Carey Olsen Hong Kong LLP > Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong > Firm Profile

Carey Olsen Hong Kong LLP
Suites 3610-13, Jardine House
1 Connaught Place
Central
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong

Hong Kong > Offshore law firms Tier 3

Hailed as a ‘first class legal team with an unrivalled international network‘, Carey Olsen Hong Kong LLP is noted for its strong dispute resolution offering and its deep knowledge of private equity driven corporate mandates. Michael Padarin heads the corporate and investment funds group, and acts for a varied range of clients from the US and Hong Kong in the full spectrum of transactional mandates. Jeremy Lightfoot leads the growing disputes group, regularly handling corporate and commercial cases, and restructuring and insolvency issues under BVI, Cayman, and Bermuda law. ‘Excellent insolvency and disputes lawyerTim Haynes is recommended for his longstanding experience in shareholder, management, and corporate restructuring disputes, while Bermuda law specialist Matthew Watson routinely appears before the Privy Council on behalf of Hong Kong listed Bermuda companies. Tiffy Wan is a key contact for Asian clients seeking advice on US and Hong Kong IPOs and secondary securities offerings, and Dhanshuklal Vekaria is well-versed in fair valuation disputes, and cases concerning private client trusts. James Webb  left the firm in July 2024.

Practice head(s):

Michael Padarin; Jeremy Lightfoot

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘The corporate and funds team at Carey Olsen are highly responsive, knowledgeable and solution oriented.’

‘Michael Padarin is our key point of contact, he is always available and his advice on point. ’

‘The team is well-known for providing professional offshore legal services, and is able to directly provide expert lawyer services in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands in the client’s time zone and business environment.

‘Carey Olsen have a team with a lot of depth across multiple practice areas, with particular strength in the insolvency & restructuring and disputes practices. ’

‘Tim Haynes is an excellent insolvency and disputes lawyer. I was his colleague at a previous firm, and he is not only intellectually savvy, but also applies a commercial mind to resolving disputes. I also highly rate Jeremy Lightfoot.’

‘Tim Haynes is my go-to lawyer for offshore work. He has very significant experience and gives measured, sensible advice.’

‘A first class legal team with an unrivalled international network able to connect global clients with the best advice and prompt and effective action in all relevant jurisdictions.’

Key clients

Lightspeed Faction Ventures I GP, LLC

Tian Tu Capital Co., Ltd.

Align Partners Capital Management Inc.

Oasis Investments II Master Fund Limited

Attestor Value Master Fund LP

Beijing Energy International Holding Co. Ltd

Work highlights

  • Acted as Cayman Islands counsel on the launch of Lightspeed Faction Fund I, LP, which is registered as a private fund with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. The Fund will seek to generate long-term capital appreciation through equity and token investments in early-stage projects that are active in blockchain and may also engage in other token-generative activities such as staking of digital assets.
  • Acted as the Cayman Islands and BVI counsel to Tian Tu Capital Co., Ltd. on its H-share HK$1.13 billion listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as of 6 October 2023, with Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited and BOCI Asia Limited as joint sponsors.
  • Acting for two substantial investment funds in Bermuda’s largest ever fair value appraisal action arising out of Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited purchase of the minority shareholdings of Jardine Strategic Holdings Limited via a US $5.5 billion amalgamation.

Foreign-based expertise > Leading firms

With offices located in London, Hong Kong, and Singapore, Carey Olsen is very well-positioned to advise on a wide range of Caribbean-based matters surrounding Bermuda, BVI, and Cayman law. In Carey Olsen LLP’s London office, managing partner Jasmine Amaria is notable for her expertise in the BVI and Cayman law aspects of corporate, finance, and investment funds matters, including fund formation, M&A transactions, and joint ventures. Richard Brown, also in London, focuses his BVI practice on dispute resolution, litigation, and insolvency-related cases, which includes complex fraud and asset tracing cases. Carey Olsen Hong Kong LLP's practice is home to managing partner Michael Padarin, who is notably active in the formation, operation, and restructuring of private equity and venture capital funds, while Jeremy Lightfoot leads the disputes team, which also includes Tim Haynes and Matthew Watson. Haynes is particularly skilled in representing Asia-based clients in commercial disputes, while Watson is a Bermuda law specialist. In Carey Olsen Singapore LLP, managing partner Anthony McKenzie leads the corporate group for Asia with notable expertise in Cayman Islands, BVI, and Bermuda law, frequently handling corporate, investment funds, and finance transactions. James Noble sits at the helm of the litigation, insolvency, and restructuring department, and head of funds Tom Katsaros is another notable presence in the team, as is litigation specialist Helen Wang.

Practice head(s):

Jasmine Amaria; Michael Padarin; Anthony McKenzie

Key clients

Ad Hoc Group of bondholders in Luckin Coffee Inc.

Arrowcrest Limited

Attestor Value Master Fund LP

AXA Investment Managers

Babel Holding Limited

Bank of China

Block.one

Boris Kaufman

Caldicott Worldwide Ltd

Carbon Growth Partners

China Merchant Bank

CITIC Bank

CN Energy

EQT AB

Fintonia Group

Fulham Company Limited

Fullgoal Asset Management (HK) Limited

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd.

Global Cord Blood Corporation

Great Simplicity Investment Corporation

Huaxing Growth Capital

IDEG Investment Management Limited

InterEnergy Holdings Limited

JD Sports Gym

Kathryn Ma

Landing Point Limited

Leapfrog Investments Group Ltd

Marunouchi Innovation Partners Co., Ltd.,

Members of Kroll as Provisional Liquidators of Abraaj Holdings

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group

Mubadala Petroleum (Thailand) Holdings Limited

Oasis Investments II Master Fund Limited

OCBC Wing Hang Bank

PayProp

Permira

Philip Street Partners

Red Wolf Resources Limited

Smarter Electronics

Smarter Microelectronics

Spathiphy Capital Management Limited

Stoneway Capital Corporation

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp

SuperSeed Capital Limited

Tencent Holdings Limited

The Bank of East Asia, Limited

Work highlights

  • Acting for Oasis Investments II Master Fund Limited & Attestor Value Master Fund LP in Bermuda’s largest ever fair value appraisal action arising out of Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited purchase of the minority shareholdings of Jardine Strategic Holdings Limited via a UD$5.5bn amalgamation.
  • Acting for Babel Holding Limited, a Cayman Islands company, in the restructuring of its debts worth USD766m.
  • Acting as Cayman legal counsel to Grand Centrex Limited (the GCL Group), one of Asia’s leading video game distributors and publishers, in connection with its announced business combination with RF Acquisition Corp, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company.

The firm: With a heritage that dates back to 1898, Carey Olsen is one of the most established and distinguished offshore law firms, advising on Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey law across a global network of nine international offices.

Carey Olsen opened an office in Hong Kong SAR in 2016, focusing on dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency services, advising clients and referrers on the full spectrum of contentious, semi-contentious and advisory matters.

With an international perspective and the support of a global network, our lawyers in Hong Kong SAR have an in-depth understanding of the Asia market, with a particular focus on China.  The team comprises English, Mandarin and Cantonese speakers.

We work alongside Asia-Pacific’s leading regional and domestic law firms, including the Chinese ‘Red Circle’ law firms, all the world’s largest international law firms, accountancy firms and insolvency practitioners. Our clients include global financial institutions, investment funds, private equity houses, corporate service providers, multinational corporations and high-net-worth individuals.

Department Name Email Telephone
Dispute Resolution Jeremy Lightfoot jeremy.lightfoot@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9016
Restructuring and Insolvency Jeremy Lightfoot jeremy.lightfoot@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9016
Investment Funds Michael Padarin michael.padarin@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9006
Banking and Finance Michael Padarin michael.padarin@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9012
Corporate and M&A Michael Padarin michael.padarin@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9012
Regulatory Michael Padarin michael.padarin@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9012
Private Client Jeremy Lightfoot jeremy.lightfoot@careyolsen.com +852 3628 9016
Photo Name Position Profile
Tim Haynes photo Tim Haynes Tim has joined Carey Olsen’s dispute resolution and litigation team in Hong Kong.…
Shanshan Huang photo Shanshan Huang Shanshan is counsel in Carey Olsen’s dispute resolution and insolvency practice, based…
Joni Khoo photo Joni Khoo Joni is a member of the litigation, insolvency and restructuring practice in…
Calvin Lee photo Calvin Lee Calvin is an associate in Carey Olsen’s corporate and finance team in…
Kimberley Leng photo Kimberley Leng Kimberley is a counsel in our Hong Kong Dispute Resolution and Insolvency…
Xia Li photo Xia Li Xia is counsel in our Dispute Resolution and Litigation practice. Xia specialises…
Jeremy Lightfoot photo Jeremy Lightfoot Jeremy is head of the litigation, dispute resolution and insolvency practice in…
Winnie Lo photo Winnie Lo Winnie is a senior associate in our dispute resolution and insolvency team,…
Michael Padarin photo Michael Padarin Michael’s practice concentrates on the formation, operation and restructuring of offshore private…
Dhanshuklal Vekaria photo Dhanshuklal Vekaria Dhanshuklal Vekaria is partner in the dispute resolution and insolvency team in…
Tiffy Wan photo Tiffy Wan Tiffy is a cousel in Carey Olsen’s corporate, M&A and finance team…
Matthew Watson photo Matthew Watson Matthew is a Partner in our Dispute Resolution and Litigation practice in…
Yi Yang photo Yi Yang Yi has a wide range of experience assisting in cross-border commercial litigation,…