Michael Lok’s practice spans all areas of commercial litigation (particularly bankruptcy/company/insolvency/land) and arbitration as well as public and administrative proceedings.
Michael appears regularly in Court, including appearances as sole advocate and led junior before the Court of Final Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Michael also serves regularly as a Deputy Judicial Officer in the Hong Kong Judiciary, including as Master of the High Court.
Court proceedings aside, Michael participates in arbitration both as Counsel or Arbitrator. He is appointed to a number of arbitrators’ panels, including the lists of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).
Outside Hong Kong, Michael is an associate member of South Square Chambers in London and has been qualified/registered to practise in the Greater Bay Area (PRC), the Astana International Financial Centre Court (Kazakhstan) and the Dubai International Financial Center Court.
Michael also has a number of roles and responsibilities, both within the Bar and in the wider community. In 2025, Michael was appointed by the HKSAR Government to the Greater Bay Area Taskforce, chaired by the Deputy Secretary for Justice.
Michael joined Des Voeux Chambers after completion of pupillage with Derek Chan (now Derek Chan SC), William Wong SC, José-Antonio Maurellet (now José-Antonio Maurellet SC) and Jenkin Suen (now Jenkin Suen SC).
Michael has appeared as Counsel in:-
Company/commercial proceedings in respect of/relating to e.g. Country Garden Holdings Company Limited (碧桂园); Suning International Group Co., Limited (苏宁国际); Times China Holdings Limited (时代中国); Fantasia Investment Holdings (花样年); Dangdai International Investments Ltd (当代国际); Hsin Chong Construction Company Ltd (新昌营造建筑); China Properties Group Ltd; Target Insurance Co Ltd (泰加保险); GTI Holdings Ltd (共享集团): China Greenfresh Group Co, Ltd (中绿集团); Lamtex Holdings Ltd (朗华国际); Anxin-China Holdings Ltd (中国安芯控股); Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange Ltd (香港商品交易所); Madison Holdings Group Limited (麦迪森); National Arts Entertainment and Culture Group Ltd (国艺娱乐); Convoy Global Holdings Limited (康宏环球); Banking/commercial proceedings representing e.g. Allahabad Bank; Bank of Baroda; Citibank, N.A.; CNCB (Hong Kong) Investment Limited; Credit Suisse AG, Hong Kong; CTBC Bank Co., Ltd; DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd; Export-Import Bank of India; Freeman Securities Ltd; HSBC; Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong) Ltd; ICICI Bank; SBM Bank (Mauritius) Ltd; The Bank of New York Mellon, London Branch; Union Bank of India; United Overseas Bank Ltd; Public/regulatory proceedings representing e.g. Chief Executive-in-Council; Secretary for Justice; Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs; Secretary for Development; Secretary for Security; Commissioner of Police; Director of Fire Services; Director of Immigration; Auxiliary Medical Service; Buildings Authority; Environmental Protection Department; Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data; Securities and Futures CommissionEnglish, Chinese (Mandarin), Cantonese
Judiciary and Hong Kong Bar Association
July 2025: Master, High Court Feb-Mar 2024: Master, District Court Jul-Aug 2023: Deputy Adjudicator, Small Claims Tribunal Dec 2019-Feb 2020, Jan-Feb 2022: Deputy Presiding Officer, Labour Tribunal Member, Standing Committees on Discipline, Investment, Mainland Affairs and Committee on Arbitration, Hong Kong Bar AssociationOther Public Appointments/Responsibilities
Adjunct Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong Member, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Task Force, HKSAR Government Member, Appeal Panel (Housing) Member, Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office Member, Panel of Adjudicators of the Obscene Articles Tribunal Co-Founder, Company and Insolvency Law Society Chairman, Kowloon Junior School Council, English Schools Foundation Former Member, Panel of Advisers (Film Censorship) Former Chairman, Island School Council, English Schools Foundation Former Associate Editor, Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal Former Head Boy, Island SchoolBarrister, Hong Kong Bar, Des Voeux Chambers
Licensed Lawyer and Advocate, PRC (Greater Bay Area, China), Tian Yuan Law Firm, Shenzhen
Associate Member, South Square, London
-
BCL (Oxon), Distinction, St John's College
LLB (LSE), First Class Honours, Top of Year
Island School, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Bar Scholarship
Charles Ching Memorial Scholarship