The firm is founded by Mr. Stephen Chow and Ms. Natalia Cheung. Both of them are Notary Public appointed by the Hong Kong High Court, and Stephen is also a China Appointed Attesting Officer appointed by the Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China.
Building on an over five decades of combined experience in the legal profession and with an entrepreneurial spirit and hard work, Chow & Cheung is set up, and we continue to evolve and provide a comprehensive range of legal services for businesses and individuals in Hong Kong and internationally.
Our Team
We now have four lawyers and a strong team of supporting staff. The tight-knit and cohesive structure of our firm facilitate our solicitors to give close and direct attention to clients in various practice areas including corporate and commercial, disputes resolution, conveyancing, wills and probate and notarization services.
All our supporting staff are university graduates and have solid experience in our practice areas. Our team is conversant in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, and can read and write simplified and traditional Chinese.
Our team could be available for services outside business hours and at your designated place to ensure your legal matters would be handled efficiently and cost-effectively and you could feel at ease with the process.
Approach & Strategy
Legal services are about people. Whether you need legal advice and representation as private individual or for a business or organization, we are here to listen to you and understand your objectives and needs.
We are committed to provide personal, efficient and cost-effective legal services to meet your objectives and needs.
Our approach is to be directional by providing sound, clear and practical advice to you with our legal expertise. We help lead you to the decision and position which is in your best interest based on the circumstances of your case.
We look forward to be your trusted legal advisors.
Handle share and/or assets acquisition transactions, sale and purchase or transfer of business, conduct legal due diligence and prepare documentations and deed of assignment of loans for the transactions and other corporate and commercial services.
We advise creditors on the legal remedies and options for an efficient recovery of debts owing and due to you (including unpaid or outstanding invoices, account receivables etc), together with interest which has accrued on the debts, and keep the recovery costs to a minimum so as to secure your cash-flow.
Handle share and/or assets acquisition transactions, sale and purchase or transfer of business, conduct legal due diligence and prepare documentations and deed of assignment of loans for the transactions and other corporate and commercial services.
We advise creditors on the legal remedies and options for an efficient recovery of debts owing and due to you (including unpaid or outstanding invoices, account receivables etc), together with interest which has accrued on the debts, and keep the recovery costs to a minimum so as to secure your cash-flow.
We provide an objective evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of your case and evidence, and work out litigation strategy to resolve your disputes with the view to obtaining outcome which is of your best interest and minimizing legal costs.
We advise and handle trademark, copyright, design or other intellectual property infringement and passing off proceedings, and handle IP trading and licensing transactions to generate revenue from IP rights.
Our Experiences
Under What Circumstances Can Employer deduct Employee's Wages ?
For absence from work: Employer can deduct wages for a sum which is proportionate to the period of time the employee is absent from work.
For damage or loss to employer’s goods or equipment: Employer can, in any one case, deduct a sum equivalent to the value of the damage or loss but not more than HK$300. The total deductions shall not exceed one quarter of the wages payable to the employee in that wage period.
Is an employer required to pay BOTH severance payment and long service payment to an employee who has over 5 years of service upon redundancy?
No, such employee is eligible for severance payment but NOT long service payment.
What Items are regarded as Wages under the Employment Ordinance ?
According to the Employment Ordinance, the following items are NOT wages:
1) The value of any accommodation, education, food, fuel, water, light or medical care provided by Employer;
2) Employer’s contribution to any retirement scheme;
3) Commission, attendance allowance or attendance bonus which is of a gratuitous nature or is payable only at the employer’s discretion;
4) Non-recurrent travelling allowance or the value of any travelling concession or travelling allowance for actual expenses incurred by the employment;
5) Any sum payable to the employee to defray special expenses incurred by him by the nature of his employment;
6) End of year payment, or annual bonus which is of a gratuitous nature or is payable only at the employer’s discretion; and
7) Gratuity payable on completion or termination of a contract of employment.
What are the general immigration guidelines for entry to HK ?
In general, unless a person has the right of abode or right to land in the HKSAR, he/she requires a visa/entry permit to work, study, establish or join in any business, take up residence or to stay in the HKSAR as a visitor longer than the allowed visa free period.
An applicant should meet normal immigration requirements, E.g. holding valid travel document with adequate returnability to country of residence or citizenship; has clear criminal record and raise no security or criminal concerns to HK; no likelihood of becoming a burden on the HKSAR. Each application is determined on its individual merits, and the eligibility criteria may be subject to change from time to time.
Our Experiences
Under What Circumstances Can Employer deduct Employee's Wages ?
For absence from work: Employer can deduct wages for a sum which is proportionate to the period of time the employee is absent from work.
For damage or loss to employer’s goods or equipment: Employer can, in any one case, deduct a sum equivalent to the value of the damage or loss but not more than HK$300. The total deductions shall not exceed one quarter of the wages payable to the employee in that wage period.
Is an employer required to pay BOTH severance payment and long service payment to an employee who has over 5 years of service upon redundancy?
No, such employee is eligible for severance payment but NOT long service payment.
What Items are regarded as Wages under the Employment Ordinance ?
According to the Employment Ordinance, the following items are NOT wages:
1) The value of any accommodation, education, food, fuel, water, light or medical care provided by Employer;
2) Employer’s contribution to any retirement scheme;
3) Commission, attendance allowance or attendance bonus which is of a gratuitous nature or is payable only at the employer’s discretion;
4) Non-recurrent travelling allowance or the value of any travelling concession or travelling allowance for actual expenses incurred by the employment;
5) Any sum payable to the employee to defray special expenses incurred by him by the nature of his employment;
6) End of year payment, or annual bonus which is of a gratuitous nature or is payable only at the employer’s discretion; and
7) Gratuity payable on completion or termination of a contract of employment.
What are the general immigration guidelines for entry to HK ?
In general, unless a person has the right of abode or right to land in the HKSAR, he/she requires a visa/entry permit to work, study, establish or join in any business, take up residence or to stay in the HKSAR as a visitor longer than the allowed visa free period.
An applicant should meet normal immigration requirements, E.g. holding valid travel document with adequate returnability to country of residence or citizenship; has clear criminal record and raise no security or criminal concerns to HK; no likelihood of becoming a burden on the HKSAR. Each application is determined on its individual merits, and the eligibility criteria may be subject to change from time to time.
Our Experiences
What are the advantages for having a Pre-nuptial Agreement?
The parties can agree on how to deal with the distribution of their assets if they have to divorce by way of pre-nuptial agreement. This would be particularly useful for the following circumstances even though pre—nuptial agreement is not strictly enforceable or legally binding in HK:
Can you get divorce in HK if you were married overseas ?
Yes, if your marriage was validly constituted in the country where the marriage was officiated and either party to the marriage:
(a) Either party to the marriage was domiciled in Hong Kong at the date of the petition or application; or
(b) Either party to the marriage was habitually resident in Hong Kong throughout the period of 3 years immediately preceding the date of the petition or application; or
(c) Either party to the marriage had a substantial connection with Hong Kong at the date of the petition or application.
What kind of maintenance order (or financially related order) can be applied for from the HK court ?
Maintenance pending suit, periodic or secured periodic payments order, lump sum order, property adjustment order or property settlement order.
Our Experiences
Our probate and estate administration services are tailored to meet your specific family and financial needs. We help identify your objectives and advise on your options, including benefits, disadvantages and cost. We aim to maximize inheritance and minimize the burden, costs and the risks of disputes for your loved ones. We handle both non-contentious and contentious estate cases.
Our services include:
Why do you need a will ?
You can make a will to:
Why should you instruct a solicitor to prepare your will?
Trying to make your own will, without legal assistance, can lead to mistakes or lack of clarity and that your will could become invalid. If you have a number of beneficiaries and your finances are complicated, it is even more important that you get a professionally trained solicitor to create your will. This makes your estate administration and distribution process easier for those you have left behind.
What happens if someone die without a will?
If you die without a valid will, you have no say in what happens to your estate. The 'Rules of Intestacy' will divide your estate in a pre-determined way and this may not be to people who you wished to benefit.
For applying for grant of letters of administration, the order of priority of the person entitled to apply for the grant under Rule 21 of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap.10A) is:
Can you apply for Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration in HK from overseas ?
No, application cannot be made overseas. Applicant must act in person or instruct a Hong Kong solicitor to handle the grant application. Rule 4(8) of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap.10A) states that no legal advice shall be given by the Hong Kong Probate Registry to any applicant acting in person.
Our Experiences
We provide an objective evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of your case and evidence, and work out litigation strategy to resolve your disputes with the view to obtaining outcome which is of your best interest and minimizing legal costs.
Criminal Litigation handled by us
We often represent and defend legally aided clients on dangerous drugs cases, robbery cases in District Court and High Court and magistracy cases under the Duty Lawyer scheme.
