LEGAL LUMINARIES HK’s 10 most influential lawyers under 40

Hong Kong’s roster of exceptional lawyers has made the city an irreplaceable legal hub for businesses and high-profile individuals from the Mainland and other parts of the world.

Hong Kong Business recognises 10 young lawyers who have raised the bar for legal professionals across all fields in 2022.

The 2022 awardees came from Hong Kong’s well-known firms like Stephenson Harwood, HFW, Reed Smith Richards Butler LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Simmons & Simmons. They were nominated by their respective firms.

Lawyers on the list advised their clients on matters such as IPOs, capital market, transactions related to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), asset preservation, investment funds, financial regulation and compliance, commercial banking, international trade finance, and new areas like data privacy and cybersecurity.

They also served high-profile clients in and outside Hong Kong like Xiaomi Corporation, WM Motors, Tarena International, DIDI global, the government of HKSAR, and Junior Police Officers’ Association.

Apart from courts, Hong Kong Business’ 2022 legal luminaries also showed off their law expertise in different stages, with some delivering workshops and training sessions to non-legal professionals in multiple sectors like financial services. Meet this year’s awardees, from the youngest to oldest:

Anna Kwong is a banking and finance partner who specialises in international trade finance and commercial banking. She regularly advises financial institutions, fintech companies, credit insurers and trading companies on issues involving trade finance products, such as letters of credit, documentary collections, receivables financing and supply chain solutions, financial regulations and compliance and anti-money laundering amongst others. Having a solid focus on PRC cross-border loan transactions, Anna also regularly advises financial institutions and corporates on PRC-related transactions and matters linked to PRC regulations.

With a decade of legal experience, Layton Z. Niu is an Asia Pacific Counsel who advises public and private firms, private equity funds and major financial institutions on mergers, acquisitions, investments, disposals, and other corporate matters. He is also experienced in Rule 144A and Regulation

S private placements, SEC-registered securities offerings and private investment fund formation. He has advised on notable transactions for leading Chinese companies such as Baidu, Inc. Bitauto Holdings Ltd., Trip.com, JD.com, NIO, Inc, Pinduoduo and Sina Group.

As a partner with extensive experience in arbitration proceedings, Donald Sham also has extensive experience in arbitration-related court proceedings including asset preservation measures, disclosure orders, and antisuit injunction. He also offers expertise in various other areas including shipping disputes, commercial litigation, and insolvency matters. He is involved in high-profile matters such as the Lamma Island ferry collision, the SANCHI oil tanker collision, and proceedings arising from the liquidation of the OW Bunker group.

With over 11 years of legal experience, Jacqueline Arena is a competition attorney based in Hong Kong. As Asia Pacific Counsel, she advises companies across the APAC region on merger transactions and antitrust investigations in Asia and in Europe. She has been recognized as a Rising Star for Competition and Antitrust by IFLR1000

2022