Oldham, Li & Nie

The firm: Oldham, Li & Nie (OLN) is a highly successful full-service law firm operating from Hong Kong and Shanghai with a commitment to professional excellence, tailoring its legal services to the needs of both corporate and private clients. Founded in 1987 by Gordon Oldham, the firm currently has a total staff of over 100 with 43 qualified lawyers, admitted to one or more jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada. OLN also has a thriving China practice, carried on from its Hong Kong and Shanghai offices and when necessary with its associate legal network in mainland China.

Oldham, Li & Nie prides itself on having a practical approach and a results-oriented outlook, adding value to its clients’ business strategies and living up to its mantra: “Practical legal solutions – on time, no excuses”.

Areas of practice
Family law: OLN’s matrimonial department prides itself on the ability to work with clients through emotional upheaval whilst quietly advising on the many disputes involving children and complex financial structures. All of the divorce and family law team are members of the Hong Kong Family Law Association and in accordance with the HKFLA’s Code of Conduct are committed to a conciliatory and constructive approach, rather than a hostile or confrontational one.

Corporate and commercial: offering comprehensive legal services to meet the business needs of clients in greater China and, around the globe, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and shareholder agreements, private equity investments, corporate finance, banking and loan documents, corporate structuring and restructuring, licensing and franchising, and directors’ responsibilities.

Dispute resolution: providing a wide range of litigation practice with a good reputation. OLN adopts an innovative and strategic approach to the resolution of disputes, including: corporate and commercial litigation, banking and financial litigation, shareholder disputes; arbitration, mediation and alternative dispute resolution; regulatory and disciplinary proceedings; and trust, probate and family-related disputes.

Intellectual property: providing various services in connection with the registration and protection of trade marks, patents and copyrights; anti-counterfeiting and enforcement of intellectual property rights; licensing and franchising agreements; copyright and passing-off disputes; conduct of court proceedings including claims for damages and injunctions; intellectual property audit; trade mark registration in PRC and Hong Kong.

Employment: advising international corporations and high-net-worth individuals, typically within the financial services industry on a vast array of employment related matters regularly, including team moves, bonuses and post-termination restrictions. Matters often involve high-value employees and multi-jurisdictional issues; advice to senior executives and assisting in labour tribunal claims; and dealing with boardroom disputes, termination of employees, restructuring and redundancy.

Insolvency and restructuring: extensive experience in both insolvency and restructuring work; representing liquidators, banks, creditors, creditors’ committee and debtors in relation to receivership, liquidation and bankruptcy matters.

Tax advisory: assisting both corporate and individual clients to minimise tax risks and identifying tax saving opportunities in an effective manner. OLN provides a full range of advisory services, including full scope review on group structure and development of tax strategies, tax planning, property related taxes advice, and others.

Insurance: OLN’s team has particular expertise in the review and drafting of contractual documentation relating to insurance and reinsurance activities, including the development of policy wording for life, accident, medical and health insurance products, and the review and vetting of related proposals, product brochures and training materials.

Private client, trust and probate: handling a range of issues that may confront private clients, including: estate planning and the establishment and administration of trusts; probate and contentious probate matters; and administration of estates.

China practice: OLN’s team advises on China related matters to give tactical and strategical overviews to international clients wanting to invest in China typically through Hong Kong. Such transactions are invariably multi-jurisdictional and involve restructuring, equity and asset transactions as well as ensuring all relevant intellectual property is sufficiently protected. In addition, through its Shanghai office the firm has a substantial intellectual property practice handling both contentious and noncontentious intellectual property matters. Its Shanghai office has a licence to file trademark applications directly in China and deal with PRC Enforcement Government Agencies directly.

French practice: The french practice has been advising entrepreneurs and corporations’ expansion in Hong Kong and mainland China for many years. The team builds on the firm’s know-how with a French angle, working with teams in other practice groups. The french practice involved in all matters of french law relating, among other things, to tax law, the creation of investment structures, the negotiation of contracts and the collection of receivables in France.