On 29 May 2018, Stevenson, Wong & Co. Partner Ms. Sherlynn Chan and Senior Associate Ms. Hazel Wong attended the public forum on the “Special Needs Trust” at The University of Hong Kong.


Partner Ms. Sherlynn Chan and Senior Associate Ms. Hazel Wong

Professor Lusina Ho & Associate Professor Rebecca Lee from Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong discussed the legal framework, operational details, and challenges of the proposed Special Needs Trust. The public forum attracted an overwhelming response with legal practitioners, parents, educators, social workers, medical social workers, social workers from integrated family service centres.

The Chief Executive’s policy address last year announced the government’s plan to establish a ‘Special Needs Trust’ (SNT) to provide trust services for families with special needs. The Budget released earlier this year also set aside HK$50 million to set up a dedicated office for this purpose. It is expected that the Special Needs Trust will be launched by the end of 2018.

Please contact Ms. Sherlynn Chan and Ms. Hazel Wong for any enquiries or further information.

On 18 May 2018, Stevenson, Wong & Co. Partner Ms. Sherlynn Chan attended Mediation Conference 2018 “Mediate First – Exploring New Horizons” at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The mediation conference was organized by The Department of Justice and Hong Kong Trade Development Council and invited more than 10 distinguished guests to be the speakers.

The conference started with the keynote speech that delivered by Ms. Teresa Cheng, GBS, SC, JP Secretary for Justice, HKSARG and Professor Robyn Carroll, Professor from University of Western Australia Law School. There were 4 sessions during the conference, including “Recent developments of mediation in Hong Kong: Apology Ordinance, Evaluative Mediation and Third Party Funding”, “Belt & Road and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Development Initiatives”, “Online dispute resolution in the digital world” and “Mediation of international commercial disputes and enforcement of mediated settlement agreements”. The conference ended with the closing remarks delivered by Hon Justice Johnson Lam, V-P.

For the closing remarks delivered by Hon Justice Johnson Lam, V-P, please click here.

Please contact Ms. Sherlynn Chan for any enquiries or further information about this event.

On 18 May 2018, Stevenson, Wong & Co. partners Mr. Willy Cheng, Ms. Heidi Chui and legal executive Mr. Stanley Hung attended the AllBright Real Estate Annual Forum 2018 in Beijing. The forum was hosted by AllBright Law Office and co-organized by AllBright Real Estate and Construction Professional Committee. Representatives from AllBright offices in China attended the meeting which was a precious chance for lawyers from mainland China and Hong Kong to network with each other.

The theme of the forum was “The Opportunities and Challenges of Real Estate Investment”. The forum covered various topics including the interpretation of PRC’s policy on real estate, direction and opportunities of property reform, the confrontation and cooperation in project management, opportunities and challenges for lawyers under the regulation, the advantages of resolving construction disputes by arbitration and the new regulations for the construction industry.

For more enquiries about this event, please contact Mr. Willy Cheng or Ms. Heidi Chui.

(中文) 2018年5月16日，「创新升级．香港论坛」(SmartHK) 在杭州洲际酒店盛大举行，吸引超过1400名浙港政商界翘楚参与。史蒂文生黄律师事务所更是连续第四年参加「创新升级．香港论坛」(SmartHK)，本所合伙人黄启豪律师和曾浩贤律师更亲临支持，即席为参观者解答相关法律事宜。

在博览期间，有不少参观者到访本所的摊位，询问有关企业赴港上市的事宜，亦对本所其他业务深感兴趣。本所向来积极参加有关推动国家「一带一路」的活动，自2015年起成为「创新升级．香港论坛」(SmartHK) 参展商之一，在未来本所仍继续努力参加与国家「一带一路」发展的活动。

「创新升级．香港论坛」(SmartHK) 由香港贸易发展局(香港贸发局)、浙江省商务厅、浙江省发改委、浙江省经信委、浙江省港澳办、浙江省工商联及杭州市人民政府共同主办。这是香港贸发局自2011年起在内地举办的旗舰活动，分别在广州、南京、济南、成都及福州等地举行，今年移师杭州举办，通过开幕论坛和一系列研讨会，阐述和展示香港管理新思维、科技应用等创新营商服务。大会邀请了香港特别行政区政府财政司司长陈茂波、浙江省人民政府副省长朱从玖及香港贸发局总裁方舜文担任主礼嘉宾。

如欲查询是次活动，请联络本所黄启豪律师或曾浩贤律师。

(中文) 2018年5月15日，史蒂文生黄律师事务所合伙人劳恒晃律师及黄启豪律师联同曾浩贤律师到访锦天城杭州分所参观交流，获多位杭州分所同仁热切款待，包括杭州分所主任章晓洪律师、高级合伙人刘为平律师及钱淼律师等。

交流座谈会由锦天城杭州分所主任章晓洪律师致欢迎辞掀开序幕。本所合伙人劳恒晃律师和曾浩贤律师详细介绍联交所最新的改革，包括生物科技公司上市的事宜、不同投票权及第二上市制度的资格标准等。另一合伙人黄启豪律师亦向杭州分所同仁阐述本所其他业务，包括监管执法、诉讼、私人客户业务等，双方亦就上述议题互相交流意见。

总部位于上海的锦天城是中国顶尖的律师事务所，在北京、成都、天津、广州、深圳、重庆等内地十八大城市均设有分所。由2013年11月起，史蒂文生黄律师事务所与锦天城成为合作伙伴，共同在香港联营，促使两所在中国大陆及香港以至东南亚的业务得到互补、增强和壮大。

如欲查询是次活动，请联络本所劳恒晃律师或黄启豪律师。

Stevenson, Wong & Co advised Hong Kong listed Hopefluent Group Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 733) (the “Company”) in its restructuring with Shanghai listed Poly Real Estate Group Co., Ltd (保利房地產(集團)股份有限公司) (“Poly Real Estate”) in relation to their real estate agency business cooperation (the “Cooperation Restructuring”).

The Cooperation Restructuring involves an acquisition by Hopefluent (China) Real Estate Consultancy Co., Ltd (合富輝煌(中國)房地產顧問有限公司) (“Hopefluent China”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company prior to the Cooperation Restructuring of Poly Real Estate Investment Consultancy Co., Ltd (保利地產投資顧問有限公司). (“Poly Consultancy”), a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Poly Real Estate, together with its 4 companies, in consideration for the issue by Hopefluent China of 43.9% of its entire equity interests to Poly Real Estate, which constitutes major transactions under the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange.

The Cooperation Restructuring involved more than 100 companies with an aggregate transaction value of approximately HK$3.83 billion.

Pursuant to the arrangement under the Cooperation Restructuring, the Company agreed to allot and issue, and Poly Real Estate agreed to subscribe for, 36,000,000 new shares at an issue price of HK$4.20 per new share under the specific mandate proposed to be granted to the directors of the Company.

It is expected that the Cooperation Restructuring would allow the two groups of companies to cooperate with each other to further develop and expand their primary and secondary real estate agency service business in China. The allotment and issue of the new shares of the Company to Poly Real Estate (or its nominee) will also enhance their cooperation and tie Poly Real Estate’s interest to the performance of the Company and its subsidiaries, in particular, Hopefluent China, after completion of the Cooperation Restructuring which serves as an incentive to Poly Real Estate to create value in the business of Hopefluent China.

Our firm has been advising the Company on various matters for a number of years. In relation to the Cooperation Restructuring, our legal team was led by our Partners Hank Lo and Cornelia Chu, supported by Associate Kent Chow, Trainee Solicitor Tommy Lau and Paralegal David Leung.

Representatives of the Company and Poly Real Estate attended the contract-signing ceremony for the Cooperation Restructuring on 7 May 2018

Please contact our Hank Lo for any enquiries or further information.

* translated names for identification purposes only