Mirroring the firm’s global market-leading expertise in the insurance sector, Clyde & Co LLP‘s Hong Kong team ‘provides a consistently high quality of work’ to leading insurers on the defence of some of the largest claims in the market. Vastly experienced team head Simon McConnell continues to take the lead on many high-profile matters, including in relation to financial lines disputes, work which he undertakes alongside his duties as Chair of the Asia Pacific Board. Patrick Perry ‘provides detailed analysis of the key issues at hand’ and is a popular choice among insurers in relation to high-value professional negligence claims as well as on coverage disputes. Joyce Chan is one of the primary practitioners in the team for non-contentious matters and excels at handling M&A and regulatory work in the sector. At counsel level, the ‘detailed and responsive’ Jessica Lee and Michelle Ho are also recommended.

Leveraging an ‘excellent understanding of the regulatory regime in Hong Kong’, the versatile team at Johnson Stokes & Master excels at handling a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters for many leading insurance companies and brokers. On the litigation front it has ‘extensive experience in handling complex claims/catastrophic incidents’, with Angela Yim having acted for the insureds (through their insurers) on many such cases. Yim is also very active in relation to employees compensation and professional indemnity matters. Tow Lu Lim also advises on professional negligence issues (including those relating to solicitors, architects and auditors), in addition to handling a considerable amount of regulatory work, as well as advising clients on cyber security breaches. Marina Fung, who co-heads the team alongside Yim and Ling, has an eclectic insurance litigation offering, including as it relates to motor liability, public liability and employee compensation claims.

Insurance and reinsurance specialists Kennedys has the strength-in-depth to handle a tremendous range and volume of primarily contentious matters for many of the largest insurers/reinsurers in the market. This size and specialism has allowed the team to have developed separate sub-specialisms, key among these is the firm’s pre-eminent financial lines offering. This is headed up by Joanie Ko , who not only has vast knowledge of defending professional indemnity and directors and officers (D&O) claims but is also highly skilled at handling cyber incident response services and coverage advice. The ‘very client-focused and pragmatic’ Meiling Yip  and Wilson Tam co-head the acclaimed liability defence offering which handles a myriad personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries (including those sustained at work) as well as workplace harassment and bullying claims. Led by Sandy Cho and Christine Tsang , the team also excels in contentious healthcare matters, while Hong Kong managing partner Richard Bates  takes the lead on much of the non-contentious work for life, health and general insurers.

Combining strong regulatory nous with superb transactional skills, and also able to leverage the expertise of practitioners in other key financial centres, including New York and London, the 'lean but effective' team at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP provides 'practical advice' to insurance companies on M&A and capital markets work in the sector. 'Outstanding' team head Edwin Northover has 'good commercial sense' which he effectively deploys on many high-profile deals, including his work for Sun Life in connection with its Series B2 follow-on investment in Bowtie Life Insurance Company. The 'very analytical' Jan Buschmann has deep insurance and reinsurance regulatory knowledge which he implements to good effect in a standalone advisory capacity as well as in the context of M&A and commercial arrangements in the sector.

With panel appointments to many of the largest insurance companies in the region, RPC is very active in relation to a myriad contentious insurance matters where it can also leverage the firm’s broader commercial litigation function, should the need arise. Professional indemnity work is a particular strength, with team head Antony Sassi and the ‘very responsive’ Samuel Hung often engaged in high-profile matters, particularly on behalf of accountants in major disputes involving allegations of negligence in the audit process. Splitting her time between Hong Kong and Singapore, Carmel Green is noted for her financial lines disputes work, while on the non-contentious front  Andrew Carpenter regularly advises on transactional and regulatory work in the sector, including as it relates to insurtech.

Although it does handle some investigatory/enforcement work in the sector, Baker McKenzie is best-known for its ability to provide 'practical legal advice' to general and life insurance companies across a myriad non-contentious matters. Team head Martin Tam is 'an expert in the insurance regulatory field', and is consequently regularly involved in standalone advisory matters as well as on corporate and restructuring transactional work in the sector.

Led by the 'extremely bright' Alfred Tam, one of many in the team with fluent Chinese language capabilities, Deacons has excellent ties with many Mainland Chinese insurance companies and is very active at handling a myriad insurance litigation. Personal injury is a key source of work for Tam, as is employees compensation matters, with Tam noted for his 'deep understanding of the law' and ability to provide 'solutions-oriented advice'. Other key members of the team include the 'very approachable' Gere Sit, and the 'very responsive' Gary Lui.

The ‘professional and responsive’ team at Howse Williams has ‘deep industry knowledge’, ensuring it is a popular choice with insurance/reinsurance companies across a range of contentious and non-contentious work, including on policy drafting, coverage issues and regulatory matters. Marine and healthcare are particularly fertile areas of strength, with name partner Chris Howse active in disputes across both sectors. David Kan and Bernard Murphy are also pivotal to the firm’s success in the healthcare space, with clients also benefiting from their dual legal and medical qualifications. The ‘thorough and experienced’ Michael Withington is also a key member of the team and excels in handling professional negligence defence work.

Combining 'deep understanding of the insurance sector' with overarching maritime industry knowledge, Ince & Co is a popular choice among insurers and P&I Clubs in large-scale shipping insurance disputes, where they are  'frequently chosen to manage intricate commercial disputes that span multiple jurisdictions'. The 'hardworking and approachable' Rosita Lau is a 'tough and forceful litigator', and regularly achieves successful outcomes for clients including in large-scale collisions. She is also active on the non-contentious front, including on the drafting of insurance policies, as well as regulatory issues regarding applications for authorisation and license to operate in Hong Kong. Kelvin Lee  co-heads the team alongside Lau and 'demonstrates exceptional capability in analysing complex issues both in laws and facts'. 

Acting on its own as well as often alongside other regional firmwide offices, the 'commercial and technical' multidisciplinary team at Linklaters has 'a very strong knowledge of the industry and the market', ensuring it is a popular choice on single jurisdictional and cross-border insurance-related transactions. Vastly experienced team head Matthew Middleditch provides 'sensible and commercial advice' on insurance M&A, as well as on insurance distribution matters - where he has been involved in many high-profile bancassurance matters.

Noted for its 'strategic litigation planning, meticulous case management, and effective courtroom advocacy', Minter Ellison 'consistently delivers outstanding results' across a range of insurance litigation. Team head Nathan Dentice is key to much of this work, including on behalf of Law Society of Hong Kong in the defence of professional negligence claims brought against member solicitors. Dentice also has deep traction among industry bodies including Actuarial Society of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Federation of Insurers. Senior associate Iris Cheng  is also a key member of the team who delivers 'clear, concise and professional' advice across a range of contentious and regulatory advisory issues.

Led by corporate partner Amy Ho  and also frequently drawing from other core office wide practice groups, including litigation, regulatory and capital markets, Clifford Chance provides a multi-disciplinary approach to insurance clients of the firm. Ho is particularly effective at advising on insurance M&A as well as on corporate reorganisations in the sector. The practice is also well-placed to handle cross-border mandates by virtue of its vast international network.

Deploying a multi-disciplinary approach to work in the space that leans upon the regulatory, corporate and commercial litigation teams, in particular, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP is able to handle a wide-range of contentious, transactional and regulatory work in the insurance sector. Team head Gareth Thomas regularly handles litigation for insurers and for corporates bringing claims against insurers, and also regularly reviews insurance policies which he does so through a litigation lens.

Led by the ‘very responsive’ Gordon Gardiner , HFW has an ‘excellent all-round aviation insurance practice’ that regularly acts for major regional airlines as policyholders in handling large-scale aviation incidents. The firm also handles other liability work within the sector, including for cargo terminals, ground handlers, and airports, with many of the cases involving multi-jurisdictional issues. Senior associate Sammy Beedan has ‘excellent problem-solving skills’ and is also a key member of the team.

Tapping into deep industry knowledge and leveraging the expertise of practitioners across the firm's full-service practice offering, Norton Rose Fulbright delivers a multi-disciplinary approach to clients in the sector. For transactional work, Charles Bremner regularly handles regional insurance M&A, while capital markets lead Psyche Tai  has recent experience for underwriters in relation to an insurtech company IPO. Bremner co-heads the team alongside Daniel Ng, who has some experience of handling contentious insurance work as part of his broader commercial litigation offering.

Under the leadership of commercial litigator Asha Sharma, Reed Smith Richards Butler LLP is best-known for its contentious insurance expertise, with work spanning professional indemnity claims, as well as a considerable volume of marine insurance for P&I clubs and shipowners in litigation throughout Greater China. Steve Tam is also a pivotal team member concerning contentious issues and maintains a strong emphasis on regulatory and disciplinary matters.