Howse Williams > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Firm Profile
Howse Williams Offices

27TH FLOOR, ALEXANDRA HOUSE
18 CHATER ROAD, CENTRAL
HONG KONG
Hong Kong
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Howse Williams > The Legal 500 Rankings
Hong Kong > Labour and employment Tier 2
Independent Hong Kong law firm Howse Williams acts for both employers and employees on general advisory matters and disputes. It is experienced in termination and remuneration claims, and also advises on enforcement of post-termination restrictions, discrimination claims and partnership disputes. The team also handles regulatory and immigration matters, and has considerable experience of advising clients on Labour Tribunal proceedings and District and High Court actions. Team head Patricia Yeung frequently acts for clients in the financial services sector; she is well versed in the employment aspects of M&A, business transfers and the negotiation of exit packages for high-level employees.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Patricia Yeung is very knowledgable in the labour and employment practice area and always happy to assist with big and small matters.’
‘HW has a great team, headed by Patricia Yeung. The team is very technically savvy but also practical and commercial.’
‘Patricia Yeung is chronically underrated. She is one of the best employment lawyers in Hong Kong.’
‘It is a small team with great expertise. They are easy to work with and provide excellent advice that is easy to comprehend and apply.’
‘Patricia Yeung (Partner) – exemplary knowledge of the law and application to our businesses needs. Dedicated and easy to work with.’
‘Patricia Yeung has a great bedside manner and therefore is very suited to helping individuals.’
‘Michael Withington – cool and calm – has seen it all. Patricia Yeung – a very hard worker who will go the extra mile to serve her clients.’
Key clients
China Everbright Securities (HK) Limited / Everbright Sun Hung Kai
Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association
Hong Kong Airlines Limited
Richemont Asia Pacific Limited
ARRI Asia Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for the defendant in a High Court action (HCA 2545/2016) brought against him by FHL Holdings (his former employer).
- Acting for the defendant in a High Court action (HCA 2135/2019) commenced by Shareholder Value Fund (a fund) and CM Asset Management (Hongkong) Company Limited (the fund manager) involving alleged breaches of employment duties and director’s duties in respect of investments made during the client’s employment.
- Acting for China Everbright Securities(HK) Limited as defendant in a High Court action (HCA1076/2019) regarding alleged unpaid commission payments from 2011 onwards claimed by the plaintiff.
Hong Kong > Shipping Tier 2
Independent Hong Kong-based firm Howse Williams handles a significant range and volume of wet and dry shipping litigation for clients such as ship owners, freight forwarders and P&I clubs. In addition to generating mandates on a standalone basis, the firm also regularly picks up referral work. Founding partner Chris Howse is experienced in representing shipping clients in litigation before the Hong Kong courts, as well as in international arbitration proceedings throughout Asia. Howse has a wide-ranging workload, with particularly niche expertise in handling problems arising from the shipment of coal, iron ore, nickel ore and fluorspar. Howse co-heads the practice with David Coogans, who brings his litigation and subject matter knowledge to bear in an array of wet and dry mandates, including collision, salvage and pollution cases. The firm also has a dedicated medico-legal department and is well-placed to advise on shipping-related personal injury matters, which includes handling coroners' enquiries arising from fatalities on ships and at port terminals.
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Testimonials
‘Whilst their strengths are on the liability side, they can also assist with reviewing the insurance contract terms and conditions.’
‘William Leung is a very good and experienced expert to deal with complex marine claims matters.’
Hong Kong > Private Client (tax, trusts, wealth management and contentious probate) Tier 3
Led by the 'practical, efficient and hands-on' Linda Heathfield , Howse Williams' family law department provides a 'very thorough and solutions-oriented approach' across the gamut of issues, including ancillary relief, pre and post-nuptial agreements, and highly contested children matters. One of the key individuals in the group is Stacey Devoy , who often undertakes family law matters with a cross-border dimension and she also excels in maximising wealth preservation in a divorce context.
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Testimonials
‘The firm is very hands-on in their work. The lawyers are proactive in updating you as to the progress of the case and will leave you at ease.’
‘It is a compact team with verve and imagination.’
‘They are experienced, professional and humanistic at the same time in my case of handling a family dispute and child welfare. In a number of situations, their invaluable legal input has saved my child from unnecessary stress and mistreatment. I also highly appreciate their effort in guiding the case away from unnecessary emotional escalation.’
‘Linda Heathfield is practical, efficient, and very hands on. Her clients like her for her approachability and willingness to work with them to get them the best resolution, even when it means giving them advice that they do not want to hear.’
‘Karen Lam is a star in the industry and is a very safe and reliable pair of hands.’
‘Stephanie Ng is bright and hardworking.’
‘Kevin So is young, energetic and provides sound and strategic legal advice.’
Hong Kong > Capital markets (equity) Tier 5
The ‘professional and diligent‘ team at independent Hong Kong-based firm Howse Williams has a strong reputation in the market advising small-to-mid size cap companies on their domestic listings. Formerly an investment banker, team head Brian Ho has an excellent perspective of both the legal and the commercial nuances of work and is appreciated by both sponsors and issuers for his ‘goal-oriented’ approach.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘The team is professional and diligent.’
‘Experienced and committed in Hong Kong IPOs.’
‘Brian Ho is goal-oriented and has a strong commercial mindset, hence he knows how to resolve issues for his clients.’
‘Brian Ho is a seasoned professional.’
‘The very professional and reliable Chris Yu strikes the correct balance between legal and commercial issues.’
‘HW team’s advantage is that they are able to fully listen and understand client needs, provide professional advice targeted at client needs and the actual situations. They are also very professional on service details, able to explore key issues in the company’s challenges, so as to allocate the best lawyers to handle cases. The key skills of the team are extensive experiences in financial legal services, comprehensive and targeted interpretation of the law, with timely communication with the company in advance. They are very professional in time management based on the needs of clients.‘
‘Chris Yu and Salina Cheung are able to provide timely interpretation of the company’s problems from a legal perspective, especially the key analysis of the core issues, which is in-depth and targeted.’
Key clients
CMBC International Capital Limited
Alliance Capital Partners Limited
Grande Capital Limited
Xingye Wulian Service Group Company Limited
First Shanghai Capital Limited
Dongxing Securities (Hong Kong) Company Limited
China Youzan Limited YesZensun Enterprises Limited
China Tonghai Capital Limited
Hong Kong > Corporate (including M&A) Tier 6
An independent, single office firm in Hong Kong, Howse Williams caters to a client roster consisting of high-net-worth individuals, small to medium-sized enterprises and large multinational conglomerates. Founding partner Chris Williams fronts the offering and has been active in the local market since 1991; he is proficient in M&A, corporate finance, restructuring, governance and reorganisation matters and the wider team is also renowned for its capacity for private equity, joint venture and fund matters in addition to takeovers and public offerings.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Chia Ching Tan drafted commercial legal documents thoughtfully and has been readily approachable, reliable, flexible, problem solving with a great and professional attitude; she is knowledgeable, explained to client with patience and communicated with and addressed client concerns adequately and straight to the point.’
Key clients
Vantage International (Holdings) Limited
Dafeng Port Heshun Technology Company Limited
Medicskin Holdings Limited
Hongkong Chinese Limited and Lippo Limited
IAG Holdings Limited
Two manufacturers of ophthalmic frames, lenses and sunglass lenses.
A prominent Italian footwear brand
BelRed Technology Company Limited
Starlite Holdings Limited
Zensun Enterprises Limited
DL Holdings Group Limited
Work highlights
- Acted for Vantage International (Holdings) Limited as its Hong Kong legal advisers in relation to its privatisation by its controlling shareholder by way of a scheme of arrangement and its subsequent delisting from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
- Acted for Dafeng Port Heshun Technology Limited, the seller, as its Hong Kong legal advisers in relation to the disposal of 60% equity interests in Jiangsu Hairong Dafeng Port Petrochemical Product Terminal Company Limited to Jiangsu Dafeng Harbour Holdings Limited.
- Acted for Medicskin Holdings Limited, the purchaser, as its Hong Kong legal advisers in relation to its off-market repurchase of its own shares from Fullshare Holdings Limited which involved the obtaining of approval from the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong > Dispute resolution: litigation
Hong Kong > Banking and finance
Howse Williams > Firm Profile
The firm: Howse Williams is an independent Hong Kong law firm with 26 partners and a total headcount of approximately 200. As an independent Hong Kong firm, the partners are able to minimise legal and commercial conflicts of interest and act for clients in every industry sector. The partners have spent the majority of their careers in Hong Kong and have a detailed understanding of international business and business in Asia.
Areas of practice
Dispute resolution: HW handles complex multi-jurisdictional commercial cases involving sale of goods; trade finance; media law; fraud; shareholder, joint venture, intellectual property, employment, property, trust and franchise disputes; injunction proceedings; jurisdictional challenges; public inquiries; and judicial reviews.
Corporate and corporate finance: HW’s team advises clients on a diverse spectrum of practice areas in all Asian jurisdictions, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, direct investment, capital markets and securities, private equity and venture capital, shareholder/joint venture agreements, corporate restructuring/reorganisation, corporate governance and general commercial matters including operational contracts and intellectual property commercialisation.
Clinical negligence and healthcare: HW advises doctors, dentists and their indemnity providers and other healthcare professionals. It also advises private hospitals, medical group practices, corporate healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies on issues relating to the import and distribution of drugs and pharmaceutical products, drug liability claims and regulatory matters. Three members of the team (including two partners) are dual-qualified as lawyers and medical practitioners.
Shipping: HW has considerable experience in all types of wet and dry shipping litigation. The team (which includes solicitors with seagoing experience) deals with collision, salvage, wreck removal and pollution cases as well as charterparty, bill of lading and other contract of affreightment disputes. The firm advises ship-owners, P&I clubs, hull and machinery insurers, salvors, charterers and freight forwarders.
Insurance/professional indemnity: HW advises on general insurance, professional indemnity, D&O and specialised insurance lines acting for underwriters, brokers, mutual and fixed premium insurers of ships, a wide range of insurers for freight forwarders, warehouse operators, transport intermediaries, cargo owners and trade insurers. The firm also represents insurers who provide professional indemnity insurance for various professional bodies in Hong Kong.
Employment: HW provides contentious and non-contentious employment and immigration advice to both employers and employees in Hong Kong.
Family and matrimonial: HW’s cases often involve families with assets in multiple jurisidictions. The firm handles all manner of children’s issues including custody, care and control and other parenting disputes, such as access, child maintenance, paternity and schooling applications both in respect of married and unmarried couples and cohabitants. The firm has experience in handling private adoptions; cases involving child abduction and family finances including property transfers, prenuptial agreements and separation deeds.
Fraud: HW regularly acts for victims of all types of fraud to recover misappropriated assets. The firm is the Hong Kong representative of the International Fraud Group (IFG), an elite group of lawyers across 17 countries focussed on unravelling fraud and tracing and returning assets.
Property and building management: HW’s clients include some of the largest international real estate agencies, listed property developers, international and local building management companies, quasi government bodies, property investment funds, incorporated owners of of commercial/residential buildings, and commercial and individual landlords and tenants in Hong Kong.
Regulatory and compliance: HW’s regulatory team advises financial institutions and corporates on a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious regulatory and compliance issues.
Banking and finance: HW’s banking team has experience in a broad range of banking and finance matters, including bilateral and syndicated lending, international trade finance, project finance, acquisition finance, ship finance, general cash management and liquidity products, asset and debt recovery, security enforcement actions, banking regulation and compliance, sanctions, AML, KYC and various regulatory project and remediation work. The team also specialise in a diverse range of trade finance matters.
Trusts, assets and wealth management: We advise ultra high-net-worth individuals and their families; entrepreneurs and family businesses both in Hong Kong and the PRC. We are trusted legal advisers providing advice and support to our clients on the management of their wealth and assets, and on a wide range of inheritance and succession matters. We have experience in establishing trusts, in particular family trusts, educational trusts and charitable trusts. Our team includes solicitors who are full members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Wills, probate and estate management: We handle wills, probate, estate management and general civil litigation matters.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Senior Partner and Managing Partner; Dispute resolution | Chris Howse | chris.howse@howsewilliams.com | 28033600 |
Clinical negligence and healthcare; Insurance | David Kan | david.kan@howsewilliams.com | 28033658 |
Shipping; Dispute resolution; insurance; fraud | David Coogans | david.coogans@howsewilliams.com | 28033672 |
Dispute resolution | Alison Scott | alison.scott@howsewilliams.com | 28033604 |
Dispute resolution | Michael Withington | michael.withington@howsewilliams.com | 28033612 |
Dispute resolution; Fraud; Trusts, assets & wealth management | Kevin So | kevin.so@howsewilliams.com | 28033602 |
Clinical negligence and healthcare | Bernard Murphy | bernard.murphy@howsewilliams.com | 28033606 |
Clinical negligence and healthcare | Oonagh Toner | oonagh.toner@howsewilliams.com | 28033697 |
Clinical negligence and healthcare | Maureen Liu | maureen.liu@howsewilliams.com | 28033667 |
Shipping; Insurance/professional indemnity | William Leung | william.leung@howsewilliams.com | 28033782 |
Family and matrimonial | Linda Heathfield | linda.heathfield@howsewilliams.com | 28033624 |
Family and matrimonial | Stacey Devoy | stacey.devoy@howsewilliams.com | 28033724 |
Family and matrimonial | Karen Lam | karen.lam@howsewilliams.com | 28033639 |
Regulatory and compliance | Jill Wong | jill.wong@howsewilliams.com | 28033670 |
Corporate and commercial | Christopher Williams | chris.williams@howsewilliams.com | 28033622 |
Corporate and commercial; Capital markets | Brian Ho | brian.ho@howsewilliams.com | 28033623 |
Corporate and commercial; capital markets | Heidi Lee | heidi.lee@howsewilliams.com | 28033718 |
Corporate and commercial; capital markets | Christopher Yu | chris.yu@howsewilliams.com | 28033638 |
Capital markets | Chia Ching Tan | chiaching.tan@howsewilliams.com | 28033615 |
Capital markets | Stephen Leung | stephen.leung@howsewilliams.com | 28033625 |
Capital markets | Denise Che | denise.che@howsewilliams.com | 28033666 |
Shipping; Insurance/professional indemnity | Eviana Leung | eviana.leung@howsewilliams.com | 28033687 |
Employment | Patricia Yeung | patricia.yeung@howsewilliams.com | 28033748 |
Property and building management | Janet Lee | janet.lee@howsewilliams.com | 28033761 |
Banking and finance | Antony Yung | antony.yeung@howsewilliams.com | 28033774 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Ms Denise Che | Denise is a Partner in Howse Williams’ corporate practice. She has a… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Veronica Chow | Veronica is a Partner in Howse Williams’ corporate practice. She focuses her… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr David Coogans | David is a commercial disputes lawyer specialising in international trade disputes. David… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Stacey Devoy | Stacey brings to Howse Williams 30 years’ experience as a litigator. Her… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Linda Heathfield | Linda is a Partner in Howse Williams’ family and matrimonial practice. Linda’s… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Brian Ho | Brian Ho is a partner in Howse Williams’ corporate practice. He specialises… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Chris Howse | Chris is the senior partner and managing partner of Howse Williams. His… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr David Kan | David is a dual qualified medical doctor/solicitor and is a Founding Member… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Karen Lam | Karen was admitted to practice law in New South Wales, Australia in… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Desmond Lee | Desmond is one of our partners specialising in contentious regulatory and compliance… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Janet Lee | Janet is a Partner in Howse Williams’ property department. She advises on… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Heidi Lee | Heidi is a Partner in Howse Williams’ corporate practice. Heidi has extensive… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr William Leung | As a prominent commercial litigator with more than 20 years solid experience,… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Eviana Leung | Eviana is one of our partners specialising in commercial litigation and marine… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Stephen Leung | Stephen is a partner in the firm’s corporate practice. He is experienced… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Maureen Liu | Maureen is a Partner in Howse Williams’ medico-legal and healthcare team. Maureen… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Bernard Murphy | A medically qualified solicitor, Bernard represents healthcare organisations, doctors, dentists, veterinary surgeons… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Alison Scott | Alison is a Partner in Howse Williams’ dispute resolution practice. She specialises… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Chia Ching Tan | Chia Ching is a partner in Howse Williams’ corporate practice. She has… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Oonagh Toner | Oonagh is a Partner in Howse Williams’ dispute resolution practice. She specialises… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Christopher Williams | Chris is one of the founding partners of Howse Williams. Chris specialises… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Michael Withington | Michael is a Partner in Howse Williams’ dispute resolution practice. He is… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Jill Wong | Jill is a partner in Howse Williams’ financial services and corporate regulatory… | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Patricia Yeung | Patricia is a partner and heads up Howse Williams’ employment team. She… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Christopher Yu | Chris is a partner in Howse Williams’ corporate practice. He is experienced… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Antony Yung | Antony has experience in a broad range of banking and finance matters,… | View Profile |