Joseph Kwan > Deacons > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile

Independent Hong Kong firm Deacons handles a variety of disputes, ranging from shareholder, banking , defamation ad employment. Joseph Kwan leads the team, harnessing extensive experience to handle high-profile commercial litigation matters, SFC-initiated proceedings, fraud and bribery, as well as acting for high net-worth Hong Kong families in asset distribution disputes. Paul Kwan handles commercial litigation including land disputes. KK Cheung excels in construction litigation and Peter So is recommended for financial services litigation, injunction-related court applications, contentious regulatory and investigations by the SFC, HKMA and ICAC.

Drawing upon excellent ties with Hong Kong financial regulators, in part due to a number in the team that formerly served in-house at the SFC, Deacons is abreast of regulatory changes in the market, providing ‘expert and practical input’ to banks, funds and exchanges on compliance and licensing applications, in particular. Led by Jeremy Lam, who ‘delivers succinct advice on tricky issues’, the team not only acts on standalone matters, including for local financial services clients, but also often works with international law firms, which are appreciative of the firm’s independent status and its knowledge, regularly providing the Hong Kong law advice for global financial services on multi-jurisdictional matters. Lam himself excels in  handling regulatory matters pertinent to the asset management industry including establishment and licensing with the SFC, regulatory compliance and marketing of collective investment schemes.  For fintech matters, Isabella Wong is ‘very knowledgeable and responsive’, while Joseph Kwan takes the lead on contentious work in the financial services sector.

Deacons‘ practice is praised by clients for being ‘uniquely placed in the market to handle complicated, big money family disputes involving mental capacity and vulnerable clients’, often assisting high-net-worth clients. This team is  jointly led by Joseph Kwan, Lilian Chiang, Sherlynn Chan, Taylor Hui. Cecilia Lau is instrumental in the team’s disputes work, often acting in multijurisdictional divorce disputes, while Chan and Hazel Wong are key contacts for vulnerable clients and cases involving mental capacity. Kwan is recommended for his experience in large-scale family disputes, and Tana Chan, whose advice is described as ‘pragmatic and commercial‘, is another key team member.