Qualified as a solicitor of Hong Kong, England & Wales as well as a lawyer of P.R. China, Edward Liu’s main area of practice is in commercial dispute resolution including litigation, arbitration and mediation.
Edward is extensively experienced in advising and handling international commercial disputes covering areas such as sale of goods/trade and commodities, energy and offshore projects, shipping and shipbuilding, joint ventures, and international investment (particularly connected with Belt & Road projects), construction, commercial fraud, worldwide enforcement of judgments and arbitration awards etc. He frequently represents financial institutions, insurance companies, multinational corporations, non-government organisations, Chinese state-owned enterprises as well as major shipping and commodities companies in complex commercial cross border disputes in courts in Hong Kong, London, and international arbitration tribunals. He also advises banks, insurers and trading companies on non-contentious matters concerning asset finance, trade finance and shipping finance.
Edward has considerable experience in almost aspects of maritime disputes, including claims under charterparties, bills of lading, long-term contracts of affreightment, sale of second-hand vessels, marine insurance etc., claims arising from collision, grounding and salvage, arrest of ships and jurisdiction challenge. Edward has also dealt with many shipbuilding cases involving Chinese shipyards.
Since 2018, Edward has started to accept appointments as arbitrator and was appointed as arbitrators by HKIAC (including as a sole arbitrator) on many occasions, and he has deal with arbitration cases as arbitrator under HKIAC, LMAA, HKMAG and UNCITRAL rules.
Since 2019, Edward has consistently been listed as a leading lawyer in shipping practice by The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. He is noted by The Legal 500 Hong Kong 2022 as an “exceptional” lawyer with an “effective depth of knowledge and strategic thinking”, particularly in the context of assisting entities in Greater China with resolving disputes through international arbitration and litigation. Clients characterised him as a “very approachable” lawyer and described him as “a future star in the Hong Kong legal landscape” in Chambers & Partners Greater China Region 2022.
In addition, he has been a frequent winner with many awards: Global Top 10 Maritime Lawyers by Lloyd’s List (2019-2021); Top 100 Most Influential People in Chinese Shipping Industry (2018-2021); Chinese Shipping Top 100 Celebrities List (2020); Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Chinese Shipping Industry (2018); Global Top Five in the Next Generation in Shipping by Lloyd’s List (2017); The Next Generation Award in Asia Pacific by Lloyd’s List (shortlisted 2016 and 2017); The Ten Outstanding New Hong Kong Young Persons (2015).
