Prince's Chambers

Thomas is developing a broad civil and arbitration practice (including cases involving a regulatory dimension) and accepts instructions in all areas of Chambers’ work. He is comfortable with being instructed as sole counsel or a member of a larger team. He is capable of providing written submissions and conduct hearings in both English and Chinese (traditional/simplified). He is a Middle Temple Scholar and a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators.

Thomas has contributed to practitioners’ texts and published at peer-reviewed legal periodicals, including matters involving cross-border elements and conflicts of laws. He has also taught tort law at the University of Hong Kong and arbitration at the City University of Hong Kong on a part-time basis.

Prior to commencing practice, Thomas served as a Judicial Assistant at the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. In this capacity, he assisted in substantive appeals, applications for leave to appeal and other legal research and publications on a variety of private law and public law matters.

Banking and Financial Services

Yinggao Resources Limited and another v HSBC [2024] HKCA 1130 (with Tanie Toh) – Breach of banking mandate and negligence dispute arising from loss in metal trading contracts; application for leave to amend pleadings to claim loss from lost opportunities to invest Xue Xiaoyun v Susan Yung and BOCI Securities Limited HCA 2526/2018 (with Samuel Wong) – Negligent misstatements by investment advisor on cross-border transactions, vicarious liability of securities firm (judgment pending) Acted for an investor against a trust management services company for default in periodical payments from trust fund and return of principal (ICC Rules) Advising on various mortgage actions involving miscalculations in amounts due and allegations of misconduct of financial institutions and lenders Advised a firm of auditors on claims against a HKEx-listed company for unpaid audit fees and disputes over quality of work performed

Bankruptcy and Insolvency

Re Dada Oluwaseun John HCB 3723/2022 – Bankruptcy order arising from unpaid legal fees Advising an investor on a winding up petition based on an investment company’s failure to repay principal and interests upon maturity of bonds Advised on the presentation of proof of debt against the China Evergrande Group concurrent or alternative to commencement of arbitration proceedings for breach of investment agreements by its directors

Commercial and International Trade

Kaiser Financing Company Limited v Chen Jiarong HCA 1998/2023 (led by William Wong SC) – Recovery of loan and interests in excess of HK$250 million Michael Yap and another v Lai Yip Dyeing Factory Limited and others HCA 1084/2011 (with Samuel Wong) — Payment of judgment debt following oral examination of judgment debtors arising from judgment for failures to repay under promissory note and deed of guarantee Advising a local food importer and distributor on a forum non conveniens application for stay of proceedings in favour of Italian courts Advised a PRC state-owned enterprise on potential arbitration proceedings arising from failure to deliver metal ores due to supplier’s administration proceedings (LCIA Rules) (with Samuel Wong)

Company

In the Matter of Hong Kong Real Estate Agencies General Association Limited: CACV 74/2024 — Resisted security of costs application pending appeal (judgment pending) [2024] HKCFI 518 — Disputes over election of executive committees and validity of election resolutions; interim injunction restraining expulsion of members In the Matter of East Asia Vacuum Plating Factory Limited HCMP 1274/2024 – Application under section 570 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.622) to appoint directors for company with no living directors or shareholders Acted for a Hong Kong cosmetics and skincare products company in a 5-day trial for breaches of joint venture agreement for damages over HK$300 million (HKIAC Rules) (with Samuel Wong)

Fraud and Asset Recovery

Kyodo Yushi Asia Pte Ltd v Yukun International Trade Co Ltd and others HCA 1696/2021 (with Ernest Ng) – International telephone and email fraud against a Singaporean company over alleged acquisition plans Lung Chi Man Jowai v Ko Tai Chu DCCJ 4130/2021 — Summary judgment application for recovery of investment sum from failure to complete a project on the purchase and sale of land

Securities

Advising on Market Misconduct Tribunal proceedings on false trading, price rigging, stock market manipulation, and conspiracy to perpetrate market misconduct under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571)

Taxation and Costs

香港特別行政區訴 秦錦釗（收款方）– taxation of costs following 97-days criminal trial on conspiracy to export unmanifested cargo and conspiracy to commit money laundering in excess of HK$3 billion: [2024] 6 HKC 434 – Review by Taxing Master [2024] HKDC 1917 (with Wing So) – Review by Judge Advising on claims against the Director of Legal Aid for costs orders made against a legally-aided applicant in ancillary relief proceedings (with Tanie Toh) Advised a financial services and investment company on overall costs of arbitration and interlocutory proceedings therein (HKIAC Rules)

Trusts, Probate, and Succession

In the Matter of the Estate of Li Wun Yee (administration of estate of assets worth over HK$100 million and recovery actions in the PRC): HCA 1436/2023 – acting for the estate against claims for breach of directors’ duties and breach of trust (led by Ambrose Ho SC) HCCA 5726/2023 – Passing-over application pursuant to section 36 of the Probate and Administration Ordinance (Cap.10) by a caveator Gordon David Michael George Oldham, the Administrator of the Estate of David Tang HCMP 944/2024 — Application for a Beddoe Order in favour of the sale of company shares for estate administration and distributions 陳淦輝訴 楊忠及另外二人 [2024] HKCFI 357 — 3-day trial in respect of dispute over ownership of former matrimonial home with third-party purchaser

Publications and Seminars

Publications – Practitioners’ Texts

Bullen and Leake and Jacob’s Hong Kong Precedents of Pleadings (4th edn) (forthcoming): “Admiralty” (with Edward Alder) “Bankers” and “Bills of Sale” (with Kenneth Lee and Tanie Toh) “Vicarious Liability” and “Conflict of Laws” in Tort Law and Practice in Hong Kong (4th edn) “Winding-Up by the Court” in Company Law in Hong Kong: Insolvency 2023

Publications – Academic

“Taking ‘Public Function’ Seriously” (2021) 51(2) Hong Kong Law Journal 547–572 (with Gabriel Wan) (referred to in Chitty on Contracts – Hong Kong Specific Contracts (7th edn), §14-151) “Maintaining Constants amongst Variable Factors: The Challenge of Equitable Accounting in the Property Context” (2021) 27(8) Trusts and Trustees 761–770 (with Benny Chung) “Joe Zhixiong Zhou v SAIF Partners II L.P.: The Importance of Mapping Out the Correct Corporate Structure” (2021) 27(5) Trusts and Trustees 394–405 (with Benny Chung and Bennett Au Yeung) “Xiamen Xinjingdi Group Ltd v Eton Properties Ltd: Clarifying the Steps and Issues to Consider when Lodging a Trust Claim in Cross-Border Disputes” (2021) 27(3) Trusts and Trustees 246–263 (with Benny Chung) “Comparative Constitutional and Administrative Law in Hong Kong: In Search of Coherence” [2021] Public Law 261–270 (with Trevor T.W.Wan)

Seminars

“Winding Up in Light of Potential Arbitration and Jurisdictional Issues: Recent Developments” (CPD accredited; March 2024) “UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG): ‘Love it or hate it, but NEVER leave it!’” (October 2023) (with Louise Barrington, Samuel Wong, and Sherlin Tung) “Pacta Sunt Servanda in Changing Times” (Chinese University of Hong Kong, “Pacta Sunt Servanda” academic conference; 25 June 2021) (as Research Assistant to the Hon Geoffrey Ma)

English, Cantonese

Appointments

Member of the following Committees of the Hong Kong Bar Association: Standing Committee on International Practice (2023 – Present) Practice Committee on Arbitration (2024 – Present) Practice Committee on Companies Law (2023 – Present) Tutor, City University of Hong Kong (2024 – Present) Lecturer (Non-Clinical), University of Hong Kong (2023) Judicial Assistant, Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (2020 – 2021)

Memberships

Fellow, Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (since July 2024) International Editor (Asia), Cambridge Law Review (2019 – 2020)

Academic 

2020 Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, University of Hong Kong 2019 Master of Laws, London School of Economics and Political Science (Merit) 2018 Bachelor of Laws, University of Durham (First class honours) Admissions   2022 Barrister, Hong Kong

Scholarship and Awards

Middle Temple Scholarship for Advocacy Training (2025) Winner, 9th Hong Kong Human Rights Moot (2020) 3 Verulam Buildings Prize for Best Overall Submission, LSE Law Review (2020) Winner, Ambassador’s Moot (2018) Clyde & Co Research Internship in Public Law and Human Rights, Durham Law School (to Professor Helen Fenwick, Professor Roger Masterman, and Dr Se-Shauna Wheatle) (2017) Letter of Commendation for Academic Excellence, Durham Law School (2016