Chris is the firm’s practice leader of China related disputes under Hong Kong law.
Chris specialises in a broad range of corporate and commercial dispute work, with particular emphasis on complex multi-jurisdictional disputes, fraud and asset recovery, contentious insolvency and bankruptcy, receiverships, shareholders and joint venture disputes, gaming disputes, mis-selling of financial products, cybercrime, audit negligence claims, SFC and ICAC investigations, employment disputes, and judicial review. He has substantial experience in injunction applications, and discovery (including Norwich Pharmacal) applications, in aid of domestic/foreign arbitrations and Court proceedings. He acts for and against numerous mainland Chinese and foreign companies/individuals in their disputes.
Chris obtained his LLB at Kings College London. He is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and England and Wales. Chris is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Chris’ experience includes:
- representing an oil and gas PRC enterprise in a cross-border dispute valued in excess of USD350 million involving 7 sets of arbitration/Court proceedings in Hong Kong, the PRC, BVI and the Cayman Islands;
- representing the Chairman of a solar company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in Court proceedings in relation to his/company’s debt obligations exceeding USD2 billion;
- representing one of the most prominent businesswomen in the PRC in a USD280 million dispute with one of the largest private equity firms in the world. The matter relates to claims for fraudulent misrepresentation, and involves arbitrations, injunction proceedings (HCMP 473-474/2015), contempt proceedings (HCMP 585-586/2017), and proceedings in other jurisdictions;
- representing the majority shareholder of a PRC property developer (with companies incorporated in the Cayman Islands, BVI and the PRC) in Court proceedings in relation to its USD550 million debt obligations under various debt/equity-linked security documents;
- representing a major shareholder in a shareholders/family dispute in which they vie for control over a Hong Kong company which holds a majority shareholding in a Japanese company listed on the Japanese Stock Exchange (Re Okada Holdings Ltd, HCMP 1324/2017 and HCMP 2446/2017). The matter involves mandatory injunctions seeking to restrain shareholders rights;
- representing a Big Four accounting firm who were the Court-appointed Receivers and Managers of a Hong Kong company. The matter arises from legal proceedings commenced in the PRC, the UK and Hong Kong, involving novel and complicated issues regarding the principle of judicial comity and s. 21M injunctions (HCMP 1449/2014, CACV 243/2014);
- representing one of the top 10 Fortune 500 companies in an injunction application in aid of arbitration proceedings against a listed PRC company in a claim over USD300 million in the renewable energy sector;
- representing international banking corporations and companies in ex parte injunction applications in fraud and asset recovery actions and cybercrime matters;
- representing an ultra-high net worth individual in respect of s.21M injunction proceedings in aid of California Court proceedings in relation to a claim of USD54 million (HCMP 3072/2014, CACV 189/2015);
- representing a Hong Kong company holding a large group of subsidiaries operating as the global market leader in the fisheries industry. The matter involves a shareholders dispute, unfair prejudice petitions, and discovery proceedings;
- representing provisional liquidators of a listed company in an audit negligence claim of around HKD400 million against a Big 4 accounting firm, and obtaining leave from the Court to enter into a funding arrangement with a litigation funder to pursue such claim;
- representing a private equity fund in a USD40 million breach of contract claim against another private equity fund. The underlying asset of the dispute is a hotel situated in the PRC. The matter involves an arbitration, an application to intervene in Court proceedings, and issues concerning the impartiality of a Court-appointed receiver;
- representing an ultra-high net worth PRC individual in a EUR15 million breach of contract claim against respondents (which operate through a company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange) to a HKIAC arbitration under the UNCITRAL rules relating to supplying high-end yarn fabrics and shirts designed for uniforms for Chinese government institutions and local enterprises;
- representing one of the largest publishing and financial information firms in the world in defending a claim by a former employee for alleged misrepresentation and conspiracy to defraud (HCA 349/2011);
- representing creditors in a winding-up petition presented against China Shanshui Investment Co. Ltd. (being one of the major shareholders of China Shanshui Cement Group Co. Ltd. listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange) in relation to debts in the total sum of around USD40 million (HCCW 398/2015);
- representing shareholders in a joint venture dispute in respect of the distribution and sale in the PRC of certified organic skincare and cosmetic products;
- representing a global American casino and resort company in pursuing gaming debts;
- representing one of the largest securities investment companies in Taiwan in a HKD500 million dollar claim by a global banking institution in relation to the Lehman Brothers minibonds;
- representing Global Merchant Funding Limited against the Secretary for Justice in an appeal to the Court of Final Appeal concerning whether certain transactions and arrangements fell within the definition of “loan” under the Money Lenders Ordinance (FACC 4/2015);
- representing an individual in a claim of around USD16 million by a US fund for fraudulent misrepresentation in a 9-day trial (HCA 503/2012);
- representing high net worth individuals and companies in multimillion dollar claims, and in making regulatory complaints to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and SFC, against global banking corporations for mis-selling investment products;
- representing petitioners/creditors and respondents/debtors in high value insolvency and bankruptcy matters and claims concerning breach of directors’ duties;
- representing a high net worth individual in a multi-million dollar claim against a HK listed company in respect of funds received by it (the case concluded at the Court of Final Appeal);
- representing LG Chem Ltd. (the largest chemical company listed in South Korea) in a tort claim against HSBC (HCA 842/2016);
- representing a number of global companies headquartered in South Korea in respect of fraud, and investigations involving the misappropriation of funds and use of confidential information;
- representing a Hong Kong listed company in a winding-up petition presented against it by creditors. The matter includes issues concerning substitution of supporting creditor in such petition (HCCW 122/2012);
- representing one of the most prominent bankers in Asia and a large Hong Kong brokerage firm in respect of SFC investigations;
- representing a prominent Hong Kong businesswoman in ICAC investigations and an application for judicial review in which she sought to have a trial by jury in the High Court rather than by a judge sitting alone in the District Court.
Chris experience also includes representing PRC and foreign based companies/individuals in high-value arbitrations conducted under the HKIAC, UNCITRAL, ICC and CIETAC Rules. He also has substantial experience in respect of applications to the High Court to set aside arbitral awards.
Chris regularly teaches in the Insolvency Preparatory Course organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants on topics relating to liquidation and bankruptcy.