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Legal Updates
Legal update: Tax update: Hong Kong is removed from Italy’s blacklists
Following the tax treaty between Italy and Hong Kong that was entered into on 14th January 2013, Italy removed Hong Kong from its list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions (also know as “Italian blacklists”) on 30th November 2015. It is expected that this development will boost…Read More
Legal update: Government launches public consultation on draft Children’s Bill
Further to our article posted on November 20th 2015 entitled “Long-awaited Children’s Bill coming soon to Hong Kong“, we are pleased to announce that the Hong Kong Government launched a four month public consultation on November 25th 2015 in order to gauge the public’s views…Read More
Legal update: Long-awaited Children’s Bill coming soon to Hong Kong
The law in Hong Kong that protects children experiencing divorce and other family issues has been discussed and debated for years. Improvements have been made but no concrete Children’s Bill has been passed. Following the well-attended Third Children’s Forum held recently by CIF HK at…Read More
Legal update: The Serious Risks and Consequences of Using False Academic Credentials – “Fit and Proper”
Introduction Hong Kong’s success as one of the most developed financial hubs in the world is attributable in great part to its well-established financial institutions, which safeguard the integrity of the market and protect the interest of investors big and small. The “Fit and Proper”…Read More
Hiring Foreign Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong: Pitfalls and Misconceptions
In Hong Kong when most people mention “helpers” they actually mean a “Foreign Domestic Helper” (“FDH”) employed from overseas via a recruitment agency or directly via an advertisement or referrals. In order to employ a FDH and obtain a work visa for that employment, the…Read More
Financial non-disclosure in divorce proceedings: consent order risk.
On 14 October 2015, the UK Supreme Court handed down two landmark decisions, Gohil and Sharland, overturning two wives’ financial settlement consent orders made in divorce proceedings due to their husbands’ deliberate non-disclosure of assets. The decisions serve as warnings to any divorcing spouse who…Read More
Legal update: Hong Kong Insolvency Law – in need of its own restructuring?
The purpose of this short note is not to conduct a detailed critique of the law in Hong Kong in this very broad and complex area but to provide a brief sketch as to certain of the challenges faced by industry professionals and what steps…Read More
Registration of foreign judgments in Hong Kong
Foreign judgments can be enforced in Hong Kong by one of two means: Through the Statutory Registration Scheme; or At common law Statutory Registration Scheme Hong Kong has signed reciprocal enforcement agreements with a number of countries, allowing for the enforcement of judgments between jurisdictions…Read More
Legal update: Reciprocal Enforcement of Arbitral Awards between Hong Kong and Mainland China
Pre-1997 Pre-1997, the mutual enforcement of arbitral awards between the Mainland and Hong Kong was carried out by way of the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. The convention ceased to apply once Hong Kong became a Special Administrative…Read More
Jurisdiction of divorce; what is the situation in Hong Kong?
Can I divorce in Hong Kong? If not, why not? It is not true that just because a couple was married in Hong Kong, they could or should divorce here; where the marriage took place is irrelevant. The circumstances immediately before the divorce are key….Read More
Legal update: Is your will your will?
Summary In a significant ruling, the UK Court of Appeal’s decision in Ilott v Mitson 2015 has ruled against the presumption that you can do with your estate what you wish. This decision has seemingly broadened the Court’s power to intervene where an adult child…Read More
Child abduction in Hong Kong: Is it ever okay?
Married parents who are contemplating a divorce often ask lawyers whether they can take their children abroad for a holiday against the will of the other parents. The answer is no. In Hong Kong married parents have joint custody of their children. Both parents make…Read More
