HK45

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HK45 is the group for all young arbitration practitioners in Asia and beyond.  Our aims are to promote the use of arbitration and Hong Kong as a seat, to provide a platform for members to learn from each other and leading professionals, and to help Hong Kong remain an inclusive and welcoming place for arbitration lawyers young and old who practice in the region.  HK45 organises regular seminars, careers events and socials, and with HKIAC publish a newsletter with a readership of over 5000 people.  Membership of HK45 is free. 

There is much to look forward to in the coming term for HK45 and the committee welcomes collaboration with the arbitration community, so if you have ideas for any projects or events, please contact a member of the Committee, details can be found below.

To keep up to date with HK45's activities, please subscribe here, and follow us on LinkedIn  

HK45 Co-Chairs

Pryderi Diebschlag (Clyde & Co)

Pryderi is a commercial disputes specialist and Counsel in Clyde & Co’s Disputes Practice Group. He has more than 10 years’ experience as advisor and advocate in international commercial arbitration and Hong Kong litigation, with a focus on disputes arising out of cross-border investments, joint ventures, commercial fraud and the energy and commodities sector. Pryderi has acted in international arbitrations under a range of institutions and rules, including the HKIAC, LCIA, LMAA and SIAC. He is a member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and England & Wales.

 

Pryderi.Diebschlag@clydeco.com

Dong Long (HKIAC)

Dong is Managing Counsel at the HKIAC. Prior to joining the HKIAC, Dong worked for nearly nine years at an international firm in Hong Kong and Beijing, where she gained experience in a wide range of disputes, including commercial, trade, and construction disputes involving parties of different background and nationalities. Dong has been involved in international arbitrations conducted under various institutional rules, including the HKIAC Rules, as well as in arbitration-related court proceedings. Dong has full professional proficiency in written and spoken Chinese and English, and is also fluent in Italian. Dong is admitted in Hong Kong and New York.

 

dlong@hkiac.org

Kitty Zheng (Shearman & Sterling)

Kitty Zheng is an associate in Shearman & Sterling’s International Arbitration Group. She frequently acts as counsel in commercial disputes and investment treaty arbitrations, including proceedings conducted under the auspices of the HKIAC, ICC and ICSID. Her experience includes disputes related to energy, construction, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and investment funds. She also represents parties in arbitration-related court proceedings as well as dispute review board procedures. Kitty receives her J.D. degree from New York University and is qualified in New York.

 

kitty.zheng@shearman.com

 

 

HK45 Committee Members

Cecilia Choi (Linklaters)

Cecilia is a Managing Associate at the dispute resolution team in the Hong Kong office of Linklaters. She has a wealth of experience in advising on cross-border commercial and insolvency disputes for listed corporations and large private conglomerates, as well as state-owned enterprises. Cecilia’s practice covers complex commercial litigation (in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong, Singapore, PRC, the UK and Australia) and international commercial arbitration under the major institutional rules, including the HKIAC, ICC, LCIA and CIETAC, with a particular focus on China-related disputes.

 

She is qualified in Hong Kong and is trilingual in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).

 

cecilia.choi@linklaters.com

Sicen Hu (HKIAC)

Sicen is Counsel in HKIAC’s arbitration team. She administers cases in English and Chinese.

 

Prior to joining HKIAC, Sicen interned at international law firms in Paris and London where she was involved in commercial and investment arbitration cases. She also interned at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg.  

 

shu@hkiac.org

Sui Hang Hui (Sidley Austin)

Sui-Hang is a Senior Managing Associate at Sidley Austin’s Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy group. He is dual-qualified in Hong Kong and New York.

 

Sui-Hang’s practice focuses on international arbitration and commercial litigation.  He has represented clients in a variety of commercial disputes involving renewable energy, biopharmaceuticals, cryptocurrency, investment funds, financial services, private equity and hedge funds.  Sui-Hang has extensive experience acting in arbitrations under major institutional rules, including HKIAC, ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL and JAMS Rules, as well as proceedings before the Hong Kong courts and tribunals.

 

Sui-Hang previously served as a Judicial Assistant at the Court of Final Appeal, the highest appellate court in Hong Kong.  He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

 

suihang.hui@sidley.com

Lavesh Kirpalani (Prince's Chambers)

Lavesh was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2017. Practising from Prince’s Chambers, he regularly appears in the High Court in commercial, company, insolvency and tortious disputes. He also regularly appears in HKIAC hearings as counsel.  Before joining the Hong Kong Bar, he was a Judicial Assistant at the Court of Final Appeal and a Judicial Associate at the Court of Appeal.  He holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a specialism in international business law. 

 

laveshk@princeschambers.com

Franklin Koo

Franklin is a Judicial Associate at the Court of Appeal, a qualified Hong Kong solicitor, and a CEDR and HKMAAL accredited mediator.

 

In 2017, Franklin served as a Judicial Assistant at the Court of Final Appeal, the highest appellate court in Hong Kong.  Prior to his return to the judiciary in 2021, Franklin was an associate at an international law firm where he was involved in investigative litigation and arbitration work.

 

Franklin was a former winner of the HK45 essay competition.  His written work is published including in the Asian Dispute Review and the South China Morning Post, and he continues to write on different legal topics, including on arbitration. 

 

Franklin was named by LexisNexis on their list of “40 Under 40” in 2023.  He enjoys volunteering and pro bono work and was awarded accolades including from the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office; the Judiciary; and the Law Society of Hong Kong. 

 

franklin.koo@gmail.com

Lillian Li (Quinn Emanuel)

Lillian Li is a Senior Associate in Quinn Emanuel’s Hong Kong office.  She has acted as counsel in both international commercial and investor-state arbitrations.  Her practice also covers transnational litigation and white-collar matters.  Previously, she was a judicial clerk to the Vice President of the European Court of Human Rights in France, and also a judicial assistant at the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal and High Court.  Lillian is admitted in Hong Kong and New York.

 

 lillianli@quinnemanuel.com

Valerie Li (DLA Piper)
 
Valerie Li is a Senior Associate from DLA Piper’s Litigation and Regulatory Group based in Hong Kong.  


 
Valerie is accredited as a Tribunal Secretary at the HKIAC.  She regularly handles commercial disputes covering areas including intellectual property and technology, investment funds, joint ventures, licensing and distribution, and international trade and sale of goods in arbitrations seated in jurisdictions including Hong Kong, London, Singapore and Mainland China under rules including HKIAC, CIETAC, UNCITRAL, ICC, and LMAA Terms. 


 
Valerie has represented clients from the Middle East, Americas, United Kingdom, Europe, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and other parts of Asia.  Valerie has also acted for clients in arbitration-related court proceedings, including anti-suit injunctions, enforcement actions and jurisdictional challenges.  Valerie regularly publishes and speaks on dispute resolution-related topics.  She is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.


 
Valerie.li@dlapiper.com

Zach Li (AlixPartners)

Zach is a director in AlixPartners’ Risk Advisory practice based in Hong Kong. He has close to 15 years of experience in advising clients on valuation, economic loss and accounting issues, primarily in the context of litigation, arbitration and expert determinations. His range of experience includes investor-state disputes, post-acquisition disputes, shareholder disputes, valuation of businesses and loss of profit claims. Over his career, Zach has prepared reports for submission to Cayman Islands, Hong Kong and US courts, as well as to HKIAC, SIAC, ICC, ICDR, LCIA, ICSID, ASA and UNCITRAL under their arbitration rules.

 

Zach is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. 

 

chli@alixpartners.com

Aaron McDonald (Herbert Smith Freehills)

Aaron is a Registered Foreign Lawyer in Herbert Smith Freehills' international arbitration group. He specialises in international commercial and investor-state arbitration, with a focus on disputes in the energy, mining, infrastructure, private equity and banking sectors.

 

Aaron has acted for clients in a variety of jurisdictions including China, Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India and the Middle East in arbitrations under the ICSID, ICC, HKIAC, SIAC, LCIA, DIAC, SCC and UNCITRAL rules. His expertise in international energy and infrastructure disputes is complemented by his experience in advising clients on public international law issues, particularly those arising in respect of transboundary projects.

 

Prior to joining the Hong Kong office in 2023, Aaron worked for several years in Herbert Smith Freehills' arbitration team in London and disputes team in Perth, Australia. He is qualified as a solicitor-advocate in England and a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia.

 

aaron.mcdonald@hsf.com

Fares Nowak (Allen & Overy)

Fares Nowak is an associate in Allen & Overy’s Global Arbitration Group based in Hong Kong.  His experience covers commercial and investment-treaty arbitrations under major institutional rules, including HKIAC, ICC, SIAC, ICSID and UNCITRAL Rules.  He advises clients in complex cross-border disputes arising under international investment agreements, in private equity and joint venture disputes, and in disputes in the energy, finance and technology sectors.

 

Fares publishes and speaks on arbitration-related topics, including as a guest lecturer on the settlement of investment disputes at the European Public Law Organization’s Academy of International Economic Law and Policy.  Before joining the Global Arbitration Group, Fares worked in Allen & Overy’s Banking and Finance department, where he acted for major banks, arrangers, funds and multinational borrowers.  

 

fares.nowak@allenovery.com

Tania Tse (Clifford Chance)

Tania is a Consultant in Clifford Chance's Litigation and Dispute Resolution group, based in Hong Kong. She is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong.

 

Tania specialises in international arbitration, with experience in multi-jurisdictional private equity and fund related disputes, as well as aviation, renewable energy and PRC-related matters. She also advises on arbitration-related court matters and contentious insolvency proceedings.

 

Tania has handled numerous arbitrations including under the HKIAC, ICC, SIAC and UNCITRAL Rules and acts as both counsel and advocate. Tania has been recognised as a 'Rising Star' in Legal 500 (International Arbitration, Hong Kong).

 

Tania.Tse@CliffordChance.com

Jessica S.W. van der Kamp (Mayer Brown)

Jessica van der Kamp is a senior associate in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice of Mayer Brown's Hong Kong office practicing arbitration and litigation, with a focus on construction, town planning, environmental regulation and general commercial disputes. She has represented clients in Hong Kong, Singapore and elsewhere across Asia, Africa and the Middle East in arbitrations relating to mega-infrastructure projects, large-scale development and refurbishment projects, and high-value commercial distribution agreements. Jessica has also acted for clients in arbitration-related court proceedings, including set-aside applications, injunctions, and consolidation proceedings.

 

jessica.vanderkamp@mayerbrown.com

 

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