Having joined the Criminal Defence Department at Haldanes as a paralegal in 2012, Christina completed her training at Haldanes as a trainee solicitor and became a qualified solicitor in 2019.
Christina has expertise at all levels of criminal defence work and has been involved in a number of high profile cases in Hong Kong. She has particular expertise in handling complex white-collar crimes, such as corruption, fraud, and money laundering cases as well as matters dealing with issues of restraint. She has also developed a practice in securities and regulatory matters and competition law.
With her years of experience in the Criminal Defence Department, Christina has solid experiences in dealing with different authorities on behalf of her clients, including the Hong Kong Police Force, Commercial Crime Bureau (“CCB”), the Customs & Excise Department (“C&E”), the Department of Justice (“DoJ”), the Immigration Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (“ICAC”), the Securities and Future Commission (“SFC”) and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (“SEHK”).
Christina is known for her attention to detail and preparation, especially in complicated cases or those requiring systematic approach, coupled with her tenacity to fight for the best results for her clients.
Christina maintains a close working relationship with a variety of leading counsel, including Senior Counsel and Queen’s Counsel, which enables her to instruct the suitable counsel for her clients when needed.
Notable experiences include:-
- Assisted in a criminal appeal case at the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal concerning jurisdiction issue as to when an offer of bribery is made.
- Assisted in a criminal appeal case at the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal concerning the meaning of “connected persons” and “connected transactions” under the Listing Rules of SEHK, followed by its retrial at the Court of First Instance (60 days trial which involved numerous pre-trial arguments, stay application and costs application).
- Defended 2 directors against allegations of utilising complex group structure to defraud several leading banks in Hong Kong and obtaining over HKD400 million trade loans in a 55 days High Court jury trial and its appeal at the Court of Appeal and Court of Final Appeal.
- Successfully defended a client in a 70 days District Court money laundering trial, involving the taking of evidence from Chinese witnesses in the People’s Court of Shenzhen under a Letter of Request to the mainland Chinese authorities. The case also involved issues of extradition and abuse of process elements which various exclusion of evidence and stay application have been made.
- Successfully defended two clients in a 86 days District Court trial involving 2 public doctors who were charged with Conspiracy to Commit Misconduct in Public Office.
- Defended clients in a 37 days District Court trial who were alleged of money laundering over HKD1 billion. The case involved the usage of money exchangers and frequent transactions with the mainland.
- Successfully defended a client in a 19 days District Court conspiracy to defraud trial, involving over HKD3 million trade loans.
- Various experiences in assisting in magistracy trials and mitigations, as well as applications for the admission of overseas counsel.
- Various experiences in dealing with disclosure obligation under restraint order as well as making applications for variation of restraint orders.
- Preparing submissions to SEHK for disciplinary proceedings of a number of Hong Kong listed companies’ chairmen.
- Replying to SFC production notices in relation to a Hong Kong listed company
- Advising various Hong Kong listed companies’ chairmen, directors and non-executive directors for the attendance of SFC interviews.
- Advising an international chain in the implications of the First Conduct Rule under the Competition Ordinance.
- Representing senior executives in Competition Commission investigations, including replying to Production Notices, attending investigation interviews and applications for leniency.
