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H O N G K O N G
O F F I C E D E S C R I P T I O N
2 Hong Kong Office Description
A B O U T A P P L E B Y
WE OPERATE IN 10 HIGHLY REGARDED AND WELL-REGULATED GLOBAL LOCATIONS. THESE INCLUDE THE KEY INTERNATIONAL JURISDICTIONS OF BERMUDA, THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, THE CAYMAN ISLANDS, GUERNSEY, ISLE OF MAN, JERSEY, MAURITIUS, AND THE SEYCHELLES, AS WELL AS THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRES OF HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI.
Our global presence enables us to provide comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional legal advice at the times most beneficial to our clients.
“Appleby’s global network gives them greater breadth and depth – and if you’re working on a matter involving many jurisdictions you can get
all your advice in one place.”
- Chambers & Partners
• Named as a leading firm in Chambers Global High Net Worth Guide
• Recognised in the Asia Legal Business (ALB) Offshore Client Choice List 2018 & 2019 (Fiona Chan)
• Winner of the ALB South East Asia Debt Market Deal of the Year (Premium) 2018
• Recognised as one of the top 30 leading law firms for global restructuring by Global Restructuring Review 2018.
• Winner of the Energy Deal of the Year award at the International M&A Advisor Awards 2018
• Winner of the Restructuring Deal of the Year (USD 1-5bn) at the International M&A Advisor Awards 2018
• Winner of the Turnaround Large award at the Turnaround Atlas Awards 2018 •
• Winner of Private Equity Deal of the Year at the China Law & Practice Awards 2018 Recognised in the ALB 40 under 40 list 2018 (Chris Cheng
• Winner of Offshore Woman of the Year at the Euromoney Asia Women in Business Law awards 2018 (Judy Lee) Named as one of the 2018 Top Offshore Law Firms by eprivateclient
LOCAL AND GLOBAL INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
3 Hong Kong Office Description applebyglobal.com
A B O U T H O N G K O N G
With its ideal location in fast-growing Asia and riding on the opportunities brought by the Mainland economy, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has developed into an international business, trade and financial hub, as well as a renowned tourist city, providing high value-added and knowledge-intensive services to the globalised world. Hong Kong also serves as the gateway to the Mainland for overseas investors as well as a platform for Mainland enterprises to go global.
Being a small open economy, Hong Kong has many areas of strength - level playing field for businesses, simple and low tax regime, free flow of capital and information, highly efficient markets, world-class infrastructure and a fine tradition of the rule of law, all being the cornerstones of Hong Kong’s economic success. Meanwhile, the country’s unique position under “one country, two systems” will continue to create enormous development potential for the Hong Kong economy. Source: HKeconomy.gov.hk
O V E R V I E W
Appleby is one of the most well established offshore law firms in Asia with almost 30 years’ experience operating in one of the world’s most highly regarded, dynamic and vibrant economies.
Hong Kong is the world’s third largest financial centre after New York and London, and is one of the leading regions for international finance, trade and technology. At Appleby we have a diverse client base, from banks and state owned enterprises, to investment funds, listed companies and high net - worth individuals. Clients come to us for our unique ability to combine global offshore expertise with a deep understanding and experience of how to do business in Asia.
We operate from two principal offices in Asia, Hong Kong and Shanghai, becoming the first offshore firm to be granted a licence to provide offshore legal advice in Mainland China. Our team of 25 lawyers and professional specialists provide clients with both an informed and integrated Hong Kong practice and a skilled and experienced offshore practice in Mainland China.
Our Hong Kong team is fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and other Chinese dialects.
O U R A R E A S O F E X P E R T I S E
Appleby Hong Kong provides on the ground advice on the laws of Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Jersey, in the areas of Corporate, Dispute Resolution and Private Client & Trusts.
We can also facilitate the provision of legal advice in Guernsey, Isle of Man, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Our international legal services operate as multi-jurisdictional practice groups covering:
• Corporate • Dispute Resolution • Private Client & Trusts
With lawyers who have been trained around the globe and in our offshore locations, we bring a wealth of international experience and other world class expertise in the offshore arena.
“The team is extremely
knowledgeable and responsive. They have deep
resources and are willing to be flexible
in order to work with time difference
and budget considerations. The quality of work is
superb.” Chambers & Partners
4 Hong Kong Office Description
R E P R E S E N TAT I V E W O R K
S H A N D O N G G O L D M I N I N G C O M PA N Y
Appleby advised as lead counsel in Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Cayman Islands on the complex reorganisation of offshore
subsidiaries and the transfer of deposit-taking business, investment business and fund services business to branches of the group’s offshore plc by means of a scheme and supplemental contractual assignments.
In Jersey, the transaction was unique in its use of a scheme for the separation of
the banking business from the bank’s trust company business, which was then sold.
I N F R A R E D N F I N V E S T M E N T A D V I S E R S
Acted as BVI and Bermuda counsel to InfraRed NF, a Hong Kong-based joint
venture between InfraRed Capital Partners and Vervain and a leading Greater China real estate investment manager, in a USD
92.2 million financing investment with Fullsun International Holdings Group, a Hong Kong listed property developer.di
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C V C C A P I TA L PA R T N E R S
Acted as Bermuda counsel forCVC Capital Partners in theirHKD 2 billion subscription of25% of the total share of RKE
International Holdings Limited.
X I N Y I E N E R G Y H O L D I N G S L I M I T E D .
Acted as BVI counsel to Xinyi Energy Holdings Limited in relation to its global offering and listing on the Main Board of
the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by way of spin-off. The value of this transaction was
approximately HKD 3,895 million.
S H A N G H A I I N T E R N AT I O N A L E N E R G Y
We were engaged as Bermudaand Cayman counsel in respect
of providing legal advice to Shanghai International Energy
in connection with its proposalto set up a trading platform for
crude oil futures contracts.
A N O N Y M O U S
Acted as BVI counsel to a property management private fund in relation to its disposal to a BVI real estate investment company for RMB 2.56 billion (USD 369
million).
C H I N A E V E R B R I G H T W AT E R L I M I T E D
Acted as Bermuda counsel to China Everbright Water Limited in relation to its
listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), which is the eighth company within the China Everbright group to be listed on the HKSE. Upon listing on the
HKSE, China Everbright Water Limited will be dual listed on the HKSE and the Singapore
Exchange.
A N O N Y M O U S
We acted as Cayman counsel to an American leading co-working space company on its
USD500 million Series B investment to accelerate its growth in China
T H E C A R LY L E G R O U P
Acted as Cayman counsel to TheCarlyle Group on its subscription of
Series C preference shares issued by Ant International Co. Limited. This deal formed
part of Ant Financial’s circa USD 14billion equity financing round across US dollar and Chinese
yuan tranches. This transaction was awarded ‘Deal of the Year’ by China Business
Law Journal and “Private Equity Deal of the Year” at the China Law
and Practice Awards.
CAPITAL MARKETS
PRIVATE EQUITY
BANKING & FINANCE
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5 Hong Kong Office Description
R E P R E S E N TAT I V E W O R K
Y U N N A N E N E R G Y I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O .
L I M I T E D
Acted as the Bermuda and BVI counsel for Yunnan Energy International Co. Limited, a
Bermuda Company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in respect of the sale of shares by its major shareholders and the
group reorganisation to effect the separation of its subsidiaries into two groups.
A N O N Y M O U S
Acted as Cayman counsel to a Silicon Valley based leading technology company in
relation to its USD 30 million allotment of Series A-3 Preferred Shares and issuance of warrant to a Chinese truck-hailing company
and its allotment of A-3 Preferred Shares to a system technology company.
A N O N Y M O U S
Advised private individualson the choice of jurisdictions
and structuring of their family,charitable and purpose trusts,
including the use of Jersey,Cayman STAR, Bermuda purposetrusts and British Virgin Islands
VISTA trusts.
I I - V I I N C O R P O R AT E D
Acted as Cayman counsel forII-VI Incorporated in its USD 85million acquisition of CoAdna
Holdings Incorporated, a globalleader in wavelength selective
switches, in a take privateCayman merger.
A N G E L H U B
We acted as BVI counsel in respect of AngelHub’s equity crowdfunding platform. They are currently the only SFC licensed
platform vetted start-up investment platform for professional investors, which allows
them to offer securities trading and advisory services.
A N O N Y M O U S
Advised a Taiwan company inits establishment of a Bermuda
trust and a Bermuda privatetrust company for its employee
share option scheme.
P O R T I C O I N T E R N AT I O N A L H O L D I N G S
Acted as Bermuda counsel forPortico International Holdings Limited in respect of its privatization from the HongKong Stock Exchange by way of Bermuda court sanctioned scheme of arrangement.
The Scheme provides that the Scheme Shares be cancelled in exchange for a cash
payment to each SchemeShareholder.
I N I T I A L C O I N O F F E R I N G
We have been instructed to act as Cayman counsel in relation to an initial coin offering project. The prospective issuer is seeking to build a video on demand platform that also licenses copyright material for distribution.
The prospective tokens for issuance are intended to give users access to the platform
and use of the services.
A N O N Y M O U S
Advised a Silicon Valley basedfrontrunner in autonomous
driving technology company inrelation to its establishment of aCayman Islands STAR trust for
its employee share plan.
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
PRIVATE CLIENT & TRUSTS
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6 Hong Kong Office Description
Q U N A R C AY M A N I S L A N D S L I M I T E D
Acted in the Cayman IslandsGrand Court for three
shareholders of Qunar CaymanIslands Limited. Each dissented
from Qunar’s take-privatemerger with cTrip, and soughta fair value of their shares tobe determined by the Cayman
Court pursuant to section 238 ofthe Companies law.
A N T O W H O L D I N G S L I M I T E D
Acted for Antow Holdings Limitedin a long-running dispute before
the BVI High Court and the Court ofAppeal in relation to the controlof BVI holding companies over aleading PRC chemicals company.
Head of Dispute Resolution in the Cayman Islands, Peter McMaster QC, appeared as Leading Counsel at trial and on appeal.
C W G R O U P
Acted for CW Group HoldingsLimited, a Singapore-listed
Cayman Islands company, inthe Cayman Court of Appealon contested proceedings for
the appointment of provisionalliquidators.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
R E P R E S E N TAT I V E W O R K
7 Hong Kong Office Description
CAMERON ADDERLEYManaging Partner, Hong KongGlobal Group Head | Corporate+852 2905 [email protected]
CHRIS CHENGPartnerCorporate+852 2905 [email protected]
K E Y C O N TA C T S
ELIOT SIMPSONPartnerGroup Head, Hong Kong | Dispute Resolution+852 2905 [email protected]
FIONA CHANPartnerCorporate+852 2905 [email protected]
PAUL CHEUKPartnerCorporate+852 2905 [email protected]
JUDY LEEPartner, Hong KongGroup Head, Hong Kong | Corporate+852 2905 [email protected]
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A B O U T A P P L E B Y G L O B A L
Appleby is one of the world’s leading international law firms. Our global teams of legal specialists advise public and private companies, financial institutions and private individuals. We are a full service law firm providing comprehensive, expert advice and services across corporate, dispute resolution, property, regulatory and private client and trusts practice areas. We work with our clients to achieve practical solutions whether from a single location or across multiple jurisdictions. We operate in 10 highly regarded and well-regulated global locations. These include the key international jurisdictions of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, as well as the international financial centres of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Our global presence enables us to provide comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional legal advice at the times most beneficial to our clients. We are regularly recognised for our professionalism, integrity and excellent client service, and these are the values we pride ourselves on and are at the core of our business.
This publication is for general guidance only and does not constitute definitive advice.
© Appleby Global Services 2019.
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2206-19 Jardine House1 ConnaughtPlace, CentralHong Kong
T: +852 2523 8123
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