In the first batch of approvals by the Department of Justice, Guangdong, ABL&SW set up a joint venture law firm in the Qianhai Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone.

To celebrate this momentous event, over 300 distinguished guests attended the grand opening ceremony at the Futian Shangri-La Hotel on 20th May 2015.

We were very privileged to have Ms Elsie Leung Oi-sie, GBM, JP (Deputy Director, HKSAR Basic Law Committee of Standing Committee of National People’s Congress) and Mr Thomas So (Vice President of the Law Society of Hong Kong) to be our honourable guests. It was also our great pleasure to have leaders from the Chinese Department of Justice, leaders from Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong S. A. R., officials from the Department of Justice in Hong Kong, leaders from Qianhai Management Office, representative from AllBright Law Offices, representatives from Stevenson, Wong & Co. and representatives from ABL&SW to share their views with us.

The participants attended an insightful conference covering various topics on cross-border finances by guest speakers from different sectors ranging from Government Bodies to private banks. Participants will have gained valuable knowledge from the experience and insights of the professionals. Following this was a lavish banquet celebrating the opening of ABL&SW and the 10th anniversary of Allbright Shenzhen Office.

This delightful event marks the start of AllBright Law Firm and Stevenson, Wong & Co. providing cross border innovative legal services to enhance the development of the Qianhai Modern Service Industries Cooperation Zone.

Please contact our Mr. Eric Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.

On 4 May 2015, SW partner Mr. Eric Lui, senior associate Ms. Freda Au, legal executives Mr. Stanley Hung and Mr. Man Wong delivered a presentation on stamp duty issues involving properties and share transactions at Commercial Business II – Corporate Banking and Financial Institutions of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BCHK”). Over 50 representatives from BCHK attended the seminar.

In the first part of the seminar, Mr. Lui introduced our firm to the audience and the joint venture law firm with AllBright Law Offices in Qianhai Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone which will provide legal services to clients in both Hong Kong and Mainland China.

In the second part of the seminar, Mr. Wong and Mr. Hung gave practical advice to the audience on how the Stamp Duty Ordinance applies to property, and share transactions in Hong Kong and recent cases on Stamp Duty.

Please contact our Mr. Eric Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.

On 2 May 2015, SW litigation partners Mr Eric Lui, Mr Neville Watkins, Ms Heidi Chui and associate Ms Katy Lai attended the ceremony marking the appointment of Mr Nigel Kat, Mr Martin Hui Siu-ting, Mr Hectar Pun Hei, Mr David Leung Cheuk-yin, Mr Jeremy Bartlett, Mr Douglas Lam Tak-yip, Mr Victor Dawes, Mr William Tam Yiu-ho, Mr Bernard Man and Mr Wayne Walsh as Senior Counsel of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at the Island Shangri-la Hotel.

Photo taken with Mr Victor Dawes SC (Left: Ms Heidi Chui, Mr Eric Lui, Mr Victor Dawes SC, Ms Katy Lai, Mr Neville Watkins)

Please contact our Mr Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.

On 8 April 2015, SW partner Mr. Eric Lui and SW Head of Business Development (China) Ms. Connie Yeung attended “2015 International Dispute Resolution Forum” held in Shanghai by AllBright Law Offices. Topic of the forum was “How PRC enterprises resolve cross-border investment disputes by way of arbitration”.

Introduction was given at the forum on areas including cross-border disputes, overseas litigation as well as arbitration in Shanghai and Korea. In light of China’s economic growth, numerous PRC enterprises actively expand their business overseas and thus inevitably encounter cross-border disputes which have to be resolved by litigation or arbitration. In response to such needs, Mr. Eric Lui delivered a speech and his topic was “Is it easy to resolve disputes by litigation overseas?”. In addition, Eric gave in-depth exchange of ideas with attendees including entrepreneurs, legal personnel and investors.

Please contact our Eric Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.

On 29 March 2015, SW partner Mr. Eric Lui and our Head of Business Development (China) Ms. Connie Yeung delivered a presentation at a conference organised by the Finance and Securities Committee of the Bar Association of Chengdu heed at AllBright’s office in Chengdu.

At the conference, Mr. Lui and Ms. Yeung discussed asset protection strategies, the advantages and application of overseas trusts, building overseas assets and PRC-guaranteed foreign loans.

Please contact our Eric Lui for any enquiries or further information about this event.

SW Senior Consultant, Mr. Angus Forsyth, attended the GALA meeting from 29th to 30th March 2015 which was held in Washington D.C. by Reed Smith L.L.P.

60 people from worldwide GALA membership attended for a 2 day full session of mutual introduction and papers on legal advertisement.

GALA regularly solicits articles on advertising and data privacy law from its members and regularly submits these for publication in Mondaq.

Mondaq is one of the world’s most comprehensive online resources of professionals’ expertise and knowledge. Since 1994, Mondaq has been working with leading professional advisers the world over to deliver insight, opinion and commentary on legal, regulatory and financial topics across every continent.

Before the GALA AGM in Washington D.C., Mondaq published an article submitted by Angus Forsyth to GALA on the possible introduction of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance section 33 controls on trans-border transfer of personal data.

This posting attracted so much attention that it established a record for the most visited and read article on Mondaq in Hong Kong which is a very significant worldwide promotion for SW and GALA at no cost.

Please contact Mr. Angus Forsyth for any enquiries or further information about this event.