Sunny Hathiramani

Partner

 

Sunny is a partner in the Restructuring and Insolvency Department and was recognised in the Asian Legal Business 2020 list of “40 Under 40” most accomplished lawyers in Asia under 40 years old. Sunny advises on litigation and insolvency matters with a focus on offshore investment fund structures, enforcement of security, receivership and cross-border liquidation.

Sunny has extensive experience advising on a range of insolvency issues, representing PE funds, distressed companies, directors, creditors and debtors, insolvency practitioners and high net worth individuals. He has represented both domestic and international clients in complex commercial, winding-up and bankruptcy disputes with a focus on contested insolvency proceedings.

An experienced litigator, Sunny also advises on a wide variety of court-related proceedings including unfair prejudice petitions relating to shareholder disputes, insolvency-related fraud, breach of directors’ duties and debt recovery. Sunny has also been extensively involved in advising and representing both applicants and respondents in contempt proceedings.

Sunny’s practice also involves advising financial institutions on contentious regulatory matters, including investigations by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), the Confederation of Insurance Brokers Disciplinary Committee (CIB) and the Insurance Authority (IA).

Sunny advises clients across a wide range of sectors including the electric vehicle and automobile industries, financial services, retail and real estate. Sunny has also recently been involved in arbitration proceedings seated with the HKIAC.

Sunny holds a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences from King’s College London and attained his Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP Law School, London. Sunny is one of two partners at the firm who has been with the firm since he joined Tanner De Witt as a paralegal and completed the training programme. Sunny was elected as a Committee Member to the Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty and is also a speaker for the Professional Diploma in Insolvency course. Sunny speaks fluent English, Hindi and Sindhi.

 

 

Key Cases

  • Advising on the winding down of a diamond empire’s business and operations in Asia, including Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
  • Acting for a PE fund in arbitration proceedings (administered by the HKIAC) against another PE fund managed by a well-known Asian investor.
  • Representing a PE Fund successfully.
  • Acting for a leading Italian car design firm to commence insolvency proceedings against a subsidiary of a Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed company on grounds of insolvency.
  • Advising a British multinational wealth management business on allegations of misrepresentation, negligence and vicarious liability brought by an individual client.
  • Representing a shareholder in satellite litigation in relation to multiple issues, including a mandatory injunction in relation to valuable machinery in the PRC and contempt proceedings.
  • Representing a trustee-in-bankruptcy of a wealthy Japanese individual to seek recognition and assistance in Hong Kong in order to secure assets valued at over HK$50million.
  • Advising the Joint and Several Trustees in relation to section 29 applications (private examination) of the Bankrupt and his spouse.
  • Acting for a subsidiary of a company listed in Hong Kong in successfully defending multiple negligence and contractual claims.

Speaking Experience

  • Co-speaker for a presentation organised by the Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty – An update on Litigation Funding and Personal Liability on costs
  • Panellist at INSOL Focus Webinar 2021 – Cross-Border Insolvencies under the Pandemic
  • Panellist at the INSOL Focus Webinar 2022 – Hot topics in Litigation Funding for Insolvency

 

 

‘Sunny Hathiramani and Veronica Chan are well connected in the Hong Kong market and add supporting firepower’ states Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023.

Sunny Hathiramani has been selected as a Next Generation Partner for our top tier Restructuring and Insolvency practice in Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022 (having also been selected from 2017 to 2019 (as an associate) and 2020 to 2021 (as a partner). Sunny is ‘recommended’ and ‘has a burgeoning reputation and is frequently involved in many of the highest-profile matters handled by the team.’

Sunny was also listed in Asian Legal Business’ 2020 “40 Under 40”; a list of the most accomplished lawyers in Asia under 40 years old. A client notes that “Sunny has many positive attributes including excellent client handling skills, strong technical skills and also a pragmatic and commercial approach to problem solving. This is a critical mixture and makes him a very able advisor.”

 

 

Professional Memberships

  • International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL International)
  • International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
  • Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty (RIF) Committee Member
  • South Asian Lawyers Group (SALG)
  • The Company and Insolvency Law Society (COINS)
  • The Law Society of Hong Kong
  • ThoughtLeaders 4 Fraud, Insolvency, Recovery, Enforcement (FIRE)
  • Turnaround Management Association (TMA)