Region Area

Barristers

Catrina Lam

Catrina Lam

Career

Catrina is recognized as a leading senior junior barrister whose practice spans all aspects of contentious commercial disputes (including domestic and international arbitrations), administrative and constitutional law, competition (antitrust), securities and regulatory litigation. She is ranked as a Band 1 junior for Commercial Dispute Resolution in Chambers & Partners, as well as a Tier 1 junior for Competition, Administrative and Public Law and Commercial Disputes in The Legal 500. She is also recognised as a Global Law Expert in the practice area of competition law in Hong Kong.

She has represented domestic and multinational clients operating in a wide range of industry sectors, including banking and financial services, technology, telecommunications, real estate and construction, energy, media and entertainment, manufacturing, education, aviation and gambling. She is experienced in handling highly complex commercial disputes, many involving novel legal issues and/or technical evidence, and has been described as being “great for matters which concern very difficult facts and evidence”. She is in demand for her “sharp legal mind”, “quickness on her feet”, "strong legal literacy" and as a practitioner who “thinks outside the box and always tests the limits of the evidence”.

She appears at all levels of court, as well as other specialist and disciplinary tribunals, including the Competition Tribunal, Securities and Futures Appeals Tribunal, Insider Dealing Tribunal and the Board of Review. In her public law and judicial review practice, Catrina has advised and represented many public bodies and officials, including acting for the Secretary for Justice intervening in the public interest, as well as private individuals.

Catrina is “held in particularly high esteem for her accomplished competition law practice” and is “widely identified as Hong Kong’s front runner for competition matters”. She "stands out" for her "depth of knowledge in competition law".

Apart from acting as counsel, Catrina accepts appointments to sit as arbitrator. She is on the HKIAC's List of Arbitrators and is a member of the Panel of Arbitrators for both the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre and the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration.

Outside of practice, Catrina is active in public service. She has served as a Temporary Deputy Registrar of the High Court and as a Deputy District Judge. She is currently sitting on 6 statutory appeal boards and tribunals on appointment by the Government. She has been serving as the Secretary of the Middle Temple Society in Hong Kong since 2009 and was appointed an Honorary Member of The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 2018.

Catrina speaks English, Cantonese and Putonghua (conversational), and is a CEDR accredited mediator.

Languages

English, Cantonese, Putonghua (conversational)

Memberships

Statutory board/tribunal and other appointments

Temporary Deputy Registrar, High Court of HKSAR [May 2018] Deputy District Judge, District Court of the HKSAR [September 2014] Deputy Chairman, Education Appeal Boards Panel under the Education Ordinance (Cap 279) [2019 - present] Chairman, Licensing Appeals Board under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap132) [2018 - present] Member, Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Appeal Board and Rules Committee [2017 - 2022] Member, Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Disciplinary Panel A [2017 - 2023] Member, Inland Revenue Board of Review Panel [2016 - 2022] Chairman, Buildings Appeal Tribunal [2015 - 2021] Member, District Cooling Services Appeal Board Panel [2018 - 2021] Secretary and Advisory Board, The Middle Temple Society of Hong Kong [2012- present] Honorary Member, The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple [2018 - present] Arbitrator, List of Arbitrators, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre [2021] Member of the Panel of Arbitrators for the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre [2021] Member of the Panel of Arbitrators for the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration [2022]

Hong Kong Bar Association

Member, Committee on Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights, Hong Kong Bar Association [2020 – present] Member, Committee on Arbitration, Hong Kong Bar Association [2017 - present] Member, Bar Council [2013]

Competition related

Elected Vice President, International League of Competition Law (Ligue Internationale de Droit de la Concurrence) [2022 - 2023] Chairman, Committee on Competition Law, Hong Kong Bar Association [2020 - present] Founder and Vice Chairman, International League of Competition Law, Hong Kong Chapter [2019 - present] Vice Chairman, Committee on Competition Law, Hong Kong Bar Association [2018 - 2020] Non-Governmental Adviser to the International Competition Network [2018 - present] External Counsel to the Competition Commission [2016 - present]

Education

LLB, University College London (1998) PCLL, University of Hong Kong (1999) PgD in EU Competition Law, King's College London (2016) MA in EU Competition Law (Distinction), King's College London (2018) PgD in Economics for Competition Law, King's College London (2021)

Mentions

Hong Kong Bar

Administrative and public law

Leading junior1
Catrina Lam – Des Voeux Chambers 'Catrina is one of the go-to counsel for administrative law cases. She is always well prepared and has a persuasive advocacy style.'
Hong Kong Bar

Commercial disputes

Leading junior1
Catrina Lam – Des Voeux Chambers ‘Catrina is very diligent and always well prepared. She is also very persistent, even when the case is not on her side, which is a very important quality for an advocate.'
Hong Kong Bar

Competition

Leading junior1
Catrina Lam – Des Voeux Chambers 'Catrina's deep understanding of the law and strategic thinking makes her a true asset in the courtroom. She is a powerful and effective advocate who shines the best when it comes to cross-examinations.'