Mr Tony Ko > Plowman Chambers > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile

Mr Tony Ko

+852 2521 2616 tony.ko@plowmanchambers.com View profile

Career

Tony is experienced in civil and in white-collar criminal cases.  He regularly appears as counsel (both led and as sole advocate) in a variety of courts and tribunals, including the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal.

Tony’s criminal and regulatory practice focuses on commercial fraud, and investigations initiated by the Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) and the Independent Commission against Corruption (“ICAC”).  Tony has represented directors and substantial shareholders of listed companies in defending proceedings brought by the SFC and ICAC.   He has also been instructed to conduct private prosecutions against directors and substantial shareholders of listed companies for offences under the Securities and Futures Ordinance.

This provides a unique perspective to Tony’s extensive civil practice, which focuses on company law, shareholders dispute, civil fraud and insolvency.  Tony has also appeared in leading cases on land law (adverse possession, Chinese customary law and other land disputes), trust law (constructive trust, breach of fiduciary duty and property disputes) and medical negligence/personal injury.  Other main practice areas include: arbitration, commercial law, employment disputes, intellectual property, construction disputes, shipping disputes, contentious probate litigation, ancillary relief and judicial review.  A list of notable cases can be found under the Notable Cases section herein.

Tony has advised and/or acted for clients including the AIA Group, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hospital Authority and Medical Council.

Prior to joining Chambers, Tony studied law at the University of Hong Kong (LLB, PCLL) and King’s College London (LLM), and had obtained numerous awards and prizes. During his time at HKU Tony represented the University in a number of international mooting competitions.  Tony was the Founding President of the HKU Advocacy and Mooting Society, and remians devoted to providing advocacy training to the Bar at the Advocacy Training Council.

Tony serves as a Chairman of the Buildings Appeal Tribunal, an Adjudicator of the Immigration Tribunal and an Adjudicator of the Registration of Persons Tribunal.  He is currently a member of the Bar Association Special Committee on Competition Law and had served as a member of the Bar Association Special Committee on Companies Law, and was appointed by the HKU Senate as an External Examiner in Commercial Dispute Resolution.  Tony was appointed to sit as a Deputy District Judge in March 2021 and January 2023, and as a Deputy Temporary Registrar of the High Court in March 2023.

Languages

English, Putonghua and Cantonese

Memberships

Hong Kong Bar, 2006

Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (since 2006)

Deputy District Judge (March 2021)

Chairman, Buildings Appeal Tribunal Panel (Current)

Adjudicator, Immigration Tribunal (Current)

Adjudicator, Registration of Persons Tribunal (Current)

External Examiner, University of Hong Kong (Commercial Dispute Resolution) (Past)

Part-time Lecturer, City University of Hong Kong (Past)

Member, Bar Council Special Committee on Companies Law (Past)

Member, Bar Council Special Committee on Competition Law (Current)

Member, Bar Council Special Committee on Young Barristers (Past)

Executive Committee Member, Hong Kong Competition Association (Current)

Education

LLB (Hons.) (University of Hong Kong)

PCLL (University of Hong Kong)

LLM (King’s College London)