Hong Kong SAR

Established, experienced and focused, we offer market leading expertise in Hong Kong across the full range of business law services for clients active in the region.

A top-tier track record and extensive resources

We opened our Hong Kong office in 1980, our first in the Asia Pacific region, and today we are the leading international firm in Asia Pacific.

Our track record of top-tier deals is built on substantial resources – clients have access to more than 150 lawyers in our Hong Kong office, and 400-plus lawyers in our seven other Asia Pacific offices in Australia, China, Japan, Korea and Singapore.

When projects involve jurisdictions outside Asia Pacific, or the input of specialist lawyers, we can call on the wider resources of our 3,400-lawyer firm.

Experience that delivers for domestic, regional and international clients

We use our experience of complex cross-border deals to manage multi-office teams efficiently and work effectively with local law firms in Asia Pacific countries where we don't have an office.

International clients value our on the ground regional network, particularly if they want to develop business in China or the region's other fast-growing economies. They know that our advice is based on hands-on local market experience.

Domestic and regional clients draw upon our teams' local and regional know-how – we in turn utilise our international network to help them with their activities outside the region. Our people are well known for their work with clients who want to access Hong Kong's financial markets.

A team that mirrors Hong Kong's role as a regional hub

Hong Kong is a hub for Asian business and we reflect this – we combine regional reach and deep sector expertise in a single office.

We do this in a number of ways. For example, our teams in Hong Kong all have strong links with, and first-hand experience of, the intricacies of the markets in mainland China, Japan, Korea, South East Asia and other parts of the region.

Recent highlights

Directory and client comments

Directory Listings

Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2023

Band 1 in Aviation: Finance (International Firms)
Band 1 in Banking & Finance (International Firms)
Band 1 in Banking & Finance: Leveraged & Acquisition Finance (International Firms)
Band 1 in Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms)
Band 1 in Competition/Antitrust (International Firms)
Band 1 in Corporate/M&A: The Elite (International Firms)
Band 1 in Financial Services (International Firms)
Band 1 in Investment Funds: Hedge funds (International Firms)
Band 1 in Projects & Infrastructure (International Firms)
Band 1 in Restructuring/ Insolvency (International Firms)

Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024, Hong Kong

Tier 1 in Asset finance (including aviation and shipping finance)
Tier 1 in Banking and finance
Tier 1 in Capital markets (debt)
Tier 1 in Capital markets (equity)
Tier 1 in Dispute resolution: international arbitration
Tier 1 in Investment funds
Tier 1 in Regulatory
Tier 1 Restructuring and insolvency

IFLR 1000 Asia Pacific 33rd edition (2022/ 2023), Hong Kong

Tier 1 in Banking
Tier 1 in Capital markets: Debt
Tier 1 in Capital markets: Equity
Tier 1 in Financial services regulatory
Tier 1 in Hedge funds, Private equity funds, Real estate funds
Tier 1 in Leveraged finance
Tier 1 in M&A
Tier 1 in Private equity
Tier 1 in Project finance
Tier 1 in Restructuring and insolvency

Client comments

"Clifford Chance is very responsive and able to work to tight timeframes. They are very familiar with a wide range of issues that present themselves."
"There were numerous complex structuring issues and the team at Clifford Chance handled them well. They were responsive, attentive and proactive."

Chambers Greater China Region 2023 – Aviation: Finance (International Firms)

"Clifford Chance have very strong capability in handling complex matters. The team shows good communication skills in understanding our business logic throughout negotiations."
"The team is detailed oriented and able to provide constructive ideas on complex structures."
"The CC team supported me well, managing the communication and negotiation with all the key stakeholders."

Chambers Greater China Region 2023 – Banking & Finance (International Firms)

"Clifford Chance are very responsive and extremely efficient. They worked round the clock without any delay throughout our debt issuance process. They do not shy away from any tight schedule and technical issues and always provide their thinking hats to solve the issues in a sensible way."
"The team are very responsive and always available to answer questions and provide guidance. They are also very practical and very commercial."
"The team's commercial awareness was extraordinary. It consisted of partners, senior associates and associates who are qualified in various jurisdictions, with expertise in capital markets legal matters."

Chambers Greater China Region 2022 – Capital Markets : Equity (International Firms)

"They are quite articulate and quite good, with very good experience and a very good work product."
"The team is very professional and dedicated, responds rapidly and fully understands our needs."
"Clifford Chance has good knowledge of the industry our company is in and knows about business models and, as a result, risks are exposed. The firm is well equipped with a team that can offer a holistic assessment, not only from an antitrust perspective but on complex matters and sometimes with another jurisdiction's information as an add-on."
Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2023 – Competition/ Antitrust (International Firms)

"Clifford Chance has an experienced team with a deep understanding of customer needs that spends time with clients to discuss solutions to their goals."
"They are quick to understand the commercials of the matter and that understanding helps the handling of the transaction."
"They always provide a high standard of service."
Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2023 – Corporate/M&A: The Elite (International Firms)

"The Clifford Chance team have demonstrated strong legal strengths throughout the entire arbitration case, clarified multiple complex issues, and helped clients gain key information in the process. They are an international team that is very much in line with the best interests of Chinese clients."
"They are very well positioned to offer a commercial view and consider the different angles. They are always available to respond to an email or call, which provides great comfort."
"The team is quite diversified, with solid experience. They are up to date with the market situation and responsive for urgent issues."
Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2023 – Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (International Firms)

"The team not only considered the cases from the Hong Kong side, but also took into account situations from the mainland side and provided very valuable advice to us. They always considered the commercial angle and gave us feasible advice based on their experiences."
"Our matter involved multiple protracted proceedings with complex issues; in handling these, a proper and practical strategy was of paramount importance in terms of results and costs. The team was able to deliver both. It is a strong team which is very dedicated and hands-on, with good-quality advice and strategy."
"Clifford Chance offers a large multidisciplinary practice with experts in almost every field; they are very service-oriented and responsive."
Chamber & Partners, Greater China Region 2023 – Dispute Resolution: Litigation (International Firms)

"Their deep knowledge in the financial business was very helpful to handle the case, which was specific to the industry. The advice was very clear and easy to understand."
"My experience working with the team has been an exceptionally pleasant one. The team is always responsive and attentive to our needs, with regular follow-ups on the matters."
Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2023 – Financial Services (International Firms)

"The team is able to provide sound solutions to practical problems."
"The team is commercial, practical, responsive and friendly."
Chambers & Partners, Greater China Region 2023 – Investment Funds: Hedge Funds (International Firms)

"Their team is first-class."
"Their performance is consistently well above standard, definitely value for money!"
Chambers & Partner, Greater China Region 2023 – Projects & Infrastructure (International Firms)

"Commercial, practical, responsive and friendly; we can count on Clifford Chance to provide sound advice and guidance."
"They are efficient and very responsive, with clear analysis provided."
Chambers & Partner, Greater China Region 2023 – Restructuring/Insolvency (International Firms)

Awards

Civil Litigation Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2023, 2024
Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2023, 2024
Corporate Citizenship Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2024
Fintech Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2024
Regulation and Investigations Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2024
International Arbitration Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2023
Aviation Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2022
Investment Funds Law Firm of the Year
Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2022
International Firm of the Year
IFLR Asia Pacific 2022
Asia Pacific Law Firm of the Year
Chambers Asia Pacific Awards 2020
China practice of the year - International law firm
IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2020