EN

Iris Cheng

Partner

My work focuses on commercial and financial disputes and regulatory matters, contentious and non-contentious insurance matters and professional negligence claims.  Prior to being a solicitor, I have worked as a reporter and a corporate development and business management specialist.

 

phone
+852 2841 6814
|
+852 5320 0832
mail
[email protected]

I am a litigator with a focus on insurance practice. I have extensive experience in advising insurers, insurance intermediaries and insurance industry bodies on commercial, regulatory and claims matters. I also advise on professional negligence claims such as those under the Hong Kong Solicitors Professional Indemnity Scheme.

My practice also covers commercial litigation and regulatory matters. I advise a wide range of clients including companies, liquidators, professionals, professional bodies, statutory bodies, start-ups and individuals on dispute and regulatory issues in the insurance and financial services sectors.

Before I read law at the University of London, I had obtained a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in Journalism and Communication, and gained extensive business and social experience as a reporter at a leading media organisation in Hong Kong and later as a corporate development and business management specialist at a blue-chip conglomerate in Hong Kong. As a solicitor, I have been seconded to a principal financial regulator in Hong Kong and at the Hong Kong legal team of a top-notch global insurer, from where I gained insight into the characteristics, pain points and operations of different institutes.

I am recognised by The Legal 500 Greater China in the Insurance area. The Legal 500 and clients endorse me as a lawyer who “delivers ‘clear, concise and professional’ advice across a range of contentious and regulatory advisory issues”.

Career Highlights

Insurance and Financial Services

  • Acting as the general advisor of a leading virtual long term insurer in Hong Kong, and advising it on a wide spectrum of issues including insurance, corporate, commercial, claims, complaint, employment and regulatory matters.
  • Advising a principal medical  insurer in Hong Kong on coverage and claim issues.
  • Acting for a major global medical insurer in a high-profile defamation claim.
  • Acting for a notable international composite insurer in defending a complex dispute related to investment related products.
  • Acting for a key virtual general insurer in Hong Kong in a cross-jurisdiction claim dispute.
  • Advised an insurance brokerage firm in Hong Kong in its new business initiative involving complicated cross-border (Hong Kong, China, Macau) insurance arrangements.
  • Advised a multi-national property developer on business interruption insurance policy claims arising from COVID-19.
  • Advised a Hong Kong listed company on insurance coverage issues.
  • Acted for various subjects of investigations commenced by regulators like the Insurance Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
  • Seconded to the Hong Kong legal team of an international leading health insurer and assisted it in reviewing insurance and reinsurance contracts, handling complaints and claims, dealing with data privacy matters, reviewing commercial contracts and executing commercial deals.
  • Seconded to the enforcement team of a principal financial regulator in Hong Kong and assisted it in investigating and prosecuting relevant breaches.
  • Advising a number of professional bodies and regulators in the insurance industry in Hong Kong on the discharge of their public law functions and on changes to their constitution and disciplinary rules and procedures.

Professional Negligence

  • Acted in defence for an international law firm in a professional negligence claim of over USD500 million.
  • Acting for a listed company (in provisional liquidation) in a claim against its former auditors for a professional negligence claim of over USD1,000 million.
  • Advising on and acting for parties in numerous professional negligence claims such as those under the Hong Kong Solicitors Professional Indemnity Scheme.

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

  • Acting for a party in a complex dispute involving Cayman Island funds and venture capital businesses.
  • Advised investors and a family trust against a major financial institution and former trustee in relation to a dispute over the sale of derivative products in a claim of over USD30 million.
  • Acted for two ex-partners in a dispute over a law firm partnership dispute involving solicitors misconduct, breach of contracts and numerous satellite proceedings.
  • Acted for an Australian corporate in an arbitration concerning contractual disputes involving financial services and multiple jurisdictions.
  • Acted in defence for a leading medical practice in Hong Kong in an employment dispute.
  • Acted for a PRC state-owned bank in a loan dispute against a PRC property developer involving complicated financial arrangements and multiple jurisdictions.