Haldanes is an award-winning law firm in Hong Kong experienced in serving the needs of clients, both locally and throughout the Asia-Pacific. Established in 1975, the partners have an extensive collective knowledge of legal practice in the region. We cover Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Competition Law, Corporate & Commercial, Criminal Defence, Fraud and Asset Tracing, Intellectual Property, Matrimonial & Family Law, Media & Entertainment, Private Client, Property & Conveyancing and Securities, Regulatory & Disciplinary Matters.
Haldanes has a highly experienced team of civil litigation lawyers with a particular focus on commercial litigation.
Our team of civil litigation lawyers conduct cases at all levels of the Hong Kong Court system from first instance through to the Court of Final Appeal as well as arbitration proceedings and mediation. Our civil litigation lawyers have particular experience as dispute resolution advisors, as well as vast knowledge in the conduct of complex commercial disputes and multi-jurisdictional litigation.
We work closely with our clients to achieve practical and cost-effective results. Our civil litigation lawyers recognize that lengthy and expensive litigation is seldom the best answer and, whenever possible, we aim to help clients resolve disputes with minimum cost and disruption. If legal proceedings cannot be avoided, however, Haldanes’ civil litigation lawyers have the experience and expertise to ensure that our clients are effectively represented in litigation proceedings.
The Civil Justice Reform implemented by the Hong Kong Judiciary for the past decade has seen an increase in use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods and, in particular, mediation as a means to resolve disputes. At Haldanes, our civil litigation lawyers see great value in employing practical, cost-effective and less confrontational methods of mediated settlement negotiations. Several of our practitioners have obtained accreditation as mediators fully capable of being separately instructed to conduct such mediations for parties in dispute.
Our civil litigation lawyers undertake a wide range of civil litigation cases covering such areas as:
Corporate & Commercial lawyers in Hong Kong
Haldanes’ corporate and commercial practice combines an ability to assist with the execution of a diverse range of corporate transactions and to assist commercial clients with the operation, regulation and development of their businesses in Asia.
Our focused team of corporate and commercial lawyers have experience in representing clients in executing a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, venture capital/private equity financing transactions, joint ventures and investment fund transactions. The corporate and commercial partners have many years’ experience representing multi-national corporations, financial institutions, global and regional investment funds, entrepreneurs and technology companies throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including the People’s Republic of China.
Our corporate and commercial lawyers have experience in handling virtually all aspects of business relations, including advice on, drafting and negotiation of, a diverse range of commercial contracts, both locally and internationally, including licensing, partnership, outsourcing, distribution, manufacturing and agency arrangements.
Our strengths are founded on an emphasis towards developing an in depth, focused and personalized understanding of client needs enabling our corporate and commercial lawyers to deliver a business oriented and solutions driven service.
Our corporate and commercial lawyers offer a full range of corporate secretarial services for both Hong Kong and offshore companies in most jurisdictions, including
How do I register a company limited by shares?
You have to choose a company name first. In choosing a company name, please refer to the Companies Registry’s Guideline on Registration of Company Names for Hong Kong Companies. Then, you have to deliver the application documents with the correct fees either electronically through the Registry’s electronic service portal “e-Registry” or in hard copy form to the Shroff on the 14th floor of the Queensway Government Offices. The application documents include:
Can I acquire a company limited by shares?
Yes, acquiring a shelf company which was incorporated by an agent in Hong Kong will normally take 2 working days upon receiving all the information/documents. As for this option, the agent shall be the founder member of the shelf company holding the first share of the shelf company, and shall then transfer its 1 share to you. The first director of the shelf company would be an individual nominated by the agent who will resign immediately after you acquire the shelf company.
What are the advantages of company limited by shares?
A private limited company is the most popular type of business entity in Hong Kong. The private limited liability company is a type of company that has legal capacity and offers the protection of the personal assets belonging to the founders.
Who is eligible to be a director of company limited by shares?
Requirement to have at least one natural personal as a director who can be of any nationality and need not reside in Hong Kong. Directors must be at least 18 years old and must not be bankrupt or convicted of any prior malpractices. The sole director of a private limited company must not also be the company secretary. Additional company directors are allowed which can be corporate entities.
Who is eligible to be a shareholder of company limited by shares?
A Hong Kong private limited company can have at least 1 and a maximum of 50 shareholders. There is no residency restriction for shareholders and can also be a corporate entity. A director can also be a shareholder and the shareholder must be at least 18 years old.
What is the role of the Company Secretary of company limited by shares?
The Company Secretary must be a Hong Kong resident or a corporate entity which has a place of business or registered office in Hong Kong.
What is Registered Office?
A limited company is required to have a registered office address to all communication which government notice may be addressed to it.
What statutory records are required to be kept at the Registered Office?
Register of directors, register of charges, register of debentures the register of shareholders and Register of Significant Controllers. The statutory records also include minutes of the meetings /written resolutions of the board of directors and the shareholders.
Haldanes is the best-known criminal law firm in Hong Kong and has specialized in criminal law for over 40 years. We have a team of criminal defence lawyers with vast collective experience. We have been voted by our peers as the Criminal Law Firm of the Year for 21 consecutive years since 2000. We have a large Criminal Defence Department and are the only firm in Hong Kong with two solicitor advocates i.e. solicitors with rights of audience to appear in High Court jury trials and all levels of appellate courts. We have a 24-hour telephone answering service to ensure that clients’ needs are met.
Our team of criminal lawyers have a wealth of experience in dealing with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB), the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC), the Immigration Department, the Inland Revenue Department, the Customs and Excise Department, the Office of Communications Authority, the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and many other government bodies.
Haldanes has been involved in many high profile criminal cases, setting new legal precedents and developing a strong reputation in the field. Our criminal lawyers are familiar with criminal defence from the Magistrates’ Courts up to the Court of Final Appeal. We are able to respond quickly to clients’ needs from the moment of arrest, with representation at a police station or place of detention, until the conclusion of the trial or appeal. Our lawyers’ ability to respond immediately and effectively to clients’ needs is a cornerstone of our firm’s criminal practice.
Whilst we often conduct our own advocacy, our lawyers are also experienced in choosing the right Counsel when necessary. Our criminal lawyers have significant international experience, and have been involved in many extradition and mutual legal assistance cases, obtaining commission evidence from overseas, as well as attending on clients overseas to give advice on Hong Kong law.
The criminal defence lawyers of Haldanes maintain a good working knowledge of the criminal courts as well as a familiarity with the methods used by law enforcement agencies. Our lawyers work closely with the relevant authorities and private investigators in order to achieve this aim. Our partners are also engaged in giving seminars on various aspects of criminal law to professional bodies and companies in Hong Kong.
Haldanes’ lawyers provide a wide range of Intellectual Property (IP) services to sole proprietorship businesses, start-up companies, established businesses and multi-nationals.
We recognise that Intellectual Property rights are a vitally important part of protecting and enhancing the value of a business. Our intellectual property lawyers work closely with businesses owners and in-house legal departments as well as advising patent and trademark agents around the world on how best to protect their client’s patents, trademarks, copyright, designs, and the wide range of associated and related IP rights in Hong Kong, China and other jurisdictions around Asia.
Haldanes’ intellectual property lawyers have an extensive range of contacts with IP practices throughout the world to assist clients in protecting, exploiting and enforcing their IP rights by the most effective and cost efficient means possible.
Hong Kong has become known as a place for ending marriages in recent years because of the booming number of divorce claims in the last decade. Many people blame the high pressure of living in this city as the catalyst for divorce, while others point to the materialistic nature of society. Regardless of the actual reason, the situation is clear, and the only real question is what people are going to do about it.
Haldanes‘ family and divorce lawyers approach to matrimonial and family law practice stresses the importance of combining a comprehensive knowledge of this specialist area with a sympathetic understanding of the needs of the client. Our law firm is home to some of the most experienced family and divorce lawyers in Hong Kong who bring their knowledge, expertise and sympathetic guiding hands to each and every case.
Our family and divorce lawyers provide a broad range of advice covering all aspects of matrimonial and family law, including advice on child custody, property division, pre-nuptial agreements, liquidation of assets, reconciliation, separation, divorce, custody, wardship and child abduction. Particularly important in Hong Kong, with its multi-national community, is our family and divorce lawyers’ ability to provide advice to clients involved in disputes of jurisdiction.
Our family and divorce lawyers have also advised clients on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods and, in particular, mediation as a means to resolve matrimonial disputes. At Haldanes, our family and divorce lawyers see great value in providing clients with timely advice in relation to these practical, cost-effective and less confrontational methods of mediated settlement negotiations. Our team of family and divorce lawyers will guide you in every step of the way to protect your best interest and ensure that you can take full advantage of the process. As an extension of this practice, several of our practitioners have obtained accreditation as mediators with experience in matrimonial matters.
Haldanes provides a diversified range of property and conveyancing services. Our familiarity with local conditions allows us to accomplish the objectives of our corporate and individual clients, efficiently and cost effectively. Advice on international property matters is also available and a large part of our work involves representing people living in Asia who purchase property abroad, principally in London. We represent both domestic buyers and developers.
