Advising both debtors and creditors, Linklaters retains a leading position in Hong Kong’s restructuring and insolvency market. The firm is a go-to adviser on complex restructurings involving Chinese real estate developers, including large-scale financial debt defaults managed through both court-led and out-of-court processes. Co-chair Richard Woodworth brings deep strategic insight into complicated financial debt restructurings, while fellow co-chair Denise Fung is central to the firm’s reputation in contentious insolvency mandates. Bernard Chain is adept at handling complex enforcement, recovery, and restructuring matters. The practice was further strengthened by the arrival of Mark Fairbairn from Fairbairn & Co in November 2024, bringing significant expertise across the restructuring and liquidation.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The Linklaters restructuring term are very experienced and are able to deal with the most complex of cases. They take a commercial and practical approach to matters and seek to find common ground in order to progress matters.’
‘Richard Woodworth is technically astute and very experienced. Roberta Cheung is also technically strong and very responsive and commercial. ’
‘Richard Woodworth: quality and exceptional. Bernard Chain: rising star with the local market.'
‘One of the largest and most in demand restructuring and insolvency teams in Hong Kong. On the ball and gets results.’
‘Richard Woodworth leads the team and is impressive in how he manages multiple stakeholders in large restructuring and insolvency cases.’
‘The clear leaders in restructuring sector in HK acting both company creditor side on most of the major cases. Real strength in depth in the HK team and also supported by close links with their Singapore and UK teams. ’
‘Richard Woodworth is the standout restructuring lawyer in the market currently. At the top of his game. And a nice guy to boot. ’
Key clients
- Country Gardens Holdings Company Limited
- CIFI Holdings Company Limited
- Yuzhou Group Holdings Company Limited
- China Aoyuan Group Limited
- Central China Real Estate Limited
- China South City Holdings Limited
- Redsun Properties Group Limited
- Greenland Global Investment Limited
Work highlights
Act as international lead counsel to Country Garden Holdings Company Limited on one of Asia’s largest and most complex restructurings, advising on the holistic restructuring of the Group’s over USD 16 billion offshore liabilities.
Act for the Co-ordination Committee of seven lender banks in the offshore restructuring of Logan Group Company Limited’s approximately USD 8 billion complex public and private liabilities.
Act for CIFI Holdings Company Limited on one of the largest and most complex offshore debt reorganisations among PRC property developers, advising on the holistic restructuring of approximately USD 7.7 billion in offshore indebtedness.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Roberta Cheung
Practice head
Richard Woodworth; Denise Fung
Other key lawyers
Mark Fairbairn; Bernard Chain; Roberta Cheung