Bio
Notable Cases
Awards
Writing
Bio
A qualified solicitor in Hong Kong since 2000, Alfred is skilled in helping individuals and their families manage personal and wealth-related matters, including trust and probate (both contentious and non-contentious), family and mental capacity issues. He was also admitted as a Solicitor of England and Wales in 2002.
He is one of the few probate practitioners in Hong Kong who are vastly experienced in both non-contentious and contentious probate issues. He regularly advises clients on long term estate planning, ranging from the proper drafting of a will to constructing complicated trusts, airtight from any potential perils.
Alfred is appointed by Court as an administrator in estate disputes and advises professional administrators on legal aspects of estate administration, both in Hong Kong and internationally.
In contentious cases, he acts for clients in probate actions, ranging from propounding the Will to having an executor removed. For clients requiring help in estate administration problems such as declaratory relief or disclosure of account, Alfred will apply to Court for the necessary directions and orders.
Alfred’s professional skills are enhanced by his membership of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (“TEP”), and of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is a CEDR accredited Mediator and a Notary Public. His practice is recognized by all major legal publications including the Legal500, Chambers and Partners, Private Client Global Elite, Benchmark Litigation, Who’s Who Legal, Doyle’s Guide and Citywealth.
He is also familiar with legal issues surrounding the LGBT community and marriage equality, and acts for both husband and wife in family issues: from divorce to children matters, from pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements to adoption.
In March 2017, Alfred was appointed to sit as a Deputy District Judge.
Alfred is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. He’s also learning Italian.
Notable Cases
Probate and Estate Management
- Estates of Wong Shing Kwong and Poon Pau Chee – acting on behalf of beneficiaries in applications for accounts, removal of administrator, and interlocutory injunctions.
- Estate of Chan Chung Han – acting for the Court Appointed Administrator in taking various actions against former executor for account, return of assets belonging to the estate and assets freezing injunctions. (HCMP367/2019; HCMP 1912/2013; HCA804/2019; HCMP1615/2020)
- Estate of Lam Kwok Leung – acting for one camp of beneficiaries against the administrator for their shares in the estate on the issue of the deceased’s domicile which affects the application of intestacy rules in different jurisdiction. (HCMP1240/2017)
- Loo Che Chin [2013] 2 HKLRD 739 – applied to pass over the executor appointed by the testator for a group of beneficiaries on the ground of swift and effective administration of the estate. (HCCA3131/2011)
- Estate of Wong Shu Pui – successfully resisted the application to pass over the administrator of the estate on the ground of the alleged bad character. (HCCA2138/2007)
- Estate of Ngan Chow Wah – successfully passed over the widow of the Deceased as administrator.
- Estate of Yeung Wai Him – the Court determined the issue of the Deceased’s marriage and the validity of its purported dissolution. (HCAP11/2013)
- Appointed by the Court as professional Administrator in the Estates of Lai Suet Ching (HCCA1364/2015)C; Chow Kwok Leung (HCMP797/2016); and Leung Kam Wah (HCMP1473/2014).
- TLWM v KDM and KJMC, The Executrices of the Estate of KMC, Deceased — Acting for the claimant for her claim under Cap. 481 (FCMP100/2020)
- SPMK v WCC and Others – Acting for the Claimant in her claim against the Estate of her same sex partner for financial provisions under Cap. 481 (FCMP250/2017)
- IP WOON SHUN, Administrator to the Estate of JULIANA TANG YEE 對 YU SHEK CHONG (alias OLIVER YU) 及另一人 — Acting as administrator taking legal action against the occupier for vacant possession of a real property belonging to the Estate. (HCMP1736/2020)
Family, Matrimonial and Dependant Claims
- PH v DL – dismissed wife’s petition for lack of jurisdiction (FCMC 14153/2019)
- TWS v LWC – acted for wife in seeking interim periodic payment against husband (FCMC 8308/2020)
- LT v M,MD – acted for husband on children issues and costs (FCMC 5131/2020)
- SPMK v WCC and others – applied for interim payment and legal costs provision under Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Ordinance (Cap. 481) (FCMP250/2017)
- CHEUNG WING KUEN, SAMUEL v. IP CHUI SUM – successfully applied for order for sale under Partition Ordinance (Cap. 352) for one party whose relationship with the other co-owner was husband and wife. The Court rejected the wife’s matrimonial claim. (HCMP1981/2020)
Commercial Litigation
- Re Cornwall Agency Company Limited – Acting for the Company in the shareholders’ dispute. The Company is an assets holding vehicle founded by the patriarch and the shareholders are family members who inherit their shares from the patriarch. (HCCW262/2020; HCMP564/2020; HCA617/2020)
- Chan Shu Chun and ors v. Dr Kung Yan Sum and Ors – acting for the 1st Defendant against the claim for, inter alia, deceit and conspiracy to defraud the Plaintiffs. (HCA83/2014)
- Oriental Press Group Limited and Others v. Fevaworks Solutions Limited 16 HKCFAR 366, [2012] – Court of Final Appeal – represented hkgolden.com, one of Hong Kong’s most popular internet forums, in defending claims by Oriental Daily Group in Hong Kong for defamatory comments made on their forums and their founders by internet users on the forum based on innocent dissemination.
- High Fashion New Media Corporation Ltd v. Leong Ma Li – successfully held the Defendant in contempt of Court. (HCA1812/2017)
- Perrine Chamonix Limited – Star League Limited and Ors – successfully sought costs against the opposite party after stopping its premises being used as vice establishment. (HCA1139/2017)
Awards
2024
- Leading Individual in Private Client and Family – The Legal 500
- Recognised for his Contentious Probate & Trusts practice – Private Client Global Elite
2023
- Leading Individual in Private Client and Family – The Legal 500
- Ranked in Private Wealth Disputes (China) – Chambers High Net Worth
- Distinguished Practitioner in Dispute Resolution and Private Client (Recommended Firm) – Asialaw
- Winner of Lawyer of the Year and Firm of the Year Hong Kong SAR Award – Asialaw (Client Choice Awards)
- Highly Recommended firm in Private Client litigation – Benchmark Litigation (2020-2022)
- Recognised for Private Client (highly recommended) and Commercial & Transactions (Litigation Star) – Benchmark Litigation
- Recognised for his Contentious Trusts & Estates and Family & Matrimonial practice – Private Client Global Elite
- Recommended Lawyer for Private Client – Who’s Who Legal
- Pro Bono and Community Service Gold Award – The Law Society of Hong Kong
Previous Years (2014-2022)
- Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution: Litigation – Chambers Asia-Pacific and Chambers Global (2014-2021)
- Ranked in Private Wealth Disputes (China) – Chambers High Net Worth (2021-2022)
- Leading Individual in Private Client and Family – The Legal 500 (2021-2022)
- Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution and Private Client – Asialaw (2018-2022)
- Hong Kong SAR Firm of the Year in Jurisdictional Firms of the Year – Asialaw Awards 2022/23
- Highly Recommended firm in Private Client litigation – Benchmark Litigation (2020-2022)
- Winner of Lawyer of the Year Hong Kong SAR Award – Benchmark Litigation (2020 and 2021)
- First Tier | Estates, Probate & Succession Litigation Lawyer – Doyle’s Guide (2020-2022)
- Recommended Lawyer for Private Client – Who’s Who Legal (2020-2022)
- Recognised for his Private Client practice – Global Elite (2019-2022)
- Recognised for his Contentious Trusts practice – Citywealth’s Leaders List (2021 and 2022)
- Asia Top 15 Private Wealth Lawyers 2022 – Asian Legal Business
- Pro Bono and Community Service Award – The Law Society of Hong Kong (2014-2022)
Writing
Alfred has written an extensive number of publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from Probate and Estate Administration to Mediation, Family and Civil Litigation. He also actively participates in events, conferences and webinars related to his specialisation practice areas.
Alfred edited Atkin’s Court Forms Hong Kong, Probate Edition 2012 and Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents Will Edition 2013. Most recently he has collaborated with LexisNexis on a series of Research & Whitepapers about Family and Private Client issues.
Podcast S1E6 | Family: Divorce and Division of the Matrimonial Pot
References
The Law Society of Hong Kong has presented the 2023 Awards for the Pro-bono and Community Recognition Programme:
- Hugill & Ip – Silver Law Firm Award
- Individual Gold Award: Alfred Ip (Woon Shun), Frances Tsang (Fan Ching)
- Individual Silver Award: Raphael Wong, Saajandeep Singh, Jeffrey Chan
- Individual Bronze Award: Adam Hugill, Gary Wong, Harry Tang
Three of Hugill & Ip partners ranked as Legal 500 Leading Individuals in the following practice areas:
- Alfred Ip and Caroline McNally for Private Client and Family
- Adam Hugill for Labour and Employment
Moreover, the firm is also recognized in Commercial, Corporate and M&A for the independent Hong Kong law firms category.
Three of Hugill & Ip partners ranked as Asialaw Distinguished Practitioner in the following practice areas:
- Adam Hugill for Labour and Employment (Highly Recommended Firm)
- Alfred Ip for Private Client and Dispute Resolution (Recommended Firm)
- Christopher Hooley for Corporate and M&A (Notable Firm)
Alfred Ip of Hugill & Ip Solicitors offers a range of services to high net worth clients, including trust and probate-related matters, along with estate administration. He is often appointed by courts as an administrator in estate disputes, and is also a qualified solicitor in England and Wales.
Strengths
“Alfred is excellent and has a very good feel for the systems and courts.”
Hugill & Ip has been ranked by Benchmark Litigation in the following practice areas:
- Highly Recommended for Private Client
- Recommended in Labor and Employment
- Tier 3 for Commercial and Transactions
Adam Hugill and Alfred Ip are rated Litigation Stars and Geraint Ho Future Star. Hugill & Ip is recognised for its work in dispute resolution and the firm has a distinct focus on employment and private client litigation. The firm is also increasingly involved in general commercial disputes. Key names in the dispute resolution team include partners Alfred Ip and Adam Hugill, who led most of the cases worked on during the research period.
Two of Hugill & Ip partners ranked as Chambers and Partners Greater China Region Leading Individuals (Band 2) in the following practice areas:
- Adam Hugill for Employment: Hong Kong-based (International Firms) (Band 4 Firm)
- Christopher Hooley for Corporate/M&A: Independent Hong Kong Firms – China
Moreover, Alfred Ip is recognized with Band 2 ranking in Private Wealth Disputes – China in Chambers High Net Worth.
Two of Hugill & Ip partners ranked as Legal 500 Leading Individuals in the following practice areas:
- Alfred Ip for Private Client and Family (Tier 2 Firm)
- Adam Hugill for Labour and Employment (Tier 3 Firm)
Moreover, the firm is recognized with Tier 3 ranking in Commercial, Corporate and M&A for the independent Hong Kong law firms category.
The Law Society of Hong Kong has presented the 2022 Awards for the Pro-bono and Community Recognition Programme:
- Hugill & Ip – Gold Law Firm Award
- Individual Gold Award: Alfred Ip (Ip Woon Shun 葉煥信) – Individual Gold Award
- Individual Silver Award: Raphael Wong
- Individual Bronze Award: Adam Hugill, Gary Wong, Jacqueline Cheng, Geraint Ho, Andrea Cheung, Harry Tang and Jeffrey Chan
Three of Hugill & Ip partners ranked as Asialaw Distinguished Practitioner in the following practice areas:
- Adam Hugill for Labour and Employment (Highly Recommended Firm)
- Alfred Ip for Private Client and Dispute Resolution (Recommended Firm)
- Christopher Hooley for Corporate and M&A (Notable Firm)
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