Stephanie Chan

STEPHANIE CHAN is a member of Sidley’s multidisciplinary China Corporate and Finance group. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, contentious regulatory matters, and international arbitration. She has extensive experience in advising multinational and Chinese companies in a broad range of commercial disputes across multiple jurisdictions, with particular focus on cross-border contractual disputes, joint venture and shareholder disputes, fraud, enforcement of securities, and debt recovery.

Most recently, Stephanie is ranked as an “Up and Coming” partner in Dispute Resolution: Litigation and Financial Services: Contentious Regulatoryby Chambers Greater China Region 2024, a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024 and 2025 in Fintech and Financial Services Regulatory in Hong Kong, as well as named as one of the “A-List Lawyers”  in the “Rising Stars” category by China Business Law Journal 2023-2024. She has been recognized as a “Future Star” in the Commercial and Transactions,Government and Regulatory category and included in the “Top 40 under 40” list by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2024. She has also been awarded “Securities Litigator of the Year” by IFLR Women in Business Law APAC Awards 2023. In Chambers Greater China Region 2024, a client recognized that “Stephanie is an all-round litigator with extensive experience in different stages of court proceedings who excels in marshalling high-value matters with cross-border issues" and commented that Stephanie is “truly wise and of outstanding quality from top to bottom”.  Another client praised that "her legal acumen, swiftness in responding to lay clients and counsels, and her commercial awareness make her a formidable competitor in the legal market." Clients also noted that Stephanie "gives excellent risk-based and context-sensitive advice, and is extremely commercial” and further noted that Stephanie is “reliable and operates with excellence on every occasion". In Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025, clients praised that she is “a thought leader in both the regulatory and litigation fields” with a “proven track record in securing favourable outcomes and resolving complex litigation and regulatory matters” and that she is a “problem solver” and “provides us with solutions that best suit our needs, whilst being mindful of our costs concern and ensure that our case is being conducted in the most cost-effective and efficient way”. Clients also noted that Stephanie’s “deep knowledge, practical and strategic advice and responsiveness make all the difference”.

Most recently, Stephanie is ranked as an “Up and Coming” partner in Dispute Resolution: Litigation and Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory by Chambers Greater China Region 2024, as well as a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024 in Regulatory in Hong Kong, as well as named as one of the “A-List Lawyers” in the “Rising Stars” category by China Business Law Journal 2023-2024. She has also been awarded “Securities Litigator of the Year” by IFLR Women in Business Law APAC Awards 2023.

In Chambers Greater China Region 2024, a client recognized that “Stephanie is an all-round litigator with extensive experience in different stages of court proceedings who excels in marshalling high-value matters with cross-border issues" and commented that Stephanie is “truly wise and of outstanding quality from top to bottom”.

Another client praised that "her legal acumen, swiftness in responding to lay clients and counsels, and her commercial awareness make her a formidable competitor in the legal market." Clients also noted that Stephanie "gives excellent risk-based and context-sensitive advice, and is extremely commercial” and further noted that Stephanie is “reliable and operates with excellence on every occasion".

In Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024, a client praised that she is “one of the best regulatory lawyers and litigators we have worked with. As a robust, diligent and experienced lawyer, she is exceptionally well placed and experienced in assisting clients in resolving litigation and regulatory matters” and that she is “very committed and dedicated, and handles matters efficiently and cost-effectively, while being mindful of our business needs and concerns”.

Stephanie speaks fluent Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

• Litigation
• Financial services regulatory: Contentious
• Corporate governance
• Capital markets

Dispute Resolution

• Acting for a Hong Kong listed company in defending a High Court action in Hong Kong commenced by a US company with a claim of over USD30 million arising out of a contractual dispute involving the sale of printed circuit boards.
• Acting for a private BVI investment company in defending a High Court action in Hong Kong with respect to a debt recovery claim of HKD 81 million concerning sale and purchase of shares.
• Advising a Cayman Islands incorporated Hong Kong listed company with substantial business in the PRC real estate market on the relevant insolvency and restructuring matters regarding its debt of over USD 2,850 million.
• Advising a leading fund in the biotechnology and healthcare services sector on various enforcement and litigation strategies against a NASDAQ-listed biotechnology company and guarantors in the context of a complicated loan arrangement involving multi-parties and multi-jurisdictional considerations.
• Acting for two high net worth individuals based in Singapore and their investment holding company in an application for recognition of a foreign judgment and the subsequent winding up proceedings against the debtor company.
• Acting for a large Singaporean listed furniture company on a multi-jurisdictional dispute against a Hong Kong listed PRC furniture company and its subsidiaries for the recovery of loans of RMB50 million and successfully assisted the client to reach a settlement for the full recovery of the loans in less than 6 months after commencement of proceedings.
• Advising a leading PRC state-owned asset management company on insolvency proceedings against the chairman of a Hong Kong listed company in relation to a complex and multi-jurisdictional transaction involving approximately HKD 1 billion.
• Acting for a leading PRC state-owned enterprise on a bonds default matter involving over USD280 million with a sophisticated debt financing structure and advising on issues concerning insolvency proceedings.
• Acting for a Hong Kong listed company in a Hong Kong seated arbitration under the ICC Rules arising out of a joint venture dispute concerning an entity established to develop family entertainment centres of an international brand in China and certain intellectual property rights and successfully obtaining a favorable award and the value of which exceeds HK$100 million.
• Acting for a leading Macanese Bank in an enforcement action under a deed of guarantee, where the amount in dispute exceeds USD20 million.

Contentious Regulatory

• Advising various major, Hong Kong-listed companies on parallel investigations conducted by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), and the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council regarding the companies’ delay in the publication of annual results, serious and complex audit issues, breach of the disclosure requirements, and internal control failures.
• Representing a major Hong Kong-listed investment company on a regulatory investigation in relation to a cross-border “ramp and dump” scam by a fraudster syndicate triggering unusual movements in the client’s share price and trading volumes.
• Acting for an international group of private companies in a high-profile regulatory investigation by the Securities and Futures Commission and the Independent Commission Against Corruption involving “ramp and dump” scam and market manipulation.
• Acting for multiple large Hong Kong listed PRC-based property developer and investment companies in responding to complaints made to the Securities and Futures Commission regarding alleged unauthorised collective investment schemes concerning certain real estate projects.
• Acting for a Hong Kong listed PRC-based company in respect of parallel investigations conducted by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Securities and Futures Commission into the company, its Chairman, former and current directors, and senior management concerning potential breach of the disclosure requirements and internal control failures.
• Acting for a licensed corporation and its responsible officer in responding to a regulatory complaint concerning investments in certain funds, breach of regulatory codes and guidelines and alleged involvement in market manipulation and other misconduct.
• Acting for a Hong Kong newly listed PRC-based IT company in responding to enquiries from Hong Kong Stock Exchange regarding its use of IPO proceeds and parallel enquiries from the Securities and Futures Commission regarding potential false or misleading disclosure by the company.
• Acting for a leading asset management firm in preparing for a regulatory investigation into various allegations of breaches of the SFC Code of Conduct and other misconduct asserted by the firm’s former Chief Operating Officer and Responsible Officer.
• Acting for the Independent Non-Executive Directors of a Hong Kong listed PRC company in an investigation by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange regarding non-compliance of Chapter 14 and Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.
• Acting for a Hong Kong listed PRC company in resisting the delisting decision made by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and advising on an investigation by the Securities and Futures Commission concerning the disclosure of false and misleading information and various audit and internal control issues and successfully persuaded the Securities and Futures Commission to close out their investigation without issuing any adverse findings or impose sanctions against the client.
• Acting for a sponsor in responding to the findings from an investigation by the Securities and Futures Commission for the failure to conduct proper due diligence in the course of advancing a listing application.
• Advising an international investment bank as independent external counsel on an internal investigation into the potential misconduct of the bank’s staff based in China in relation to the operation of certain private banking client accounts.

• Financial services
• Investment management
• Real estate
• Pharma and life sciences
• Tech and telecoms

• Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (HKIArb)
• Hong Kong Law Society

• The University of Hong Kong, Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, 2007
• The University of Hong Kong, LL.B., 2006