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.
Private Client and Family (Tier 2 Firm)
Described as ‘the market leader in niche practice areas of private client, management of family wealth, trusts, probate and estates litigation’, Hugill & Ip continues to leverage its commercial litigation and private client team’s capabilities to provide specialist and focussed advice to prominent families and high-net-worth individuals in Hong Kong and Greater China. The firm’s practice also covers family law matters, regularly advising on issues such as nuptial agreements, divorce and adoption. Regarded as ‘the top litigator in Hong Kong’, Alfred Ip leads the team and has a strong regional reputation, especially for his expertise regarding trusts and estate planning. The team welcomed litigators Caroline McNally and Kajal Aswani in November 2023, both joined from Gall in November 2023.
Testimonials
‘Alfred Ip and Geraint Ho are highly responsible and their advice is always on point. They are able to grasp complex issues and distill it in a concise and easy to understand manner.’
‘Hugill & Ip is a boutique law firm, and is the market leader in niche practice areas of private client, management of family wealth, trusts, probate and estates litigation. It has one of the highest concentration of such cases in the market. With its energetic and client-oriented approach in terms of case management and problem solving, it breathes new life into what is otherwise a conventional area of law.’
‘Alfred Ip is consistently regarded as the top litigator in Hong Kong in the area of trusts, estates and private client disputes.’
‘Sophisticated and thorough knowledge of private client issues. Alfred Ip and Jacqueline Cheng are service oriented and knowledgeable.’
‘They have a truly rounded team – with expertise in trusts and estates, as well as the whole gamut of family disputes. They focus on strategic solutions, and are not afraid to give clients frank advice. They are very well resourced and have excellent partner-associate support.’
‘Alfred Ip is the best trusts and estates solicitor in Hong Kong and has quickly become highly respected for his family work. He has a strategic and aggressive mind that allows him to solve the unsolvable. He understands business better than any of the other family lawyers and can arrange an effective team to execute. He has unparalleled technical ability and experience across the different areas of private client law that make him incomparable.’
‘Raphael Wong is the leading associate in this firm. He has excellent judgement and and a superb worth ethic. He has a very bright future indeed.’
‘HIP is a more boutique firm so lawyers are more hands-on and accessible. A younger firm with younger lawyers.’
‘Caroline McNally has a fantastic legal mind and is one of the foremost family litigators in Hong Kong. She thinks many steps ahead and always puts her clients in the best possible position.’
‘Caroline McNally is the most respected practitioner in family practice. She has seen and done it all before and she knows how to get things done. She is strategically patient and will not allow the client to do something that will hurt them in the long term. She is excellent in negotiations – a real pokerface.’
‘Kajal Aswani is very experience and gives excellent strategic advice. She is highly respected and always gives sensible and strategic advice to her clients.’
‘Kajal Aswani is the go-to when you need someone to represent a related party and you need a strong pair of hands. She excels in her careful and humane handling of clients, understanding their issues and helping them to see through the worst storms.’
‘Catherine Tso is a wonderful family lawyer. She provides very high-quality and detailed work to her clients.’
Work highlights
- Acted for a client in successfully obtaining and injunction, and successfully continued the injunction despite being contested, against the trustee of the family trust for disposing of the trust assets pending final determination.
- Acting for a company in a dispute among family members on the redevelopment of the property held by the company valued at HK$749m.
- Acting for professionals in managing the financial affairs of the MIP when her children are in multiple legal proceedings regarding assets disposition made in the course of her alleged incapacity.
Labour and Employment (Tier 3 Firm)
At Hugill & Ip, the employment team, spearheaded by Adam Hugill, offers comprehensive coverage of both contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. This encompasses a wide range of issues such as individual and collective terminations, high-profile transfers, and labour restructurings. As well as exhibiting particular vigour in catering to senior employees within the financial services sector, the team is heavily involved in several prominent cases involving equal opportunity and discrimination, a facet relatively uncommon within the Hong Kong market.
Testimonials
‘Good diversity.’
‘Standout partners and professional services.’
‘This is a growing employment practice in Hong Kong. Having set up a few years ago, it has gone from strength to strength under Adam Hugill’s guidance.’
‘Adam Hugill is very hands-on. Despite having a busy diary, he always manages to take on new matters.’
‘Adam Hugill is responsive, sensible and skilled.’
‘Adam Hugill is of good quality.’
Work highlights
- Advising client on defending claims for HK$17.5m for wrongful dismissal.
- Acting for Cunnington in defending a High Court appeal by Qantex following Cunnington obtaining a HK$5.5m judgment against Qantex in the Labour Tribunal.
- Acting for former footballers of R&F Football Club in connection with claims for the unpaid balance of their fixed term contracts and various other statutory termination payments following their wrongful and unreasonable dismissal and the subsequent liquidation of the Club.
Commercial, Corporate and M&A: Independent Hong Kong Law Firms (Tier 3 Firm)
The team at Hugill & Ip acts for both regional and global enterprises in public and private M&A, tax, and restructuring matters. Christopher Hooley has broad knowledge of cross-border transactional issues and corporate financings, while Jade Tang frequently assists clients with joint ventures and M&A. Gary Wong acts for funds, individuals, and companies in matters concerning investments and licensing.
Work highlights
- Advised on the New Saxon HengTong (Huawei Group) joint venture, a technology driven marine installation company. The firm has also been involved in negotiations and upgrading of certain technical services agreements, relating in part to UJ Jointing.
- Acting for a client in a EUR 100m deal concerning of Project Gamma, for the acquisition of a DS-E business. The transactions involved shares purchases, asset deal and transfer of employees on different levels.
- Acted for a client in the successful bid, subcontracting, insurance, and risk assessment of the Hong Kong $800 m facility control systems for the Hong Kong International Airport Third Runway Project.