Hugill & Ip, Solicitors Continues to Expand its Practice – Enhancing Private Client & Family and Employment Flagship Areas

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach – 9 October 2019 – In the past twelve
months the firm has experienced tremendous growth, doubling its overall
workforce and expanded to six partners.

The firm’s headcount has grown to thirty, with plans to add more
solicitors with a focus on the Family practice area. However, it still wishes
to remain an extremely focused boutique firm which offers bespoke legal
services, while keeping a readily adaptable attitude, an innovative approach
and a great value for its clients.

Jonathan Gray, a dispute
resolution specialist, joined in September 2019.  Jonathan acts on a wide range of general
commercial disputes covering both litigation and arbitration. He also advises
on both contentious and non-contentious employment law matters.

At the same time, Carmen Tang was promoted to
Partner. Carmen has been with the firm since the start. After working as
regulatory counsel for both the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and legal
counsel with the Hong Kong Law Society, she returned to private practice in
2017 focusing on Dispute Resolution and Data Privacy.

Carmen has said: “Recently, the Economist reminds us that the world’s valuable
resource is no longer oil, but data.  Every single day people from all
walks of life explore ways on how to generate revenue from personal data
collected. That said, just because big data is now cheaper and easily
accessible does not mean that data users can use personal data without respect.
While we still have no idea when the Privacy Commissioner will be conferred
with direct prosecution power in Hong Kong, we are happy to see that Mr.
Stephen Wong has embarked on a new approach to privacy and data protection
since he was appointed around four years ago. Organizations that put data
ethics as their highest priority will reap long term benefits.“

Alfred Ip — one of the
founding partners of the firm — has commented: “We have seen a remarkable
expansion of our practice, particularly involving Family — including prenups,
separation agreements, divorce and child custody arrangements — and Estate
Planning for individuals, including certain High-Net-Worth clients.  Everyone should be concerned about estate
planning which doesn’t just mean dealing with money, but also making provision
for children, families and loved ones — even pets!

Critically,
the demographic shift is in favour of setting-up trusts and carefully planned
estates, especially those that need to take into consideration generational
family business transitions“.

Labour
& Employment is a crucial area of development for the other founding
partner of the firm – Adam
Hugill — who has
seen tremendous growth in advisory work in the ‘gig-economy’ and novel business
structures focused around new technology. He said: “In addition to workplace
issues, bonuses disputes, misconduct and terminations, issues regarding discrimination
and harassment have increased largely due to increased social awareness about
these issues.

In the
tightening economic environment, we have seen a greater willingness for
employers to aggressively protect their businesses, including through the rigorous
enforcement of confidentiality obligations and restrictive covenants,
especially when faced with high-profile defections and team-moves.

In Hong
Kong, employment lawyers and HR advisors are expected to be able to
handle matters across multiple jurisdictions, so staying on top of
employment-related legal developments within the Asia Pacific region and
finding creative solutions”.

Bespoke Legal Solutions

Hugill & Ip’s view is long term and endeavours to build
lasting client relationships based on trust, professionalism and discretion.

A young independent law firm, yet its lawyers bring decades of
experience providing tailor-made legal advice and exceptional client service to
individuals, families, entrepreneurs and businesses, in Hong Kong and internationally.

https://www.hugillandip.com