DLA Piper > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Firm Profile

DLA Piper > The Legal 500 Rankings

Hong Kong > Data protection and cyber security Tier 1

In 2024, DLA Piper has seen a growing number of cyber incidents brought on by malware, phishing, and similar incidents, and excels in handling these type of matters. Advising on the regulatory oversight of data flows also falls within the scope of the group’s work. The team’s extensive client list ranges from large conglomerates such as Hilton to logistics companies such as OmniLogistics. Carolyn Bigg heads up the team, and has a strong track record of being involved in and managing data protection compliance programmes and cyber incidents throughout the Greater China region. Senior associate Venus Cheung is well versed in data protection compliance, and is able to assist clients with cybersecurity incidents and risk management.

Hong Kong > Domestic and International Corporate Tax Tier 1

Led from Hong Kong by Anderson Lam and also working in a very cohesive manner with the Mainland China group and its broader international network, DLA Piper remains a popular choice for large multinational entities, as well as a growing number of China-based companies, across a myriad advisory and  transactional work. A reflection of the authorities' heightened vigilance, the team has also been very active of late attempting to secure advanced rulings for corporates ahead of planned transactions. In addition, it has been increasingly busy responding to formal inquires and on tax audit matters, as well as in context of formal litigation. Although corporate tax work still informs the majority of the workflow, Lam has also made increased inroads into the private client field, acting for HNWIs on succession planning and attendant tax efficient trust establishment. Associates Edith Liu  and Lilian Ip consistently support Lam, particularly with the tax elements of corporate restructuring projects.

Hong Kong > Banking and finance Tier 2

DLA Piper showcases demonstrable experience advising lenders on financing matters, particularly project financing, with acquisition finance forming a cornerstone of the practice and frequently called upon by its diverse client roster featuring banks, investment funds and corporate borrowers. Splitting his time between the firm’s Hong Kong and Singapore offices, ‘highly experienced’ Matthias Schemuth leads the practice alongside Paul Lee, who advises on syndicated loans, structured lending and cross-border financings, in addition to acquisition finance, and Trinh Hoang, who handles special situations financing mandates.

Hong Kong > Investment funds Tier 2

Led by the vastly experienced Luke Gannon, DLA Piper has established a robust reputation across APAC for providing advice to fund managers on a diverse range of strategies and asset classes including real estate, private equity, and hedge funds. Although the market has been challenging in many of those asset classes with less US investor money flowing in to these funds (in part due to geo-political tensions), the firm has been very successful targeting sponsors that are raising capital from more regional sources. The team also has a strong investor offering which has grown in stature in recent years, picking up its own work as well as effectively leveraging the ties with many large institutional investors developed by the firm’s market-leading investor practice in Austin, Texas.

Hong Kong > Labour and employment Tier 2

Offering ‘very clear and pragmatic advice’, the DLA Piper outfit specialises in employee data privacy issues, and internal investigations regarding sexual harassment, alongside complex whistleblowing complaints. The practice is renowned for its ‘multiregional support’, frequently handling cross-border reorganisations and employment projects in Asia Pacific, while team leader Helen Colquhoun demonstrates vast expertise in advising director-level sensitive terminations and investigations. Described as an ‘amazing legal partner’, Colquhoun is especially well versed in allegations of misconduct scenarios, and Wundy Lee acts for multinationals on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law.

Hong Kong > Projects and energy Tier 2

DLA Piper’s energy and natural resources practice is widely acclaimed for its ‘extensive experience’ handling cross border and multi-jurisdictional project finance, development, M&A and disputes in the oil, power and mining spaces. The group is co-led by Russell Wilkinson, who leverages his expertise in the development, purchase and sale of LNG and gas assets and Carolyn Dong, who acts for overseas investors on acquisition financings, project development and joint ventures in the energy and infrastructure spheres. Dong splitting her time between Hong Kong and Beijing. Trinh Hoang is well-versed in handling financings, debt restructurings and corporate loans for private credit funds, investment banks and corporate borrowers. Matthias Schemuth relocated to Singapore.

Hong Kong > Real estate Tier 2

DLA Piper has a strong real estate practice in Hong Kong, providing a full-service team that covers 'all of the clients' needs in a complex real estate transaction‘. Practice head Susheela Rivers has deep knowledge of the hospitality and leisure sectors. The group provides assistance with complex cross-border transactions such as acquisitions, joint ventures, structuring, and real estate asset financing in various sectors. Sally Law counts banks as key clients and is a go-to for the group’s real estate financing work. Another key team member is Ed Sheremeta, who stands out for his depth of knowledge in the real estate financing and investment spaces.

Hong Kong > Shipping Tier 2

Spearheaded by ‘renowned figure in shipping’ Ernest Yang, DLA Piper frequently acts for global shipowners, major shipyards, and logistics providers, advising on the whole spectrum of shipping-related litigation and arbitration. On the non-contentious side, the practice negotiates and drafts contracts, insurance policies, and contingency plans, with Yang specialising in offshore projects and international investment. The ‘very commercial’ Kevin Chan consistently assists banks and multinational companies with cross-border claims, while Edison Li primarily focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration, with his primary focus being matters involving the sale of goods and commodities.

Hong Kong > TMT Tier 2

DLA Piper‘s TMT team focuses on advising international clients on multi-jurisdictional transactional and regulatory TMT matters. The firm stands out for its work in the telecoms sector, where it assists with telecoms licensing, compliance, and operational efficiency for telecom technology such as satellites. In addition to telecoms companies, the practice also acts for tech, fintech, life sciences and e-commerce clients.  Telecoms specialist Lauren Hurcombe leads the practice and advises tech and telecoms clients on TMT and outsourcing transactions, and regulatory and commercial issues. Venus Cheung works closely alongside Hurcombe and concentrates on technology transactions and designing IT infrastructure and data compliance programmes.

Hong Kong > Construction Tier 3

With ‘a fantastic level of knowledge and attention to detail’, as well as being able to draw upon a ‘deep familiarity of local language and culture’, DLA Piper is well-versed at advising international, domestic and China-based stakeholders on work throughout the construction lifecycle. Key to the firm’s success is the work of ‘fantastic’ team head May Ng, whose versatile offering includes advice on contractual drafting to facilitate large-scale infrastructure projects, as well as in contentious matters, where she is appreciated for her ability to ‘deliver the best possible solution in a cost-effective manner’.

Hong Kong > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 3

Combined with solid contentious capabilities in mainland China, DLA Piper‘s Hong Kong team is well-placed to handle cross-border and domestic commercial disputes; it also has a notable private client practice which the team acts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, wealth advisers, and family offices in domestic and multijurisdictional disputes. Harris Chan leads the team, representing banks, listed companies and high net-worth individuals across Hong Kong, PRC and abroad in a range of commercial litigation including shareholder and director disputes and proceedings to internet fraud and white-collar crime. Kevin Chan and Satpal Gobindpuri regularly act for both Chinese state-owned companies, multinational companies and Chinese conglomerates in highly cross-border commercial disputes.

Hong Kong > Fintech and financial services regulatory Tier 3

Led by the 'very experienced and commercial' Kristi Swartz, DLA Piper has an excellent perspective for clients throughout the fintech ecosystem, ensuring that it is well-placed to advise incumbent financial services entities and fintech providers across the spectrum of structuring, licensing and corporate governance issues. Swartz's deep knowledge in the area has also been recognised by clients outside Hong Kong, including the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, which she is working with to establish the Emirate’s virtual asset specific regulatory framework.

Hong Kong > Intellectual property Tier 3

Leveraging its broad network of offices in the region and globally, DLA Piper's Hong Kong office is well-placed to handle high-profile contentious IP matters and IP-rich corporate transactions. Key points of distinction are its experience in brand protection and its trade mark expertise. Practice head Edward Chatterton demonstrates extensive knowledge in enforcement and IP litigation, and is closely supported by Elizabeth Wong who is recommended for unfair competition and enforcement of trade marks, trade dress, anti-counterfeiting as well as licensing and commercialisation of IP.

Hong Kong > Regulatory: white-collar, compliance and investigations Tier 3

With a small presence in Hong Kong, practitioners on the ground in mainland China, and also being able to leverage the firm's huge international network, DLA Piper is well-versed at advising international and Greater-China-based companies across a range of domestic and cross-border anti-corruption/bribery-related work. Team head Sammy Fang  takes the lead on many of the mandates, including internal investigations, establishing compliance programs and external regulatory investigations including from the Hong Kong ICAC.

Hong Kong > Capital markets (equity) Tier 4

As a component of the integrated Greater China offering, which also boasts a substantial presence on the Mainland, the Hong Kong team at DLA Piper is adept at counselling both issuers and underwriters on domestic and international ECM transactions, leveraging the expertise of attorneys proficient in domestic, English, and US securities law. Christina Loh has experience at advising corporates and banks on HKEX IPOs for issuers across a range of industry sectors, and also regularly assists issuers on follow-up listing compliance matters. New York-qualified partner George Wu is adept at advising on Rule 144A, Regulation S and SEC-registered equity offerings. Luke Gannon heads up the overarching corporate team which houses the ECM offering. Beijing-based Yang Ge who has extensive experience with U.S. IPOs and Hong Kong IPOs, is another name to note.

Hong Kong > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 5

Having joined the team from Akin in May 2023, co-head Naomi Moore brings her vast expertise on cross-border insolvencies and restructurings to the DLA Piper practice. The firm leverages the strength in its litigation and finance teams when handling special situations, bank workouts, and bond restructurings. Co-lead Trinh Hoang is an expert in banking law, especially on the restructuring of debt facilities and acquisition finance.

China > Dispute resolution: Litigation: foreign firms Tier 2

DLA Piper‘s large team of ‘excellent strategists’ in mainland China covers a range of litigation specialisms, including commercial, banking, finance, employment, IP, construction, cyber fraud and shipping litigation, as well as insurance, shareholder and director disputes. The team also assists with regulatory investigations, private client disputes and judicial reviews; and it is regularly involved in international cases involving the UK, US, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Seychelles, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Philippines. Heading up the firm’s international arbitration offering for China from Shanghai, Xiaoshan Chen is experienced in construction, joint venture, energy, shipping and shipbuilding disputes. Over in Hong Kong, Harris Chan is ‘a trusted dispute resolution lawyer’, while Kevin Chan is a highly-regarded commercial and cross-border disputes specialist.

China > Fintech: foreign firms Tier 2

Counting banks, private equity and venture capital investors, asset managers and funds, broker-dealers, trading platforms and exchanges among its key roster of clients, DLA Piper advises on DLT applications, such as tokenisation of real-world assets and NFT offerings, AI, payments and crowdfunding platforms, with additional experience in handling regulatory compliance and licensing matters. Based in Hong Kong, Kristi Swartz leads the team and stands out for expertise advising on SFC licensing applications of disruptive fintech companies.

China > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 3

Specialising in energy-related transactions, the DLA Piper banking and finance practice in Hong Kong is sought after for ESG linked financing and green lending. It also offers specialist expertise in fintech and digital forms of financing in the telecom and media industries. Matthias Schemuth, Paul Lee, and Trinh Hoang co-head the team, Schemuth offering Asia-wide experience and working between Singapore and Hong Kong, while Lee is a go-to for acquisition finance and Hoang focuses on financing and restructuring of debt facilities.

China > Investment funds: foreign firms Tier 3

DLA Piper’s Asia investment fund practice is routinely mandated by sovereign wealth funds from Hong Kong, China, the Middle East, Singapore, Korea and Malaysia. The team, which is also sought out by private equity funds, family offices and equity financial investors, assists with establishing hedge, private equity and real estate funds in Hong Kong, Singapore and the PRC. Hong Kong-based Luke Gannon acts for financial institutions, investment banks, fund managers, sponsors and investors on a range of investment products.

China > Regulatory/compliance: foreign firms Tier 3

Notably experienced in cross-border issues where the firm can leverage its extensive global network, DLA Piper's China team focuses on compliance reviews, regulatory advice, and internal and regulatory investigations. A large proportion of the group’s workload covers white-collar crime, internal fraud, anti-bribery and anti-corruption investigations; and the practice is increasingly involved in cybercrime-related reviews and investigations. Sammy Fang heads the compliance and investigations team from Hong Kong; while Rose Le assists with investigations and compliance matters from Shanghai.

China > TMT: foreign firms Tier 3

DLA Piper's TMT practice is led out of Hong Kong by Lauren Hurcombe and advises multinational tech, consumer goods, life sciences and telecom companies on a range of TMT matters. Recently, the team has been advising on AI-related issues as well as assisting with data privacy and cybersecurity matters and TMT transactions. Amanda Ge is based in Beijing and provides on-the-ground support in data protection and regulatory matters.

China > Projects and energy: foreign firms Tier 4

With a strong track record in M&A, project development and financing within the energy and natural resources sectors, DLA Piper is instucted by corporates and government bodies on project development, regulation, transactions and disputes. The practice is jointly led by the Hong Kong-based Carolyn Dong, a name to note for cross-border project development, joint ventures, and M&A, and Russell Wilkinson who handles sales, purchases and financing within the LNG and gas sectors. Project financing specialist Matthias Schemuth now splits his time between Singapore and Hong Kong.

China > Real estate and construction: foreign firms

DLA Piper's team stands out for its 'ability to seamlessly integrate legal expertise with a deep understanding of the commercial landscape'. The group has an excellent track record in advising on cross-border transactional matters pertaining to inbound and outbound investments into China, and is equally adept at handling acquisitions, often for clients in the financial services sector. Practice head Susheela Rivers is well supported in the Hong Kong office by Ed Sheremeta. In Shanghai, senior associate Sherry Ma stands out for her experience in advising on real estate developments.

Vietnam > Foreign desks

DLA Piper showcases demonstrable experience in handling commercial matters, M&A and project finance work, with clients positioned in the public and private sectors. Jointly leading the practice, Trinh Hoang is well versed in financing and restructuring of debt facilities across a multitude of jurisdictions, while Samata Masagee advises on cross-border transactions in the energy sector, instructed by foreign energy companies with a nexus to Vietnam, with the final head of department, Philip Lee, being widely-renowned in capital markets. Noted for her extensive corporate experience, Thananan Sangnuan specialises in domestic, inbound, and outbound M&A, while Lauren Hurcombe specialises in technology and outsourcing transactions, particularly the exploitation of technology-related assets.

Malaysia > Foreign firms

With a multidisciplinary team based across Southeast Asia, DLA Piper’s Malaysia offering consists of a broad range of corporate and finance mandates, including M&A, joint ventures, and fund establishments, provided to local, regional, and international clients. Notable industries the firm features within are energy, financial services, and technology. Leading the practice is Heng Loong Cheong, who advises on public and private M&A, complex corporate organisations, and equity and debt capital markets deals. Vincent Seah is an expert adviser on major projects and infrastructure mandates, assisting sponsors, developers, and government authorities, while Philip Lee heads the firm’s Asia Pacific capital markets practice and is the regional head for financial services, with a particular focus on advising issuers, sponsors and investment banks on a variety of debt, equity, and equity-linked capital markets transactions.

China > Tax: foreign firms

The DLA Piper Asia tax practice is co-headed by Windson Li and Anderson Lam. Li advises clients, both listed and unlisted, across a wide range of industries, including telecommunication, industrial equipment, and consumer electronics, on corporate tax and pricing transfer issues. Li is based in Beijing. In Hong Kong, Lam focuses on Hong Kong and cross-border corporate tax matters. The ‘very responsible’ Tina Xia heads the firm’s China tax practice and advises various financial institutions on investments across the APAC region.

China > Intellectual property: foreign firms

The 'very strong' intellectual property and technology practice at DLA Piper continues to be a leading force in the industry, assisting major international clients with multijurisdictional IP transactions, trade mark, copyright and patent issues as well as unfair competition cases. The team advises clients from a large number of sectors, from banking and finance to technology, energy, retail and life sciences. It particularly stands out for its expertise in managing trade mark portfolios and its strong patent prosecution capabilities. Practice head Horace Lam is based in Beijing and handles complex IP issues such as brand protection, cross-border IP litigation and global trade mark portfolio management. Over in Shanghai, Ting Xiao is an expert in patent enforcement, litigation, and prosecution, especially within the life sciences and healthcare sector. Allen Xu resides in Beijing and assists with a mix of contentious and non-contentious issues.

China > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms

Spearheaded by Hong Kong-based Luke Gannon, DLA Piper has a proven track record in managing public takeovers, multi-jurisdictional M&A, and complex joint ventures for a range of domestic and international companies. The firm stands out for its expertise in the capital markets, real estate, and IP spheres, with Shanghai’s Qiang Li being an expert in corporate finance, direct investment projects, and restructurings. Also based in Shanghai, Roy Chan frequently supports major Chinese enterprises in their expansion through joint ventures and corporate matters. Operating of Beijing, James Chang is highly knowledgeable on securities law and leveraged finance issues.

China > Restructuring and insolvency: foreign firms

Through close collaboration with its litigation and finance departments, the DLA Piper restructuring group provides a full-service offering to domestic and international entities from across the energy, pharma, and financial services sectors. The practice has vast experience of handling complex enforcement actions and multi-jurisdictional insolvency disputes, alongside consistently supporting debtor companies and funds in winding-up proceedings and bond restructuring. Based out of Sydney, Naomi Moore co-heads the outfit, standing out for her work on distressed debt and private credit issues, whilst the other co-lead, Trinh Hoang, primarily focuses on special situations financing from the Hoing Kong office.

China > Life sciences and healthcare: foreign firms

DLA Piper's life sciences team comprises approximately 30 corporate, IP, regulatory, compliance, investigations, capital markets, employment and tax lawyers. In Shanghai, China patent practice head Ting Xiao advises on high-profile life sciences, IP and regulatory matters; and Qiang Li advises Chinese life sciences companies on transactional work. Over in Hong Kong, Sammy Fang is a compliance and investigations specialist, while Christine Liu focuses on life sciences-related corporate investigations and compliance.

Australia > Restructuring and insolvency

DLA Piper‘s experienced restructuring and insolvency team boasts ‘significant technical knowledge’, and advises on complex security and priority arrangements, and insolvency structuring issues. Regularly advising cross-border clients in the Asia Pacific region, ‘outstanding’, team head Naomi Moore is a key contact for major cross-border insolvency matters, while Lionel Meehan specialises in major restructuring matters. Amy Nolan assists with performance bond issuing and liquidation proceedings.

China > Dispute resolution: Arbitration: foreign firms