Matthew Watson > Carey Olsen Hong Kong LLP > Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile
Carey Olsen Hong Kong LLP Offices

Suites 3610-13, Jardine House
1 Connaught Place
Central
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong
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Matthew Watson

Position
Matthew is a Partner in our Dispute Resolution and Litigation practice in the Hong Kong office.
His practice is focused on acting for high-net-worth clients and major corporations in insolvency and restructuring contexts, as well as high value and complex commercial, corporate, trust and estate litigation under the law of Bermuda.
Matthew is highly recommended by peers and clients and is ranked in leading legal directories Chambers and the Legal 500, where he has been described as, “an absolute delight to work with: incredibly hard-working, excellent commercial brain, superb attention to detail and a first-rate lawyer.” Other client testimonials praise his “superb tactical litigation skill” and “unwavering dedication to excellence and total commitment to the case”. Matthew is also one of the leading private client professionals ranked in the Global Private Client Elite.
Career
Prior to relocating to join Carey Olsen as a Partner in its Hong Kong office, Matthew was a Director of a leading Bermuda commercial law firm. During his time practising in Bermuda, he was involved in many of the island’s largest contentious disputes, often involving billion-dollar sums. His experience included appearing before the Supreme Court of Bermuda and Court of Appeal of Bermuda.
Matthew began his legal career practising in Victoria, Australia for a commercial law firm.
Languages
English
Lawyer Rankings
Foreign-based expertise > Leading firms
(Next Generation Partners)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.
Hong Kong > Offshore law firms
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 lawyer‘ Tim 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.