Dantes Leung

Dantes Leung specialises in commercial litigation, international arbitration and contentious regulatory matters. He has extensive experience in advising and representing multinational corporations and high-net-worth individuals in a wide range of cross-border commercial disputes, such as international contractual disputes, joint venture and shareholder disputes, probate and trust disputes, intellectual property disputes, fraud and debt recovery. He also has substantial experience in dealing with various regulators such as the Securities and Futures Commission, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Trade and Industry Department.

Dantes is accredited as a Solicitor Advocate in respect of civil proceedings by the High Rights Assessment Board appointed by the Chief Justice of Hong Kong. As such, he is one of 90 solicitors who have rights of audience before the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong.

Dantes accepts appointments as arbitrator.

Dantes is also a trusted legal advisor on commercial transactions. With his litigator’s mindset, he helps clients identify major risks in transactions and provides practical insights on the interpretation and enforcement of commercial terms and on mitigating risks of potential disputes.

Dantes has been appointed by the University of Hong Kong as a Part-time Lecturer in Equity & Trusts in 2010, 2015-2016, and in Contracts in 2019-2022. He regularly conducts legal training sessions at financial and legal institutions and publishes widely on commercial law topics and arbitration.

Prior to joining this Firm, Dantes has practised with various international law firms for over a decade, half of which time was spent with Magic Circle and Wall Street law firms.

Representative Experience

Arbitration/mediation

• Acting for a Taiwanese listed company in a UNCITRAL arbitration in Hong Kong and in multiple Hong Kong Court proceedings to seek third party evidence in support of arbitration
• Advising a US client on global enforcement of HKIAC arbitral awards in excess of US$110 million
• Acting for client in mediation in a multi-million-dollar dispute
• Advising a statutory body on state immunity issues in arbitration

Litigation

• Coordinating defence of probate/trusts claims in excess of US$80 billion in Bermuda, the US, Hong Kong and Taiwan
• Acting for a German company in an action claiming breach of contract in excess of EUR30 million
• Acting for a shareholder and director of a century-old famous cake shop in shareholders and contract disputes
• Defending a payment processing agent in a proprietary claim on grounds of fraud, constructive trust and unjust enrichment
• Defending a listed group of companies against an injunction application and a winding-up petition on grounds of unfair prejudice
• Acting for the liquidators in a fraudulent preference claim in excess of HK$500 million
• Acting for clients in recovering funds transferred due to cyberfraud and email scam
• Defending a listed company against a bonus claim of HK$30 million and in pursuit of injunction against a former legal adviser
• Advising a Chinese bank on debt recovery and receivership

Regulatory

• Acting for a French bank in an ICAC investigation
• Acting for a listed bank in SFC/HKMA notifications
• Acting for a director in an SFC investigation for allegedly unlicensed activities
• Advising a listed company on dawn raid strategy
• Acting for a major airline in applying for licences for import/export of strategic commodities and radioactive substances

Education

• Bachelor of Laws (University of Hong Kong)
• Bachelor of Civil Law (University of Oxford)

Community Appointments

• 2017 – 2020 | HKU Court Member
• 2017 – 2020 | HKU Convocation Standing Committee Member