About

I have been working in Hong Kong for more than 25 years assisting clients with their employment, intellectual property and commercial needs. My speciality is dealing with cases involving the misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information as well as team moves.

I advise clients on contentious and non-contentious employment issues, ranging from drafting contract documentation, dealing with sensitive misconduct issues, employee exits and the enforcement of restrictive covenants.

On the IP side, I assist clients protect and exploit their assets through IP filings, licenses, and franchising agreements. I also help them enforce their intellectual property rights through opposition and invalidation applications as well as pursuing claims for damages and obtaining injunctive relief through the High Court.

I am passionate about giving back to the local community and devote a substantial amount of time to pro-bono and responsible business initiatives.

Experience

Employment

  • Advising on the enforceability of post termination restrictive covenants
  • Carrying out investigations relating to the misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information by employees seeking to join competitors/set up a competing business to their ex-employer
  • Carrying out workplace investigations in respect of employee misconduct involving allegations of sexual harassment and fraud and managing employee exits thereafter
  • Assisting clients with team moves and helping them navigate around their restrictive covenants

High Court litigation

  • Defending an ex-parte application for injunctive relief to enforce a non-competition clause brought against the ex-CFO of Manulife who sought to join Prudential as its Chief Transformation Officer - Manulife Financial Asia Ltd v Kenneth Joseph Rappold [2024] HKCFI 989
  • Defending an inter partes application for injunctive relief to enforce a non-competition clause against the Chief Technology Officer of BFAM who resigned to join Segantii - BFAM Partners (Hong Kong) Ltd v Gareth John Mills & Segantii Capital Management Limited [2021] HKCFI 2904
  • Representing the Plaintiff in their claim for injunctive relief against the recipients of the proceeds of a fraud which led to the abolition of the fraud exception rule in summary judgment applications - Zimmer Sweden AB v KPN Hong Kong Ltd and Another [2016] 1 HKLRD 1016
  • Advising and representing two ex-employees of Cantor Fitzgerald defend an application for an interlocutory injunction brought by their former employer following their joining Mansion House - Cantor Fitzgerald Europe and Another v Jason Jon Boyer and Others [2012] HKEC 301
  • Representing the claimant in the enforcement of a Swiss arbitration award where the respondent challenged the enforcement of the award claiming fraud amongst other grounds The case was appealed to the Court of Final Appeal - Karaha Bodas Co LLC v Perusahaan Pertambangan Minyak Dan Gas Bumi Negara (otherwise known as Pertamina) [2009] 12 HKCFAR 84

Intellectual property

  • Advising clients on the complete spectrum of intellectual property issues including pre-application clearance searches, the registration of portfolios on a global basis, anti-counterfeiting strategies and enforcement policies
  • Investigating the manufacturing of counterfeit goods produced in China and sold in Hong Kong, arranging trap purchases and obtaining injunctive relief from the High Court to restrain the sale of counterfeit and copycat products
  • Providing guidance to clients regarding negotiating licensing, franchising and collaboration agreements
  • Assisting clients with customs recordals and liaising with Customs regarding the identification of suspected counterfeit goods

Regulatory & compliance

  • Providing guidance to clients on navigating the risk compliance continuum in promoting their products within the confines of Hong Kong legislation
  • Assisting clients which have become the focus of regulatory investigations and prosecutions
  • Advising financial institutions on their responses to requests from the Hong Kong regulator
  • Providing practical advice and guidance to clients on their advertising & marketing materials as well as product launches and marketing strategies in multiple jurisdictions

Services