On 10 September 2020, the Private Wealth Management Association (PWMA) and Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) HK co-organised a webinar themed “Practical Considerations on Managing Wealth and Assets of Vulnerable Clients”, addressing members, including private bankers, trustees, lawyers and accountants, on business social responsibility and ethics when serving vulnerable clients.

Our firm’s partner, Ms. Sherlynn Chan, TEP, together with two other TEP members, Ms. Joanna Caen, Managing Director of PraxisIFM and Mr. Ken To, Barrister of Sir Oswald Cheung’s Chambers were the speakers. The topic of the webinar was well received and attracted over 110 participants.

With the rapidly ageing population, the webinar aimed to raise awareness amongst the audience on the importance of issues relating to mental capacity, protection of vulnerable clients, and ethical banking.

For more information on this webinar, please go to the following links: PWMA, STEP HK.
Please contact Ms. Sherlynn Chan for more information or further enquiries.

On 14 September 2020, Wendy Lam, partner and head of SW Private Client Department, was invited to speak at a 2-day virtual conference titled “Supporting, Healing, Reconstructing – The New Landscape” by The Law Society of Singapore.

The 3rd annual Family Conference aimed to benefit practitioners in the field with updates of the multifaceted developments in family law. Different expert panels with prominent local and foreign judges, practitioners and academics covered different perspectives on topics that are central to the practice of family law. Wendy discussed the multiplicity of proceedings in family and probate matters from a Hong Kong perspective, and explored with the co-panellists from Singapore and Malaysia the challenges faced in different jurisdictions.

The conference was a huge success which was widely covered in the local press and attracted more than 400 participants.

Please contact Ms. Wendy Lam for more information or further enquiries.

On 28 August 2020, our firm’s partner, Ms. Sherlynn Chan, together with Professor Lusina Ho (of the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong) and Ms Hao Wang (partner of RayYin & Partners PRC Lawyers) spoke on “Li 1 and Qin: Judicial Recognition of Testamentary Trusts in China”. The webinar was organised by the Hong Kong Trustees’ Association.

From left to right: Our firm’s partner Ms. Sherlynn Chan, Professor Lusina Ho of the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong and Ms. Rebecca Chow from Hong Kong Trustees’ Association

In May 2019, the Shanghai No 2 Intermediate People’s Court in Shanghai handed down the first decision of the Chinese courts that recognised the establishment of a testamentary trust under the Law of Trusts of the PRC, Li 1 and Qin. This landmark case touched upon the establishment of a testamentary trust as well as the interplay between the doctrine of community property under PRC Marriage Law, Law of Trusts and the Law of Succession. With the increase in socio-economic linkage between Hong Kong and the Mainland, this decision has important implications for practitioners in Hong Kong.

At the webinar, Professor Ho, Ms Wang and Ms Chan explored issues arising from the judgement with particular focus on the creation and administration of testamentary trusts in China, the doctrine of community property, the differences between foundations and trusts, and the implications of the decision for practitioners in Hong Kong.

From left to right: Professor Lusina Ho, Ms. Sherlynn Chan and Ms. Hao Wang, partner of RayYin & Partners PRC Lawyers, joining the webinar from Beijing

There were over 50 people in attendance from the legal, trusts, insurance and accounting sectors. The audience was proactive in asking questions about PRC law and cross-border estate-planning issues.

Please contact Ms. Sherlynn Chan for more information or further enquiries.

Mr. Terence Lau, our Senior Associate, was invited to give a webinar for Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute (“HKSI”) on “An Overview of a Listing Offer” on 23 July 2020.

The webinar was designed for sponsors, corporate finance advisers and executives, senior management, and company secretaries of companies preparing for listing. Apart from the initial public offering process, Terence also shared topics and requirements in relation to pre-IPO reorganisation, red chip listing and deal structuring.

(from left to right) Ms. Daisy Lo, the Director of Membership & Outreach of HKSI, Mr. Terence Lau and Mr. Eugene Lee, the Consultant of Education & Development of HKSI

Mr. Terence Lau gave an overview of the IPO process and practice in Hong Kong to HKSI members.

Mr. Terence Lau is a Senior Associate in our Corporate Finance department. He specialises in advising listed issuers, sponsors and underwriters in a broad range of corporate finance transactions, including initial public offering on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, subsequent share issues, shares placement, rights issue, open offer and convertible bonds. He also advises listed issuers on regulatory and compliance matters.

Please contact Mr. Terence Lau for any enquiries or further information.

On 8 July 2020, our firm’s partner, Ms. Sherlynn Chan, was invited by the Zonta Club of Victoria to give a talk on “How to Embrace the Dementia Tsunami in HK- a Legal Perspective”.

From the left: Our firm’s partner, Ms. Sherlynn Chan; President of Zonta Club of Victoria, Ms. Helen Chen; Past International Director of Zonta International, Ms. Winnie Teoh and Governor of District 17- Zonta International, Ms. Teresa Lin

In light of the ageing population and increased life expectancy, there will be a surge in the number of dementia cases, leading to a huge increase in demand for elderly goods and services. During the talk, Ms. Chan explained the common causes of mental incapacity and gave an overview of the Mental Health Ordinance (Cap. 136). She then shared some case studies of elderly financial abuse and introduced some planning tools available (such as Wills and Trusts, the Enduring Power of Attorney and Advance Directives) to those who are still mentally capable in order to “prevent, protect and prepare”.

About Zonta

Zonta International is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy. Zonta International envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential. Founded in 1919, there are nearly 33,000 members from more than 1,200 Zonta Clubs across 67 countries and geographical areas.

About Ms. Sherlynn Chan

Ms. Sherlynn Chan, Partner of our firm and the Chairman and founding member of MIP Care Resources Connect Ltd., specialises in private client work including contentious probate and family matters. She served as a Deputy District Judge in the Family Court in 2014 and is currently the Chairman of the Mental Health Law Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong and Co-Chair of the Societies of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP) HK’s Mental Health, Elderly and Capacity Law Sub-Committee.

She has been appointed by the High Court as Committee of the estate of mentally incapacitated persons and manages substantial assets on behalf of vulnerable clients.

Please contact Ms. Sherlynn Chan for more information or further enquiries.

(中文) 2020年6月22日，本所合伙人，诉讼及争议解决部和银行及金融部主管徐凯怡律师受邀，出席并担任“廊仲线上- 仲裁实务公开课” 的特邀嘉宾。

本次公开课由廊坊仲裁委员会主办，并由河北省律师协会、中国仲裁法学研究会、中国人民大学国际仲裁研究所、中国政法大学仲裁研究院、对外经济贸易大学法学院、河北经贸大学法学院及廊坊师范学院共同协办。

本次课程由上海锦天城（北京）律师事务所高级合伙人彭立松律师担任主讲嘉宾，并邀得中国政法大学国际法学院教授宋连斌先生、廊坊仲裁委员会业务处副处长李非女士以及本所合伙人、诉讼及争议解决部和银行及金融部主管徐凯怡律师担任特邀嘉宾。

本所合伙人、诉讼及争议解决部和银行及金融部主管徐凯怡律师

在两小时的课程当中，徐律师与各位嘉宾通过网络连线分别就仲裁程序的综述、仲裁程序的推进与管理、仲裁庭的事前准备及特殊事项的处理等题目进行深入的解释及讨论。徐律师作为特邀嘉宾，与观众们分享了她在香港仲裁案件中的实务操作和实战经验。

上海锦天城（北京）律师事务所高级合伙人彭立松律师

左起: 廊坊仲裁委员会业务处副处长李非女士及本课程主持，河北听韬律师事务所创始合伙人张凯律师

若阁下想了解更多详情，请联络本所合伙人徐凯怡律师 (heidi.chui@sw-hk.com)。