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Deirdre is a partner in the private client and tax team.
She focuses on trust and succession planning, and advises high-net-worth individuals and institutional trustees on wealth protection structuring as well as the importance of planning for incapacity. She also advises on taxation in Hong Kong for individuals and family investment holding vehicles, and related planning opportunities. She has also advised corporations on the set up of employee share trusts.
Achievements
Deirdre was recognized as an 'up and coming' private wealth practitioner in Chambers' HNW Guide from 2021 to 2023, and earned a Band 3 ranking in 2024 and 2025. She has been recommended as a pre-eminent private client lawyer and a highly regarded practitioner in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR in Who's Who Legal. Furthermore, she has been recognised in Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2019-2023 and Greater China 2026; Citywealth's 2019 Powerwomen List, Citywealth's 2019-2025 Leading Private Client Lawyers list and Citywealth's 2024-2025 Leaders List. She has also been recognised as a 'leading talent of foreign-related lawyers in Guangzhou' in 2024 by the Guangzhou Lawyers Association.
She passed the STEP diploma on International Trust Management with Distinction in 2014. She was a Lecturer for the University of Hong Kong, Department on Professional Legal Education, on the Trust and Estate module from 2019 to 2023. She is qualified in England & Wales, Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area of China.
Recent recognition
Me in a minute
I constantly learn from my clients while helping them achieve peace of mind
Having graduated from Cambridge, I also enjoy intellectual challenges. The intellectual demands of getting to grips with trust laws and cases, the ever changing tax regimes in countries like US, PRC and UK, the increasing regulatory and reporting requirements - the diversity and academic side of the private client practice always intrigues me.
I also love the practice because I get to know people who are successful and have their own interesting perspectives of life. I constantly learn from my clients while helping them achieve peace of mind through financial and succession planning. Clients appreciate my patience and personable style when assisting them through the planning exercise which may be tedious.
My main interest areas are 'trust and divorce' and 'family business succession'. It is my goal to be able to help Chinese families develop better succession mechanisms to pass on family and business assets through generations.
My other passion in life is ballet. I still take adult ballet classes once a week and sits on the board of various ballet organisations in Hong Kong. The discipline and attention to detail that ballet has taught me transcended into my approach to work. Ballet and law are indeed a great combination!
Track record
Hong Kong tax
Advised Hong Kong and overseas clients on Hong Kong tax, including potential profits tax implications in case the clients hold investments via trusts or private investment holding companies; potential stamp duty implications on the transfer of real estate or shares in Hong Kong; and on individual salaries tax.
Set up of employee share schemes and the establishment of share trusts upon listing
Advised PRC or Hong Kong companies on the set up of employee share schemes and the establishment of share trusts to facilitate the schemes and hold the company shares upon listing in Hong Kong or overseas.
Setup of offshore trusts for succession
Advised clients on the setup of offshore trusts to hold assets for succession and on UK tax planning if members of the family become UK tax residents.
Establishing UK trusts and pre-nup agreements for HK family
Advised an ultra-high-net worth Hong Kong family on the set-up, under Jersey law, of various family and baby trusts to hold financial assets, properties (in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom) and listed company shares for asset protection on behalf of the children. Drafted pre-nuptial agreements and advised on the effectiveness of such agreements in Hong Kong as well as the treatment of trust assets on divorce.
Hong Kong entrepreneur
Advised a Hong Kong entrepreneur on the set up of a pre-IPO trust with application of the Virgin Islands Special Trust Act (VISTA) provisions to hold shares in his company which was to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). Helped to devise guidelines on the membership to, and succession mechanism for, a committee with powers to appoint directors to the VISTA company; advised on the HKEX disclosure requirements for parties involved with the trust; further advised on the distribution mechanism for the minor beneficiary, as well as revised the Memorandum and Articles of Association of companies held directly and indirectly by the trust to enable tighter control.
Hong Kong client
Advised a Hong Kong client on the use of a trust governed by Hong Kong law to hold her business for succession planning; assisted with the formation of a Hong Kong company as private trust company to act as trustee of the family trust; as well as advised on the succession mechanism for membership to the trustee company.
Talks
‘A Panel Discussion on Divorce - Proofing and Trust - Busting: Practical Measures for Trustees', STEP, Hong Kong - Nov 17, 2015
Insight
External publications
'How Enduring Power of Attorney works in Hong Kong and why it is useful' - Mar 2022, co-author
'Is it necessary to have a Chinese notarised will to deal with my assets in the mainland?' - Dec 2021, co-author
'Implementation of Common Reporting Standard in Hong Kong - Implications for Family Trust with a Private Trust Company as Trustee', Lexology - Dec 2016
'Wealth and Succession Planning: Lessons Learned From the Winding Up of Yung Kee Holdings Limited', Lexology - Mar 2016
'What does "property under my name" really mean?', Lexology - Dec 2015
'Passing your estate to a discretionary trust by will - pitfalls to avoid', Lexology - Oct 2015
Admissions
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, People's Republic of China, 2023
- Hong Kong, 1995
- England & Wales, 1995
Education
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University of Cambridge, MA
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College of Law, Guildford, LPC
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City University, MBA
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STEP Diploma in International Trust Management (Distinction)
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Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP), Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients (Distinction)
Languages
- Cantonese
- English
- Mandarin
Memberships
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Ballet Company, Governor and Honorary Secretary
- Hong Kong Ballet Group, Board member
- STEP Policy, Legislative and Regulatory Sub-Committee, Member
Key dates
- Year joined: 2017
- Year became partner: 2023