Financial Services Regulatory and Litigation
We provide solutions to clients, not simply compliance ! Our core team members have decades of experience in these, having advised clients at this prestigious local law firm and (beforehand) at international law firms at partner’s level.
Our Financial Services Regulatory and Litigation Team provides practical legal and regulatory advice to Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) licence applicants, SFC licensed firms (securities brokers, fund managers, sponsors and underwriters), listing applicants, banks and listed companies (as well as their directors and management staff). We work closely with the management teams and legal/compliance officers of our clients, assisting them to discharge their day-to-day legal and compliance obligations and providing them with effective and practical solutions.
On the financial services regulatory aspect, we have solid experience in:-
(i) advising clients on SFC licensing obligations/exemptions, seeking various types of SFC/HKMA licences and registrations (e.g. securities, futures, FX, advisory, ATS, corporate finance and fund management licences), advising clients on daily legal and compliance obligations, and dealing with legal/regulatory issues which may arise from clients’ businesses from time to time; and
(ii) advising clients on setting up investment funds, corporate restructuring, due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, and drafting commercial agreements (e.g. sale and purchase of companies/assets, JV agreements, shareholders agreements etc.).
On the litigation aspect, we handle enquiries and investigations by securities regulators, professional bodies and other government authorities. Examples are investigations, court and/or disciplinary proceedings brought by the SFC, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, HKICPA, Financial Reporting Council, the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. We also handle other commercial litigations such as shareholders’ disputes, employment disputes, contractual disputes and “mis-selling”/negligent advice claims.
We have solid experience in defending listed companies’ directors (on insider dealing and other market misconduct offences), securities brokerage firms, warrant market makers, securities analysts, auditors, investment banks and retail banks.
The team is led by Mr. Philson HO (Partner), a lawyer and certified public accountant who has about 30 years of experience in legal, compliance, finance, audit and listed companies’ regulations. A former litigation partner of a major international law firm in Hong Kong, Mr. HO used to work in the SFC mainly responsible for licensing and compliance of Hong Kong financial services intermediaries.