Katherine Liu > Stephenson Harwood > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile
Stephenson Harwood Offices
43/F, One Taikoo Place
979 King's Road
Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
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Katherine Liu
Work Department
Finance
Position
Partner
Career
Being a partner of the regulatory team in Hong Kong, with a focus on the financial services sector, Katherine advises clients on a wide range of issues, including compliance with financial services laws and regulations, employment and personal data laws. She is known to be responsive and able to give precise and commercially sound advice.
Her clients include financial services providers (such as banks, brokers, financial advisers, asset managers and Fintech companies) and financial services users (such as borrowers, investors and issuers). She has acted for various financial institutions relating to the establishment of their financial services business in Hong Kong, advised them on their on-going operational and compliance issues and some of their mergers and acquisitions or closures.
In recent years, she has worked with a number of fintech startups and established financial institutions in establishing their online businesses. Her first fintech-related experience started when she assisted a e-wallet company in obtaining a stored value facility licence, and has since moved on to advise a number of traditional and new financial institutions on the development of their websites and mobile apps to facilitate online investment trading or online lending. She has recently worked with a virtual bank on its standard client documentation and two financial services groups to digitalise their financial services.
Katherine regularly speaks at seminars and conferences on financial services regulations, seeks to raise people’s awareness on topical issues and considers how new technological and legal developments can impact the financial services industry. She was one of the top 5 finalists for the “Young Lawyer of the Year” award at the ALB Hong Kong Law Awards in 2019. She was also listed in ALB’s “40 under 40” most outstanding lawyers in Asia in 2020 and recognised as “Next Generation Partner (Regulatory)” by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021.
Languages
English, Mandarin, Cantonese
Lawyer Rankings
Hong Kong > TMT
(Firms to watch)Katherine Liu, who assists fintech start-ups and financial institutions with the establishment of their online businesses, jointly leads the TMT practice at Stephenson Harwood alongside corporate partner Jane Ng.
Hong Kong > Banking and finance
Key areas of expertise for Stephenson Harwood include asset finance, including shipping, aviation and real estate, in addition to syndicated lending, structured finance, trade finance, fintech, investment products and secured and unsecured lending. Katherine Liu leads the team and frequently advises banks on regulatory and compliance issues. Other key members include Elton Chan, who acts for both lenders and borrowers on a wide range of corporate lending matters, as well as Anna Kwong, an expert in trade finance and commercial banking. Of counsel Teresa Tsoi is praised as ‘technically excellent and very diligent‘.
Hong Kong > Regulatory
(Next Generation Partners)Stephenson Harwood‘s wide-ranging regulatory practice advises retail and wholesale banks and funds on licensing and ongoing regulatory mandates. Katherine Liu is a key contact for this work and is also well-versed in the evolving fintech landscape, regularly advising start-ups in the space, as well as conventional banking clients on digitisation projects and on their fintech initiatives. Ian Childs co-heads the team, handling some contentious work in the sector as part of his broader commercial litigation offering.
China > Banking and finance: foreign firms
Stephenson Harwood‘s Hong Kong-based banking and finance team is experienced in both transactional and advisory work. Key areas of expertise range from asset finance (including shipping, aviation and real estate) to syndicated lending, structured finance, trade financings, fintech, investment products, and secured and unsecured lending. Katherine Liu heads the Hong Kong office’s finance and financial services group; Elton Chan is a shipping finance and general structured finance expert; and Anna Kwong specialises in international trade finance and commercial banking.
China > Fintech: foreign firms
Praised for its ‘strong knowledge in regulatory compliance and fintech mandates’, Stephenson Harwood‘s Hong Kong-based team is a popular destination for banks, virtual banks, money services operators, and other players connected to the fintech space. Practice head Katherine Liu has broad experience extending to crowdfunding, regulatory compliance and employment issues in the fintech sector. Anna Kwong brings her knowledge of international trade finance and commercial banking to bear on a wide range of fintech mandates. Teresa Tsoi is another name to note.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners Hong Kong > Regulatory
- Regulatory Hong Kong
- Banking and finance Hong Kong
- Firms to watch Hong Kong > TMT