What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

Acting as Chairman of the Hong Kong Trustees’ Association with a very tangible role to promote the interest of the trust industry and to lift industry standards. On the business side, getting Zedra, a relatively new name, really known out here in Hong Kong as the trustee of choice for private clients.

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

Be curious. Be nosey. Dealing with sophisticated UHNW families require the technical ability to deal with some very big and complex commercial transactions, but at the same time, you are dealing with people and their families on a very personal level and that requires the personal touch to really understand your client’s values and underlying concerns.

What sets you apart from your peers?

I have seen a lot both from the set up and the bust up end in the life cycle of family trusts; gaining valuable insights on how to get it right, how things can go wrong, and how to future proof the asset planning structures. I have also had the pleasure of working in depth with trusts from a wide variety of jurisdictions in Asia Pacific, the Caribbean and the Channel Islands.
I started as a tax and trust lawyer with Baker & McKenzie and advised on the set up of many trusts and charities, gaining a lot of structuring experience. I then moved on to become global legal counsel of the HSBC private trust business and had to deal with a lot of trust and estate disputes; dramatic family disputes, claims against the trustees/ executors, defending trusts from hostile third parties claims, and also non-contentious court applications on momentous trustee decisions or esoteric points of trust law.

What is your favourite quote?

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford