in the team's recent workload. Also of note, Olga Boltenko is a key contact in the department for investment arbitration. Counsel Matthew Townsend is also singled out.
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Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP's practice is jointly led by John Rhie and Duncan Watson QC. The team is acting as co-counsel to the Schindler Group and Schindler Management AG in an ongoing $300m arbitration against the South Korean government, regarding a dispute arising from an investment treaty. Intellectual property and technology sector disputes are other key areas of instruction for the group. Watson QC was appointed as an English silk in the 2021 round.
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Schindler Group
Reed Smith Richards Butler
Reed Smith Richards Butler's team 'is impressive in its experience in a range of areas of commercial disputes' and provides 'good, realistic advice'. The group also counts shipping, commodities and energy sector disputes as core areas of instruction. Lianjun Li is noted for his expertise in advising on shipping matters; he jointly heads the practice with Asha Sharma , who provides 'realistic and solid advice' on commercial and contractual-related matters. Stephen Chan and counsel Donald Sham are 'very impressive, very professional, and very responsive'.
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Testimonials
‘Unique in-depth understanding in serving mainland Chinese clients, especially with state-owned entities, in their cross-border commercial dealings with foreign entities‘.
‘The team provides prompt and incisive legal advice‘.
‘Donald Sham is very familiar with arbitration and litigation procedure and provides clear and commercial advice‘.
RPC
RPC's 'responsive, considerate and very diligent' team is led by Charles Allen. The practice has been kept busy of late handling disputes for clients from the construction, telecoms and technology sectors. Jonathan Crompton is well versed in handling disputes concerning the financial services sector.
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