The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > Hong Kong > TMT

Praised for its 'pragmatism and deep understanding of the regulatory framework', Bird & Bird's multi-disciplinary TMT offering combines deeply rooted subject matter knowledge of new technologies and products coming to market, with substantive law expertise that cuts across IP, corporate and commercial, and litigation. 'Knowledgeable and reliable' corporate and commercial partner Michelle Chan heads up the overarching TMT practice and advises local and international clients on their transactional and commercial activity, including on an increasing number of projects covering disruptive technologies such as Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), online payments services and fintech. 'An expert in TMT matters armed with a deep knowledge of the law', counsel Clarice Yue has developed a particularly strong reputation advising on data privacy matters for clients in Hong Kong and mainland China. Matthew Laight and Ted Chwu are also regularly instructed by TMT clients on contentious and non-contentious IP-related matters.

Able to draw from the expertise of numerous core TMT lawyers based in Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as lawyers from the IP, litigation, and restructuring groups with significant expertise in the sector, Hogan Lovells is well-positioned to advise local and international clients across the spectrum of regulatory, corporate/commercial and litigation mandates. The team is appreciated for its ability to cover the full lifecycle of work handled by any given client, from assistance on bringing new products to market, through to advice on subsequent commercial agreements and representation on any disputes that may occur. Under the guidance of Mark Parsons, it is perhaps best-known for its representation of financial services clients on TMT-related matters, whether it be in the context of putting into place the necessary commercial agreements to facilitate the outsourcing of various IT functions, or in terms of the adoption of fintech-related products. Andrew McGinty has an excellent track record handling Greater China-related standalone TMT regulatory issues, as well as telecoms licensing matters and corporate mandates in the sector.

With two-partners focused on TMT matters based out of Hong Kong and also able to draw upon the expertise of practitioners spread throughout the firm's international network, DLA Piper is particularly well-suited to advising global companies on cutting-edge technology matters, from a commercial, regulatory and corporate perspective. Himself benefiting from a computer science background, team head Scott Thiel has excellent insight into the underlying subject matter of his clients' businesses, enabling him to provide 'very commercial and effective legal advice' that is not delivered in a vacuum. Thiel is also particularly attuned to developments within the ever-evolving regulatory framework impacting fintech clients, including as it pertains to the growing adoption by clients of blockchain technology. Carolyn Bigg is the other partner in the team and excels at assisting clients on data projects throughout the region.

Benefiting from strong local/regional relationships - as a result of the firm's longstanding presence in the market - and also able to effectively mobilise the firm's wider international resources, Mayer Brown is able to provide effective transactional, regulatory, and contentious TMT-related advice, from a standalone Hong Kong perspective, as well as in the context of broader multi-jurisdictional projects. Although she is perhaps best known for her work on complex IT transactions, outsourcing agreements, and cybersecurity matters, 'top-notch' team head Gabriela Kennedy also leverages her broader IP-related expertise to provide a compelling service to media clients on licensing matters and copyright disputes. Amita Haylock is well-versed at handling a broad range of IP and TMT-related matters, and is forging a growing reputation within the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors, as a result of her involvement for the regulator and major companies in numerous recent high-profile judicial reviews.

Aided by a strong presence on the ground in the PRC and more broadly throughout Asia Pacific, Morrison & Foerster's Hong Kong-based TMT team advises regional and international technology-based entities across the spectrum of regulatory, commercial, and operational matters. Transactional mandates account for a significant proportion of the firm's workflow in the sector, where both investor and investee clients take comfort in the firm's strong venture capital credentials and its ability to advise start-ups on concomitant IP and commercial issues associated with their business. Team head Gordon Milner has particular expertise in respect of cross-border technology projects in Greater China and 'has extensive expertise and experiences in advising on SaaS, cloud technology, and entertainment businesses'.

Led from Kong by the 'responsive and thoughtful' Anna Gamvros and able to draw upon deep experience from mainland China and Singapore (as well as from the firm's wider international network), Norton Rose Fulbright has a 'good knowledge of the local market' and is well-positioned to advise clients across the spectrum of domestic and cross-border advisory, regulatory, transactional and M&A work in the sector. Although she is also engaged in IT-related commercial contracts work, including outsourcing, Gamvros has developed a particularly strong reputation in relation to data protection and cybersecurity matters. In this niche area, as well as advising on risk management measures to avoid any potential data breaches, she has been brought in by numerous large Asia headquartered entities to project manage the incident response following high-profile breaches/cybersecurity incidents. Etelka Bogardi is well-versed at advising clients navigate the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape impacting on fintech-related activity and is the Asia lead of the firm’s Global Payments Practice.

Led by corporate partner Joshua Cole , Ashurst is best-known for its M&A-related work in the TMT sector. The team's ability to leverage additional resources on the ground in numerous key Asian jurisdictions, ensures that it is able to provide a one-stop-shop service on mandates involving multiple jurisdictions in the region. This was underscored by Cole's representation (alongside numerous lawyers based out of Singapore) of Hyundai in relation to the establishment of a $4bn autonomous driving joint venture with Aptiv Plc. Counsel Hoi Tak Leung  is also a key member of the team, and combines commercial contracts, regulatory and IP expertise to effectively serve the needs of fintech-related and emerging technology clients.

Co-headed by corporate/commercial partner Machiuanna Chu and IP partner Charmaine Koo, Deacons has strong coverage across a range of TMT-related transactional, advisory, and litigation work, including on data breach and cutting-edge blockchain matters. Formerly an in-house lawyer for a major global media and entertainment company, Koo has excellent insight into work in this space and is regularly instructed by key stakeholders in the industry, including film studios and music publishers on commercial contract matters and contractual/IP-related disputes work. The team was bolstered by the arrival of counsel Alice Li from Osborne Clarke in June 2020, particularly in light of her aptitude at handling corporate and commercial matters related to emerging and disruptive technologies.

Headed by Betty Yap and Jack Lange, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison's corporate practice has a strong track record advising financial sponsors and corporates on TMT-related M&A work. Yap, in particular, excels in this area and has recently handled numerous fintech-related mandates, including advising Hillhouse Capital in a joint venture to establish a virtual bank in Hong Kong.