On 16 June 2015, SW partner Mr. Eric Lui attended “China – Qinghai Green Development Investment Trade Forum” held in Xining, Qinghai by the People’s Government of Qinghai Province. The Forum is becoming an important platform for promoting green and low-carbon development and regional economic cooperation in Qinghai.

The theme of this year’s forum was “Open Cooperation and Green Development”. Activities included forums, exhibitions and international motor car racing around the Qinghai Lake. The aim of the Forum was to promot open trade and regional economic cooperation.

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

Our experienced family law practitioner, Ms. Catherine Por has contributed the Hong Kong Chapter to “Family Law Jurisdictional Comparisons” (Third Edition) published by Sweet & Maxwell. The book was first published in 2011 and the second edition came out in 2013, in association with the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

The book covers various issues from jurisdiction and conflict of law to family dispute resolution in more than 40 jurisdictions. Each chapter contains commentaries by leading lawyers in their respective jurisdictions which provides an easy reference and comparison of family law issues across the globe.

The Hong Kong Chapter covers several legislations and recent developments in case law including a Q&A guide on different aspects in Hong Kong family law.

The chapter is published and available online at http://global.practicallaw.com/8-573-1065 .

Please contact our Ms Catherine Por for any enquiries or further information about this news.

Upon invitation, SW legal executive Mr. Man Wong attended the grand opening of the Mong Kok flagship store of Choi Fung Hong on 6 June 2015. At the grand opening, Man had exchange with founder of Choi Fung Hong Mr. Benny Yeung as well as Ms. Irene Lam, Manager, Human Resources & Administration Department.

Established in 1995, Choi Fung Hong Co., Ltd. is a large regional manufacturer and distributer for personal skin care and cosmetics products in Hong Kong. It has established famous brands such as Joseristine and JimmBENNY.

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

SW partner Mr. Eric Lui, associate Ms. Vivian Ji and Head of Business Development (China) Ms. Connie Yeung attended the “smartHK” exhibition held at the Jinan International Convention & Exhibition Center from 27th to 28th May 2015.

The exhibition was organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and attracted more than 200 Hong Kong service providers from different sectors. The theme of the exhibition was “industrial transformation and upgrading” and the major services covered innovative design and marketing, technological advancement and management upgrading.

The exhibition provided a wonderful opportunity for Hong Kong service providers to connect with the mainland market and promote Hong Kong’s total business solution to mainland enterprises.

During the exhibition, a large number of visitors, including representatives of several major enterprises in the mainland, visited our booth. They showed tremendous interest in our services, and particularly our services relating to initial public offering and intellectual property.

Mr Gregory So Kam-leung, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of HKSAR, with our Ms. Connie Yeung at our booth

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

In Hong Kong, section 7 of the Limitation Ordinance (Cap.347) provides for a 60-year limitation period for the government to bring actions to recover land.

In the recent High Court case Jade’s Realm Ltd v Director of Lands [2015] HKEC 95, the Plaintiff and its predecessors-in-title had been in adverse possession of a piece of government land in the New Territories since 1937 (or even earlier). The Director of Lands’ included in its Amended Defence that since the title of the Colonial Government over the piece of land was a leasehold title, any adverse possession period accumulated against the Colonial Government had come to an end on 30 June 1997 when the lease expired. Any period accumulated after 30 June 1997 was less than the required 60 years. Such defence was accepted as valid in rejecting the Plaintiff’s application to strike out the same.

This might be considered as an important decision for similar adverse possession claims against the government, since claimants may no longer rely on any 60-year period which started prior to and ends after 1 July 1997 as the period required for adverse possession against the government.

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.