Haiwen & Partners is pleased to announce that its Hong Kong dispute resolution team has successfully represented key investors in obtaining emergency arbitration relief under the HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules 2024 in connection with a cross-border shareholder dispute valued at over USD 200 million.
The case arose from a share redemption dispute following the target company’s failure to complete a contractually agreed De-SPAC transaction. Recognising the urgency of preserving assets at risk of dissipation, the Haiwen team acted swiftly to initiate the emergency arbitration proceedings on the eve of the Chinese New Year. Within just one week, the emergency arbitrator issued an award granting interim-interim relief to restrain the respondents from disposing of or diminishing the value of their key assets pending constitution of the full arbitral tribunal.
This case is of particular significance as, to the best of our knowledge, it represents the first occasion on which the HKIAC’s emergency arbitration procedure has been used to obtain interim-interim relief pending tribunal formation. The outcome underscores the flexibility and responsiveness of the HKIAC framework in providing urgent protection to parties in international disputes and further affirms Hong Kong’s status as a premier arbitration hub in the Asia-Pacific region.
The matter was led by Edward Liu (Partner), with Lori Ng (Counsel) and Donald Lui (Associate). Working intensively under a highly compressed timeframe over the Chinese New Year period, the Haiwen team coordinated seamlessly with Ng Jern-Fei KC (Duxton Hill Chambers), Jacqueline Law (Des Voeux Chambers), and Cedric Yeung (Temple Chambers). Their close collaboration and collective effort were instrumental in managing the emergency proceedings effectively, presenting the case before the emergency arbitrator, and achieving the successful outcome within days.
This result reflects Haiwen’s deep expertise in handling complex, time-sensitive, and cross-border disputes, especially where urgent interim relief is critical to client strategy. The firm’s Hong Kong dispute resolution team regularly advises on high-stakes international arbitrations, enforcement proceedings, and multi-jurisdictional disputes, combining local insight with international best practice to deliver strategic and practical solutions for clients facing challenging circumstances.