Liquidators may often consider it necessary to bring proceedings on behalf of the insolvent company to seek to recover assets or obtain compensation on the company’s behalf. If that action fails, and the insolvent company does not have the funds to meet any costs order made against it, the liquidator is potentially personally exposed to paying those costs pursuant to a non-party costs order. This could operate harshly for liquidators. Every piece of litigation has a winner and a loser.

In Re Hin-Pro International Logistics Limited[1], the Hong Kong Court of First Instance held that it has jurisdiction to grant leave to amend a creditor's winding up petition to include debts accrued only after its presentation.

The current litigation landscape for professionals in Hong Kong is relatively benign: but is this the lull before the storm? Accurate records are kept of all actions commenced in the Hong Kong High Court, which deals with claims of over HK$1 million. The graph above shows the number of claims begun by writ each year over the last 15 years. This data covers all claims, not just those against professionals, but gives an indication of the general litigation trends.

In the recent case Kam Leung Sui Kwan v Kam Kwan Lai & Ors FACV 4/2015 (11 November 2015), the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (“CFA”) ordered the ultimate foreign holding company of a world famous roast goose restaurant in Hong Kong, Yung Kee Holdings Limited (“Yung Kee”) to be wound up on the grounds that it is just and equitable to do so pursuant to section 327(3)(c) of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) (“Section 327(3)(c)”).

On Wednesday, the Court of Final Appeal ("CFA") reversed the lower courts' decision in the Yung Kee case¹ , holding that the Hong Kong court has jurisdiction to order the winding up of Yung Kee Holdings Limited (the "Company"), a holding company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and not registered in Hong Kong.

Dispute Resolution Beijing/Hong Kong/Shanghai Client Alert Court of Final Appeal Widens Shareholders’ Rights for the Winding-up of Foreign Companies in Hong Kong The Court of Final Appeal’s recent decision in the Yung Kee saga (Kam Leung Sui Kwan, Personal Representative of the Estate of Kam Kwan Sing, the deceased v Kam Kwan Lai & Ors (FACV 4/2015, 11 November 2015)) has widened the door to winding-up relief for shareholders of foreign companies.

Summary

Under Hong Kong law, the courts’ jurisdiction is ordinarily territorial in nature. A plaintiff or applicant has to obtain permission (“leave”) of the court before it can validly serve a writ or other document initiating a legal action on a defendant or respondent located outside Hong Kong. For actions begun by writ, the procedures and criteria for applications for leave in this respect are set out under Order 11 of the Rules of the High Court (“RHC”).

Introduction Hong Kong At a Glance Population: 7 million Languages:  English, Cantonese and Mandarin Time zones:  8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time Climate: Subtropical with long, hot summers and pleasant temperate winters Political System

Foreign companies are frequently used to hold assets or other investments in Hong Kong. Some of these foreign companies are not registered under Part XI of the Companies Ordinance (“CO”) (“Unregistered Companies”). There are various reasons for not registering foreign companies in Hong Kong, including confidentiality and tax benefits. However, there may be some drawbacks to this approach.