Hill Dickinson Hong Kong

International Arbitration, Shipping, Commercial Litigation

Partner - Head of Hong Kong office

Trainee / Associate, Simpson Grierson (Auckland, New Zealand): 1990-1994 Senior Associate, Sinclair Roche & Temperley (Hong Kong): 1995 – 2002 Partner / Principle, Laracy & Co (Hong Kong): 2002 – 2013 Partner, Hill Dickinson (Hong Kong): 2013 – present

Damien’s practice covers all aspects of international trade and maritime and commercial law.

He is a former Vice Chairman of the Maritime Law Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association.

He is a current director of the Hong Kong Association of New York and of the Hong Kong Football Club.

Damien regularly accepts appointments as an arbitrator.

English

Damien is admitted to practice law in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (FHKIArb), a Member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Law Society of Hong Kong and is admitted to the HKIAC’s Panel of Arbitrators and Emergency Arbitrators.

Damien is a Full Member of the Hong Kong Maritime Arbitration Group (“HKMAG”), Panel Member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”), Panel Member of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (“SCMA”), Panel Member of China Maritime Arbitration Commission (“CMAC”), Panel Arbitrator of the Centre for Arbitration & Consultancy Development (India), Member of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (formerly the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration) Panel of Arbitrators, Committee member of the ICC-HK ADR and Arbitration Committee, Panel Member of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (“SCIA”).

LLB, University of Auckland: 1990 B. Com, University of Auckland: 1990 M. Com. L (Hons), University of Auckland: 1994 Southampton University Maritime Law Short Course: 1999

Highlights:

Sitting as arbitrator (joint and sole) in a wide variety of ad hoc and institutional commercial and maritime arbitrations concerning loan and guarantee disputes, professional services disputes, commodities disputes, shipping and wreck removal disputes.

Winning a significant arbitration in Hong Kong for a listed commodities trader against a Chinese state owned entity. This led to one of the earliest instances of recognition of a Hong Kong arbitration award on the Mainland.

Damien was part of the team that successfully sued Aeroflot on behalf of Hong Kong families following an air casualty in Siberia in March 1994.

Damien successfully argued a case that confirmed that the Hong Kong Limitation Ordinance (Cap 347) does not apply to interpleader proceedings.

Publications and Articles:

Speaker and contributor of commentary and articles regarding arbitration and litigation developments, shipping and trade.

Damien is a contributing author to the Hong Kong law chapter of the 2015 publication Shipping & International Trade Law – Jurisdictional Comparisons published by Thomson Reuters (First Edition 2011, Second Edition 2015). The First Edition covered 25 jurisdictions and the Second was expanded to 36.

Chapter for Global Arbitration Review on maritime and offshore arbitration in Hong Kong. The chapter answers questions on offshore oil and gas disputes, maritime disputes and security for claims in arbitration.

Co-author of Maritime Law and Practice in Hong Kong ("Enforcement of Maritime Claims", Chapter 17).

Co-author of “Once so Near, Yet so Far – The Construction Industry Security of Payment Ordinance (Cap. 652) Will Come to Full Effect Later This Year”, The Lawyer (February 2025)

Co-author of “Court Confirms Power to Order Security for Costs in Applications to Set Aside Arbitral Awards under Order 23 and Order 73 RHC in SA & Others -v- BH & GC [2024] HKCFI 1357”, The Lawyer (September 2024)

Co-author of “Is an Arbitration Tribunal’s Decision on Illegality in Conflict With Public Policy?”, The Lawyer (June 2024)

Co-author of “Let’s Consent to No-Consent as the CFA Affirms Lawfulness of “Letters of No Consent Regime””, The Lawyer (May 2024)

Co-author of “To What Extent Can a Hong Kong Tenant Rely on a Force Majeure Clause in the Current Coronavirus Outbreak?”, The Lawyer (March 2020)

Co-author of “Hong Kong Passes Apology Bill”, The Lawyer (August 2017)

Directory Recognition:

Legal 500 (November 2024):

- “Potential clients would do well to know that Hill Dickinson LLP has one of the largest maritime practice in the shipping field.”

- “Hill Dickinson houses a team with high-level knowledge and vast experience in dispute resolution and international arbitration practices. The firm benefits from the leadership of Damien Laracy, who takes an expedient approach when it comes to clients and the same approach is instilled across the firm.”

- “Hill Dickinson Hong Kong has one of the specialist shipping practices in Hong Kong. Hill Dickinson Hong Kong also benefits from the highly experienced managing partner, Damien Laracy.”

Another major directory (2024):

- “Damien’s expertise has been invaluable. His attention to detail and strategic advice have greatly contributed to the success of our legal matters.”

- “Damien has a great sense of what would be the next step and will send timely decision-making reminder and risk traps.”

- “He is strong, articulate, thorough, polite, but also has the perfect blend of charm and bite. He looks after us ferociously but is honest and clear as to expectations”.

- “Damien is very sound, all-round lawyer who is very responsive”.

- “Damien is an experienced and commercially-minded shipping lawyer. He remains our go-to person of choice”.

Hiking, squash