Russell Bennett

02Dec2024

Legal Update – MMT sanctions against China Forestry Holdings Company Limited CEO for market misconduct – order to disgorge HKD353,430,000

On 28 November 2024, the Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) announced that the Market Misconduct Tribunal (“MMT”) ordered: 1) Mr. Li Han Chun, the former chief executive officer of China Forestry Holdings Company Limited (“China Forestry”), formerly listed on the Main Board of the Stock…Read More

13Nov2024

Legal Update: Damages awarded for employee’s breach of fiduciary duties

In Green Light Multiplex Co. Ltd v Lam Shi Yan and Another [2024] HKCFI 2101, the Court of First Instance considered a dispute of an employee being alleged of breaching his fiduciary duties and an employer being alleged of breaching the implied duty of mutual…Read More

25Oct2024

Legal Update: Key Points on Employment Issues from 2024 Policy Address

In the 2024 policy address by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, a number of notable employment related issues were mentioned. We summarise the key issues below: Statutory Severance/ Long Service Payment Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund Statutory Minimum Wage Employment Ordinance Russell…Read More

15Oct2024

Legal Update: The Court confirms that employer’s duty of trust and confidence does not apply to the right to terminate

In the recent decision of Yang Zhizhong v Nomura International (Hong Kong) Limited [2024] HKCFI 2192 handed down by the Court of First Instance, the employer was successful in defending against the claims of breaches of implied terms of the employment contract. In that case,…Read More

09Oct2024

Overview of Anti-Discrimination Laws in Hong Kong

By way of summary, we set out below a brief overview of major aspects of the laws relating to unlawful discrimination and harassment in Hong Kong. Where relevant we have also embedded links to other more detailed descriptions of aspects of the law governing these…Read More

30Sep2024

Legal Update – Beware of the Risk of Sex Discrimination in Job Advertisements

 “Female migrant workers from Guangdong Province will be given priority” (original Chinese wording: 「廣東省新移民女工優先」) is a sentence that appeared in a recent job advertisement for various positions in a dumpling restaurant chain in Hong Kong (see this link to the news report from 24 September…Read More

12Sep2024

AI in the workplace: Employment law risks from using AI

The use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) can provide benefit to all sectors of the economy. This requires AI to be deployed in workplaces. Employers and HR teams must be mindful of ethical and privacy risks that arise from the use of AI in recruitment and…Read More

09Sep2024

Legal update: Compensation and disqualification order granted against a company officer who did not receive misappropriated funds

Does it excuse misconduct in the eyes of a securities regulator if the company officer did not personally profit from and receive misappropriated funds? John Lee of Tanner De Witt explains that the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (“SFC”) will still enforce, and…Read More

01Aug2024

Legal Update: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (Cap. 650) to come into effect in January 2026

The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (Cap. 650) (the “Ordinance”) was gazetted on 19 July 2024, and will come into operation on the expiry of 18 months thereafter (i.e. January 2026) (the gazetted version can be accessed here).The Ordinance requires certain specified professionals to…Read More

18Jul2024

Legal Update: Importance of Contemporaneous Records in Defending Against Discrimination Claim

In a recent decision of Guting, Joan Sarmiento, Deceased v Choy Chiu Yee Rita [2024] HKDC 747 handed down by the District Court, an employer was successful in defending against a disability discrimination claim by a domestic helper. It appears from the judgment that the…Read More

14Jun2024

Insider Dealing – The case against Segantii Capital Management Limited and certain officers

On 2 May 2024, the Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) announced that it has commenced criminal proceedings against Segantii Capital Management Limited (“Segantii”), its director and chief investment officer Mr Simon Sadler, and former trader Mr Daniel La Rocca (together, the “Officers”) for the offence…Read More

18Jan2024

Tanner De Witt is delighted that our law firm has achieved consistent recognition in Chambers and Partners Greater China Region Guide 2024

Tanner De Witt is delighted that our law firm has achieved consistent recognition in Chambers and Partners Greater China Region Guide 2024. We are honoured to have maintained top-notch rankings for an impressive 14-year stretch. Big congratulations to our exceptional team for earning this well-deserved recognition. Restructuring & Insolvency:…Read More