Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
● Acted for a major PRC asset management company in leading multi-jurisdictional enforcement actions against guarantors in respect of defaulted loans exceeding RMB3.3 billion, while concurrently defending a series of highly complex Hong Kong court proceedings involving serious allegations against liquidators and chargees, including misconduct, breach of duty, sales at an undervalue, conspiracy and fraud.
● Advised a high-net-worth individual on a shareholder dispute involving a Hong Kong listed company, and assisted the client in seeking and resisting injunctions, winding-up petitions and applications for the appointment of provisional liquidators across multiple levels of corporate proceedings in the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong.
● Acted for a multinational construction company in enforcing a US arbitral award exceeding US$800 million against a Hong Kong listed company, including by opposing set-aside applications, pursuing garnishee proceedings and obtaining a winding-up order in Hong Kong.
● Acted for a high-net-worth individual in a highly contentious personal injury claim involving physical and psychiatric injuries with quantum exceeding HK$1 billion, while defending a parallel arbitration strategically commenced by the defendant to delay and obstruct the court proceedings, and participating actively in settlement negotiations.
● Advised a licensed corporation in relation to an HKIAC arbitration and an SFC complaint arising from a dispute over ownership of investment fund withdrawals initiated by its client.
● Acted for a subsidiary of a Hong Kong listed company in an exceptionally complex multi-jurisdictional stock pledge financing fraud case, advising on fund tracing and asset recovery, and successfully obtaining Norwich Pharmacal disclosure orders and gagging orders against two securities firms to assist in tracing the flow of funds.
● Acted for a client in defending claims arising out of an agreement involving the transfer of notes with a face value of US$35 million and more than 90 million shares in a Hong Kong listed company, and successfully resisted both the claimant's summary judgment application and its subsequent application for leave to appeal.
● Acted for a former liquidator in defending claims alleging negligence and breach of duty in the conduct of a corporate liquidation, and handled multiple interlocutory applications, including strike-out applications, applications for the determination of preliminary issues and applications for security for costs, with a view to securing the most favourable outcome for the client on both procedural and substantive grounds.
● Advised a range of clients, including PRC private equity funds, international investment banks and asset management companies, on loan agreements, bond subscription documents, related guarantees, security enforcement and crisis management strategy.
Regulatory Investigations and Compliance
● Acted for a leading PRC real estate developer listed in Hong Kong in connection with an internal investigation into multiple corporate governance issues, including alleged misconduct relating to several major transactions and potential breaches of the Listing Rules and the Securities and Futures Ordinance, and advised on risk analysis, corporate and director-level implications, and remedial and mitigation measures.
● Acted for the special committee established by the board of a Hong Kong listed PRC medical device research, development and manufacturing company in an HKEX investigation concerning undisclosed and unauthorised fund flows and loans to connected persons, and advised on enhancements to internal controls.
● Advised one of Hong Kong's largest listed licensed money lenders in relation to an internal investigation and an HKEX investigation concerning publicity issues in connection with its share offering, and successfully secured a decision by HKEX not to take enforcement or disciplinary action.
● Acted for an independent director of a Hong Kong listed PRC enterprise in responding to SFC investigative enquiries concerning corporate governance, internal controls and directors’ duties, and successfully obtained a no-action outcome.
● Acted for a Hong Kong listed PRC electronic payment terminal solutions provider in analysing risks and implications arising from alleged misconduct and regulatory breaches by senior management, including misappropriation of funds, undisclosed connected transactions and inside information issues, and advised on recovery, response strategy and disclosure obligations.
● Acted for a former executive director of a Hong Kong listed technology company in responding to an HKEX investigation concerning the discharge of his management and supervisory responsibilities. Although the company was found to have committed systemic breaches over a two-year period amounting to serious corporate-level control failures, Iris secured an HKEX no-action outcome for the client after a single round of substantive responses, effectively distinguishing individual director responsibility from wider corporate failings.
● Acted for one of the most active sponsors in the Hong Kong IPO market in responding to a high-risk SFC investigation arising from the termination of its appointment on a proposed listing, and advised on the discharge of continuing regulatory obligations, particularly ongoing post-termination reporting obligations, while minimising further enforcement risk.
● Acted for a major PRC petroleum enterprise in two Hong Kong Competition Commission investigations concerning potential anti-competitive conduct in the supply and pricing of industrial diesel products and general petroleum products, and successfully secured a decision that no enforcement or disciplinary action would be taken.
● Acted for the Hong Kong Housing Authority in the high-profile Commission of Inquiry into excessive lead found in drinking water in Hong Kong public rental housing estates, including reviewing extensive disclosure materials, coordinating expert evidence, preparing witness statements and other legal submissions, and representing the client at a hearing lasting more than 60 days.
