Mr Geoffrey Chan > Mayer Brown > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile

The real estate and construction practice at Mayer Brown handles traditional real estate projects and investments, as well as contentious and non-contentious construction issues. The sizable team enables the firm to advise on a broad array of matters, including development, finance, M&A, disposals, and disputes related to real estate. The team is known for its expertise on real estate-related M&A, funds, and financing transactions. The firm’s clientele includes numerous major banks and financiers, where the firm advises on acquisition development and property-related financing. Outbound investments and cross-border transactions are also key areas. The team is co-led by Keith Cheung, Tom Fu, Andy Yeo, and Geoffrey Chan, who are based across Hong Kong and China. Fu splits his time between Hong Kong and Beijing, specialising in construction projects, while Hong Kong-based Chan handles complex arbitration matters. Also noted are counsel Rosalyn Han who works with international developers and contractors on high-value projects from Beijing, and Shanghai-based senior associate Ellen Zhang who focuses on direct property acquisition and joint ventures.

Mayer Brown offers extensive experience, as both advocates and arbitrators, across the gamut of international arbitration and dispute settlement procedures in the region, spanning HKIAC, CIETAC, SIAC, ICC and SCIA. The firm’s arbitration specialists have expertise across a broad range of key economic and regulated sectors, from energy and construction to finance and insurance. Practice co-head Menachem Hasofer’s practice has a particular focus on disputes arising from building construction and infrastructure projects. Geoffrey Chan jointly leads the practice and is highly experienced in construction arbitration and ADR in Hong Kong, China and Macau.

Under the leadership of Geoffrey Chan , the ‘exceptionally strong and well-balanced team’ at Mayer Brown provides  ‘intelligent and strategic advice’ to public and private sector clients on domestic as well as large-scale cross-border construction projects, where it is particularly well-suited to act by virtue of its expansive network of international offices. Infrastructure, hospitality and leisure, residential and cultural projects are particular areas of strength, and the firm is often sought out by clients to advise on high-profile local/regional projects including its ongoing work for The Hong Kong Jockey Club on the Conghua Training Centre in China. On the litigation front, Menachem Hasofer  is appreciated by clients for his ability to ‘come up with brilliant solutions to resolve difficult issues’, including on complex judicial review proceedings as well as conventional arbitration proceedings. In addition, Hasofer excels in public procurement matters and has developed niche expertise advising on bid challenges under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). The ‘very experienced’ Mei Ling Lew  is noted for her ‘great eye for detail’ and is ‘able to efficiently handle large-scale complex disputes’, including recent involvement in two major Commissions of Inquiry.

The disputes resolution team at Mayer Brown is highly experienced across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions, with a notable offering in the fields of commercial, banking and finance, and real estate litigation, as well as recognisable skill in the regulatory investigations space. Co-head of the firm’s global litigation practice Geoffrey Chan fronts the Hong Kong offering and is especially highly regarded for his skills handling complex contentious construction matters. Alan Linning also brings over three decades of commercial litigation experience, with his practice focusing on financial services regulatory matters and investigations.

Mayer Brown has international arbitration practices spanning the region, notably with extensive experience in Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul. Energy sector knowledge is a particular strength of the team, with LNG sector disputes, oil & gas, energy-related commodities, and renewable power all falling under the remit of practitioners within the team. Also of note is the work the team undertakes related to the Asian infrastructure sector, along with financial disputes and insurance disputes practices. In the Hong Kong office, Menachem Hasofer and Geoffrey Chan lead the team, with Terence Tung acting as head of the China arbitration practice. Based in Singapore, Yu-Jin Tay is the head of the practice, with Kay-Jannes Wegner, Paul Teo, and Kate Apostolova all key names.

After expanding its international arbitration practice in 2022, Mayer Brown‘s team continues to be active in the energy and power sectors, with two of the recent arrivals still involved with longstanding defence procurement and construction-related arbitrations. The practice is jointly led by managing partner Yu-Jin Tay, Menachem Hasofer, and Geoffrey Chan, and the team handles the full-range of renewable power and natural resources related disputes. With two decades of international arbitration experience, Kay-Jannes Wegner joined from Kim & Chang in May 2022, and focuses on cross-border disputes in telecommunications and joint ventures. Senior associate Edern Coent also joined from the same firm in April 2022.