Our Team

We are dedicated to becoming your trusted advisor and look forward to meeting you to understand and cater to your legal needs.

Adrian Li

Founder & Principal

Adrian Li is the founder and principal of our Firm. He has over 13 years of experience as a legal practitioner in Hong Kong. With his extensive knowledge and expertise that intersect law, business, entrepreneurship and finance, Adrian is ideally positioned to serve as your full-service advisor.

Adrian received his training and worked at leading international firms, Clifford Chance and Davis Polk & Wardwell in Hong Kong and Beijing. He represented banks, sponsors, hedge funds, multi-national corporations and executives on a variety of corporate, commercial, regulatory and financing matters. His representative client matters also include handling disputes, HKMA/SFC contentious and non-contentious issues issues and white-collar criminal investigations.

Adrian Li is a multi-disciplinary lawyer, dedicated to helping clients achieve their corporate and individual objectives while navigating legal and regulatory risks. He is committed to providing clear, timely and practical advice to all his clients.

Adrian passed the 2022 Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination and now practices Chinese law at Guangdong Guanghe Law Firm (廣東廣和律師事務所), serving the nine Mainland municipalities within the Greater Bay Area. Guanghe is a full-service law firm with  26 offices in Mainland China and a team of over 900 lawyers across all major practice areas.  These include corporate and commercial, securities and capital markets, dispute resolution, intellectual property, real estate development and conveyancing, shipping and maritime law, employment law and family law. 

Beyond his legal practice, Adrian harbours a deep passion for venture capital and private equity investing. He has invested in innovative and impactful early-stage ventures that hold significant potential to effect change and promote equality. Adrian serves as the Managing Partner of a private fund.

Adrian is also a Civil Celebrant of Marriages under section 5A of the Marriage Ordinance (Cap. 181).

General Corporate and Commercial Matters

  • Advised a leading global independent provider of corporate, private client and retirement planning services and professional trustee on Hong Kong law-governed trusts-related arrangements in respect of high-net-worth clients, including advice on distributions of trust assets
  • Advised a leading global cargo and passenger general sales & service agent (GSSA) on a range of corporate and commercial matters, including advising on joint ventures with counterparties in Chile, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, drafting/negotiating confidentiality agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, shareholders’ agreements, strategic collaboration/framework agreements
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based family office on a range of secured and unsecured money lending activities in Hong Kong
  • Advised a Hong Kong property management company and owner of properties on a range of real estate-related transactions, including commercial leases or tenancy agreements, surrender agreements and sale and purchase agreements
  • Advised a Hong Kong and Macau-based luxury timepiece retailer on its exit negotiations with a leading Swiss watchmaker brand, as well as its distribution strategy and agreements for certain high-end bespoke jewellery
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based luxury timepiece retailer on its online sales and consignment agreements
  • Advised a leading Hong Kong model agency on various commercial contracts, agency agreements and related disputes with its models, as well as their data privacy policies, personal information collection statements and potential data breach response strategies
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based SaaS provider and market leader of restaurant ordering and payment options (QR codes based order and self-service kiosks) on various commercial agreements with counterparties and internal documentation, including employment and service agreements
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based innovative NFT minting and launch platform on the creation, minting and launch of an NFT series by a renowned photographer and director, including drafting User Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and providing guidance on transaction arrangements with digital wallets and compliance-related issues
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based consultancy services company in respect of financial planning, overseas migration and NFT related products and services on its service agreements and dealings with counterparties
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based full-service automotive service centre (as sole and exclusive agent) in connection with the provision of maintenance, repair and overall vehicles and equipment services for autonomous cars to the Hong Kong International Airport
  • Advised a Hong Kong technology-enabled corporate services and accounting services provider and over ten of its clients on a range of corporate and commercial issues, including corporate governance (directors’ duties and shareholder rights); employment advice; regulatory compliance; corporate finance; and general contract law advice
  • Advised a Hong Kong retailer chain of women’s footwear on the full range of corporate documents, including its employment contracts, confidentiality agreements and undertakings, partnership/collaboration agreements with third parties and internal legal templates and policies

Private M&A

  • Advised a Hong Kong asset management company (as buyer) on its acquisition of a company providing financial risk ratings (SFC Type 10 Regulated Activity) and financial data analytics services, including conducting legal due diligence, drafting/negotiating share purchase agreement and ancillary documents
  • Advised a leading global cargo and passenger general sales & service agent (GSSA) (as buyer) on its acquisition of a Netherlands-incorporated air traffic control services company, including reviewing of sale and purchase documentation, issuance of legal opinion and attending to international document authentication and legalisation matters
  • Advised a Hong Kong media and entertainment company (as seller) on its sale of an affiliate company to a leading regional media and entertainment company, being the licence holder of a licensed space with the Western Kowloon Cultural District Authority, including facilitating legal due diligence matters, reviewing/negotiating sale and purchase agreements and ancillary documents and attending to matters in connection with Governmental approvals
  • Advised a high-net-worth individual (as buyer) in the purchase of the entire shares of a Hong Kong-incorporated company holding a luxury real estate property in Hong Kong, including conducting legal due diligence, reviewing financial due diligence, drafting/negotiating sale and purchase agreement (and ancillary documents) and attending to conveyancing and stamp duty-related matters
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based angel investor in the subscription of shares in a Singaporean-based manufacturer and retailer of leather goods, including drafting/negotiating the investment agreement and shareholder agreement
  • Advised founders of a Hong Kong consulting company on its structured sale of shares in its company, including considerations as to hybrid equity/loan structures and phased share subscriptions
  • Advised sellers/buyers in the purchase of various Hong Kong properties, including drafting/reviewing of sale and purchase agreements, deeds of assignment and licence agreements and attending to conveyancing related matters

Finance and Banking Transactions

  • Advised issuers and underwriters in both public and private debt and equity transactions, including initial public offerings
  • Advised international banks, Chinese state-owned banks and corporate borrowers on cross-border banking transactions, including acquisition financing, pre-IPO financing and export/import financing
  • Advised buy-side clients in negotiating derivatives trading documentation and with respect to regulatory developments affecting the derivatives markets
  • Advised Hong Kong-based companies in respect of pre-IPO financing and restructuring for the purposes of a US IPO, including advising on share subscription agreements and shareholder agreements
  • Advised a Hong Kong data analytics company on fundraising matters, including drafting and negotiating a Hong Kong law-governed simple agreement for future equity (“SAFE” financing document)
  • Advised regional corporate borrowers in respect of the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme guaranteed by The HKMC Insurance Limited
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based importer of goods on bank escrow arrangements with a Swiss financial intermediary, including reviewing and advising on escrow agent agreement

Regulatory / Compliance and White Collar Criminal Investigations

  • Advised regional commercial banks, broker dealers, investment managers and investment advisers on regulatory, licensing and compliance matters in respect of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Limited
  • Advised Hong Kong-based financial services companies on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing policies and procedures and compliance with data privacy laws and regulations
  • Advised a leading Australia-based full-service stockbroking and wealth management services provider and its Hong Kong subsidiary on SFC regulatory and compliance-related matters
  • Advised international banks, private banks, IPO sponsors, broker-dealers, corporations and individuals on a range of regulatory investigations led by the SFC and HKMA, including as to anti-money laundering, insider dealing and market manipulation, etc.

Employment Matters

  • Advised regional employers and senior executives of multinational corporations on employment-related issues in respect of rights under employment contracts and internal policies, the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) and the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (282), including advising on claims involving the Employees’ Compensation Division and Labour Tribunal
  • Advised employers on employment-related issues and handling of formal complaints with the Employment Agencies Administration of the Labour Department (EAA), including attendance at investigation interviews by the EAA
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based fintech company on its employment agreement templates and confidentiality agreements
  • Advised a Hong Kong-based boutique dental clinic on its employment disputes with its employee, as well as standardising the internal employment agreement and termination agreement templates
  • Advised executives on the General Employment Policy and Top Talent Pass Scheme with the Immigration Department of The Government of the HKSAR

Dispute Resolution and Contentious Matters

  • Represented a high-net-worth client on his claim against and settlement with a regional securities broker dealer in connection with various potential unauthorised transactions
  • Advised a leading Hong Kong photographer on intellectual property rights infringement and settlement of commercial dispute with a leading global leisure, entertainment and cruise operations/hospitality corporation
  • Advised various landlords of Hong Kong properties on disputes and settlements with tenants

Solicitor, High Court of Hong Kong, 2011

Licensed Representative, Securities and Futures Commission, 2014 (non-practicing)

Civil Celebrant of Marriages, 2021

Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination, 2022

Clifford Chance, 2009-2013

Davis Polk & Wardwell, 2015-2017

First Asia Finance Group Limited, 2017-2021

Adrian Li & Co., Solicitors, 2021-present

Guangdong Guanghe Law Firm, 2024-present

LLB (Hons.) King’s College London, 2008
(Kingsley Napley Prize Winner)

AKC, King’s College London, 2008

PCLL, University of Hong Kong, 2009

MSc in Global Finance, HKUST Business School & NYU Stern School of Business, 2014

Private Wealth Management, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, 2018

MSt in Entrepreneurship, University of Cambridge (King’s College),  2021

Adrian is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Tel: (852) 2156 1108 

Email: adrian.li@al-legal.co

Cyndi Chan

Consultant

Cyndi Chan is a consultant at the Firm and specialises in general corporate and commercial law.

Cyndi obtained her training at Zhong Lun Law Firm, where she rotated in Corporate Finance, Commercial, Trust & Private Wealth, and Litigation departments. She has experience drafting corporate and commercial legal documents, as well as handling dispute resolution and litigation matters.

Solicitor, High Court of Hong Kong, 2019

Zhong Lun Law Firm, 2017-2020

Adrian Li & Co., Solicitors, 2023-present

LLB (Hons.), City University of Hong Kong, 2016

PCLL, City University of Hong Kong, 2017

Cyndi is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Email: cyndi.chan@al-legal.co

Ava Wu

Paralegal

Ava Wu serves as paralegal of our Firm and handles a variety of legal tasks. Ava’s responsibilities include conducting legal research, drafting legal documents and correspondence, conducting due diligence in respect of mergers and acquisitions transactions, organising client files and handling other administrative matters.

Ava has gained experience working at the Department of Investigation and Supervision of The People’s Procuratorates of the People’s Republic of China in Shanwei, Guangdong Province, where she was responsible for managing and supervising various civil and criminal investigations.

Ava possesses an in-depth understanding of international legal topics such as Commercial Law, Economic Law and Intellectual Property Law, gained through her LLB and LLM studies. Ava’s practical experience and expertise help enable her to effectively assist our Team and clients alike.

National Unified Legal Professional Qualification Examination, The People’s Republic of China, 2022

The People’s Procuratorates of the People’s Republic of China (Shanwei, Guangdong), 2017

Adrian Li & Co., Solicitors, 2023-present

LLB, China University of Political Science and Law, 2021

LLM, Hamburg of University, Germany, 2022

Ava is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. 

Email: ava.wu@al-legal.co

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