Legal Updates

  • Recent UK Supreme Court’s decisions touching on key elements of vicarious liability

    Introduction Vicarious liability is a long-established legal principle which imposes liability on an employer for the wrongful act committed by its employee against another person during the course of the employee’s employment. The rationale of such legal principle aims at a fairer allocation of risk…Read More

  • COVID-19: Managing Data Ethics in a Pandemic

    In times of stress, you don’t rise to peak performance, you fall to the level of your training. There is a global pandemic. There is quite a lot of stress about. Governments and public institutions are looking for technology solutions to help. Is a balanced…Read More

  • Can the novel coronavirus form a defence to international child abduction?

    An interesting decision is now available in respect of a child removed by her mother from Spain, her place of habitual residence and the subsequent application by her father for her return brought under legislation incorporating the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child…Read More

  • Hong Kong Wage Subsidy Update – Further details on Employment Support Scheme (ESS) provided in Finance Committee Discussion Paper

    UPDATE 5: 12 June 2020 – Hong Kong Wage Subsidy Update 5 – Reminder: Deadline to apply for 1st tranche of Employment Support Scheme (ESS) closes on Sunday, 14 June 2020 at 23:59 HKT UPDATE 4: 19 May 2020 – Hong Kong Wage Subsidy Update…Read More

  • Corporate Meetings During Social Distancing

    Work-from-home arrangements. Restrictions on travel. No gatherings of four people or more. COVID-19 has changed how we work, live and socialise. The pandemic has also affected how companies conduct their corporate governance. We are now in financial reporting season when companies are convening board and…Read More

  • Is COVID-19 an event of force majeure?

    Does COVID-19 allow you to get out of your contract on the grounds of force majeure? We have been asked this question several times in recent weeks. COVID-19 has hurt many businesses and has stopped contract performance in its tracks in many instances. Does that…Read More

  • Challenging Capital Reductions by Hong Kong Companies

    Until recently, a Hong Kong incorporated company was allowed to reduce its share capital only with the approval of the court.  In 2014, the new Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) introduced a new court-free procedure to allow a company to reduce its capital by passing a…Read More

  • Practical steps in tackling sexual harassment in the workplace

    The UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (the UK counterpart to the Hong Kong’s Equal Opportunities Commission) recently published a guideline under the Equality Act to address the specific issues of sexual harassment and harassment at work (the “Guide”).[1] Although the statutory framework of the…Read More

  • Senior Arbitration / Construction Arbitration Lawyer (8-15 PQE)

    Please note: This role has been filled. Tanner De Witt is looking for an experienced Arbitration Lawyer to assist in building and leading an Arbitration practice within its Hong Kong office. The firm has a critical mass of existing Arbitration work and attracts work through its…Read More

  • Happy Easter 2020!

    The team at Tanner De Witt wishes you a Happy Easter! To get the (remote) festivities started, the Easter Bunny has hidden five Easter eggs in five images across the website. The first two to identify all five photos will win a prize! E-mail [email protected]…Read More

  • Wage subsidy and employment relief announced in second round of Anti-epidemic fund

    UPDATE 5: 12 June 2020 – Hong Kong Wage Subsidy Update 5 – Reminder: Deadline to apply for 1st tranche of Employment Support Scheme (ESS) closes on Sunday, 14 June 2020 at 23:59 HKT UPDATE 4: 19 May 2020 – Hong Kong Wage Subsidy Update…Read More

  • Tanner De Witt wins China Business Law Award 2020

    We are delighted to announce that our firm has won an industry award from the China Business Law Journal’s China Business Law Awards 2020.  This accolade is a feature of the April issue of China Business Law Journal. The China Business Law Awards are an aggregation of…Read More