Temple Chambers garners praise as ‘the pre-eminent set of barristers’ chambers in Hong Kong, with unrivalled strength in commercial law’. Amongst the silks of the set, Charles Manzoni SC (who is a silk both in Hong Kong and in England and Wales, where he is also a member of 39 Essex Chambers ) has a strong reputation for handling international litigation, arbitration, and mediation proceedings in commercial disputes concerning the construction and technology sectors. Alexander Stock SC is another notable senior counsel, and his commercial practice encompasses disputes concerning banking matters, company law, insurance cases, professional negligence, and shareholders disputes. Abraham Chan SC is acting in the case of Xu Hongbiao v. Oasis Investment Group Ltd and Others, a complex multi-jurisdictional dispute between former partners of a large property joint venture. Also of note is Charles Hollander KC, who has a dual tenancy at Brick Court Chambers in London. Anthony Chan SC took Silk in 2023, and the set also houses a number of impressive juniors, including Elizabeth Cheung, who is instructed in the case of Xiamen Xinjingdi Group Co Ltd v Eton Properties Ltd, which concerned a dispute regarding an agreement surrounding the right to develop land in Xiamen. Queenie Lau is another key name, and she is fluent in Mandarin. Tim Parker joined the set in November 2023 from Denis Chang’s Chambers - he remains a dual tenant with Blackstone Chambers in London.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Temple Chambers is definitely among the very top sets for commercial disputes. They have a huge range of expertise in this area and are featured in many of the biggest cases, sometimes even on both sides of the aisle.'
  • 'Temple Chambers is the number one chambers in Hong Kong with well-recognised and experienced members who possess professional expertise in a wide range of practice areas. The members are always able to provide out-of-the-box yet commercially practical solutions to complex legal issues.'
  • 'Temple Chambers is undisputedly the set of chambers in Hong Kong with the most depth of quality at all levels.'
  • 'Temple Chambers is no doubt the leading set in Hong Kong for commercial disputes. The depth of the set is unparalleled.'
  • 'Temple is the top choice when engaging counsel. They have excellent SCs as well as solid juniors in all areas of commercial disputes. The SCs are also willing to make time to discuss the matters and also offer training programmes to law firms and in-house counsel.'
  • 'Temple Chambers have an excellent set of counsel covering different levels of seniority. Counsel from Temple Chambers consistently deliver top-level, quality work.'
  • 'Temple Chambers is the pre-eminent set of barristers' chambers in Hong Kong, with unrivalled strength in commercial law. It has the most number of active, well-known and eminent silks in the market, and the expertise and experience of its juniors is extensive.'
  • 'Temple Chambers is the first-choice set of chambers for all commercial dispute matters. The barristers in Temple Chambers are all very commercial and sensible and have good business acumen, which enables them to provide not only legal solutions, but also commercial solutions to clients.'

Silks

Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
1
Bernard Man SC
Temple Chambers
 'Bernard is an exceptional and diligent advocate, known for his commercial savvy mind, dynamic courtroom presence, and intelligence. In particular, his great ability to think on his feet sets him apart, allowing him to adapt and respond quickly in courtroom, and his in-depth legal knowledge and strategic foresight enable him to cut through non-essential details and focus on the core elements of a case.'
1
Charles Manzoni SC
Temple Chambers
 'Charles is a very powerful advocate who presents compelling submissions and cuts to the core issues of a case. He has strong emotional intelligence, is popular with clients, and is a safe and experienced pair of hands.'
1
Victor Dawes SC
Temple Chambers
 'Victor's analytical abilities are commendable; he has a talent for dissecting complex legal issues, identifying key arguments, and formulating compelling strategies. His analytical approach enables him to thoroughly assess the strengths and weaknesses of the case, which greatly enhances his advocacy, and he excels in developing effective strategies tailored to the specific needs of his clients.'
1
Victor Joffe SC
Temple Chambers
 'Victor is very knowledgeable and personable, with excellent legal knowledge and experience. He is always able to get the right answer.'
2
Abraham Chan SC
Temple Chambers
‘Abraham is a star advocate. He is practical and thoughtful in his strategy, his advocacy is measured and forceful, he is extremely knowledgeable in the law, and he has a comprehensive grasp of the finest details of a case.'
2
Alexander Stock SC
Temple Chambers
 'Alexander not only provides solid legal advice on complex legal issues, but he also helps the client develop an appropriate strategy to achieve their commercial objectives. He is no doubt an integral part of the client's legal team.'
3
Eva Sit SC
Temple Chambers
‘Eva is extremely sharp and quick in identifying legal issues in complex matters and is able to provide to the point analysis and advice. She is a strong advocate who fights forcefully for her clients without being overly aggressive, and at the same time, she is candid when she identifies weaknesses and gives practical advice to clients to encourage amicable resolution.'
3
Law Man-Chung SC
Temple Chambers
‘MC is highly approachable and hands on, and one can always rely on him to analyse the documents and issues closely and provide a focused solution to the client. His advocacy in court is succinct, focused, to-the-point, and highly persuasive.’
2022 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Sara Tong SC
Temple Chambers
‘Sara is an exceptional advocate, who is always extremely well prepared. She is an incisive cross-examiner who does not pull her punches, and she is very highly regarded amongst the profession.’
2023 Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Anthony Chan SC
Temple Chambers
 ‘Anthony is an extremely smooth advocate with good judgement when it comes to choosing points to put forward, and he is respected by courts.’

Juniors

Leading Juniors
Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.
1
Queenie Lau
Temple Chambers
‘Queenie is a first-class advocate who cuts through distraction and procedure to focus on the issues, and she presents cases in a concise, intelligible, forthright and helpful manner. Her advice is practical and incisive and she is a pleasure to deal with.'
1
Tim Parker
Temple Chambers
‘Tim is intellectually brilliant; his legal research and analysis is absolutely superb, the documents he produces are beautifully written and exceptionally well argued, and his tactical thinking is outstanding. He is the best of the best.’
2
Bonnie Cheng
Temple Chambers
‘Bonnie always delivers the highest quality of work, not just legally but also commercially. She is easy to work with and friendly.'
2
Val Chow
Temple Chambers
‘Val's work is excellent and he is one of the best juniors at the Bar in Hong Kong. He is mature and experienced, both legally and commercially, he has excellent knowledge of the law, and is very careful and thorough.'
2
Martin Ho
Temple Chambers
‘Martin is an exceptional barrister who is well-versed in law, particularly in winding up, restructuring, and insolvency matters. His precise and reliable legal opinions, coupled with his ability to dissect complex matters and construct solid arguments, set him apart, and his advocacy skills are also exemplary.'
2
Julian Lam
Temple Chambers
‘Julian is able to distill the key legal issues and formulate the game plan for a client. It is clear that advocacy is one of his key strengths, as his submissions are clear, precise, and persuasive, and the same can be said with regards to his drafting of pleadings; there is no doubt that Julian is an efficient lawyer.'
2
Justin Ho
Temple Chambers
 'Justin is a standout junior in the crowded field of commercial litigation. His technical ability, knowledge of the law, dedication to each case, and fluent advocacy are qualities which mark him out as a first-rate junior. '
2
James Man
Temple Chambers
‘James is a brilliant, hard-working, experienced, and friendly barrister. He is very solid on the law and always provides commercially minded legal advice, he is also a thoughtful, effective, and versatile advocate, and he can always think of the points that others have not thought of and present them in a way that will be well-received by the bench.’
Rising stars
Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.
Astina Au
Temple Chambers
 'Astina is very bright and commercial. She is able to provide sensible advice within a tight timeline, her advocacy skills are excellent, and she knows how to present the arguments in the best possible light.'
Danny Tang
Temple Chambers
 ‘Danny is a highly regard, highly sought after junior for commercial disputes. He has deep knowledge of the law and the capacity for highly incisive legal and factual analysis.’
Jennifer Fan
Temple Chambers
 'Jennifer has clear and concise thinking that is expressed in uncluttered legal ideas.'