Profile
Michael’s practice encompasses civil and commercial litigation, with a particular focus on construction, commercial and securities disputes, as well as arbitration. He is a co-author of Construction Law and Practice in Hong Kong and regularly speaks at CPD seminars and lectures on contract and construction law. He also advises and appears in property, winding-up, bankruptcy and IPO-related matters, and is regularly instructed in interlocutory applications.
Michael is frequently instructed on institutional and ad hoc arbitrations, both by solicitors and on a direct access basis. He is a Fellow of CIArb and on the HKIAC List of Arbitrators. His construction and commercial dispute experience includes major infrastructure projects, aviation sales and leasing, and securities services arrangements involving real property developers, Macau casinos, listed companies, and licensed sponsors.
Michael is developing a broad civil and criminal practice. On the criminal side, he has experience conducting trials across a range of offences, including theft, assault, dealing with proceeds of crime, drug-related offences and road traffic matters.
Michael served his pupillage with Mr. Gary Soo at Gary Soo’s Chambers, Mr. Richard Leung at Des Voeux Chambers, and Ms. Catherine Wong and Mr. Clement Lau at Plowman Chambers.
Michael is fluent in Cantonese, English and Mandarin, and has experience drafting legal documents in Chinese.
Selected Cases
+Construction
- Sun Cheong Construction Company Limited v The Incorporated Owners of Tung Chong Factory Building (HCCT 161/2024) – acted for the plaintiff contractor in a construction dispute concerning practical completion, unpaid sums, variations, remeasurement, and alleged defects and leakage arising from repair and waterproofing works at an industrial building (led by Mr. Gary Soo) (on-going)
Insolvency
- Joint and Several Trustees in Bankruptcy of the property of Lau Yu also known as Jaffe Lau v All Powerful Holding Limited & Others (HCA 2289/2018) – successfully acted for the trustees against the bankrupt for setting aside transactions at an undervalue under the Bankruptcy Ordinance (Cap 6) (led by Mr. Richard Leung)
- Re Carnival Group International Holdings Ltd (HCCW 48/2020; [2022] HKCFI 2668) – acted for offshore supporting creditors in the winding-up petition
Property & Conveyancing
- Sunline Investment Ltd. v Team Wealthy Ltd (HCMP 893/2025) – Vendor and Purchaser Summons clarifying the Court’s approach to the Government’s acquiescence in breaches of covenant under a Government Lease over several decades
Securities & Regulation
- Chan Chi Hung v Lai Ieng Man & Others (HCA 1069/2021) – acted for the plaintiff in a securities-related contractual dispute concerning services for procuring an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (led by Mr. Foster Yim)
Arbitration
- HKIAC – successfully acted for the Claimant on a Direct Access basis in a 10-day trial regarding a construction dispute on a remeasurement contract governed by Macau Law for works at a major casino, under Domestic Rules (led by Mr. Richard Leung)
- HKIAC – acted for the Respondent on a Direct Access basis in a securities-related contractual dispute concerning services for procuring an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, including issues relating to the reverse takeover code, under Administered Rules
- HKIAC – successfully acted for the Claimant on a Direct Access basis in an aviation dispute concerning repudiatory breach and forfeiture of pre-delivery payments in an international sale of aircraft, under Administered Rules
- HKIAC – acted for the Claimant on a Direct Access basis in an aviation dispute concerning breach of delivery conditions and misrepresentation regarding the technical status of an aircraft, under Administered Rules
- HKIAC – acted for the Respondent on a Direct Access basis in an aviation dispute regarding outstanding storage charges and lien enforcement over an abandoned aircraft, under Administered Rules
- HKIAC – acted for the Claimant on a Direct Access basis in a commercial dispute involving breach of consignment agreement, under Administered Rules
Memberships & Accreditations
+- Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
- Fellow, Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (FHKIArb)
- Hong Kong Bar Association Bar List (Arbitrators)
- List of Arbitrators, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
- Panel Arbitrator, eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre
- Panel Arbitrator, World Trade Center Macau Arbitration Center
- Committee Member, Committee on Construction Law, Hong Kong Bar Association
- Committee Member, Legal Affairs Committee, Hong Kong Professionals and Senior Executives Association (HKPASEA)
- Council Member, The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong (TIHK)
- President, Supervisory Board, The Taxation Association of Macau (TTAM)
- Board Member, Greater Bay Area Talent Synergy Alliance
Publications / Lectures / Talks
+- Co-author – Construction Law and Practice in Hong Kong, 5th edition (Sweet & Maxwell, 2024)
- Lecturer – Hong Kong Legal Training Institute (HKLTI) – Construction, Tendering and Contract Law (2022 – Present)
- Speaker – The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, Quantity Surveying Division CPD – Statutory Construction Adjudication: Do's, Don'ts and More (2026)
- Speaker – Hong Kong Institution of Engineers / CIPHE / HKBA / Law Society CPD – Advantages of Arbitration in Engineering (2026)
- Speaker – Law Society of Hong Kong CPD – Blockchain for Lawyers: Strict Regulation of Cryptocurrencies and the Boom of NFTs (2021)