Truman advises clients on complex commercial litigation, with a particular interest in contentious insolvency and cryptocurrency disputes.
He specialises in complex commercial litigation, covering a broad range of disputes including financial sector disputes, shareholder disputes, fraud, contentious insolvency and restructuring, cryptocurrency disputes, and financial regulatory proceedings. He advises financial institutions, private capitals, liquidators, multinationals, and high-net-worth individuals.
With trilingual skills in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, Truman handles a wide range of disputes with Chinese elements.
As a Solicitor Advocate in Hong Kong, he has higher rights of audience to appear in all levels of civil courts in Hong Kong, and has appeared as sole advocate in the Court of First Instance.
Truman also works on arbitration and collaborates with transaction teams on dispute avoidance.
Background
Truman holds a bachelor's degree in law and a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of New South Wales.
He began his legal career in Herbert Smith Freehills' dispute resolution practice in Hong Kong, spending time on secondment to the firm's London office. He rejoins the firm from Latham & Watkins.
Truman is qualified in Hong Kong, Australia (New South Wales), and is a solicitor advocate of the High Court of Hong Kong.
He is proficient in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
Commercial litigation
- a Cayman investment fund in defending various High Court injunction proceedings involving investment disputes in aid of HKIAC proceedings
- a major Hong Kong listed bank and syndicated loan agent in the enforcement of certain loans and securities involving multiple jurisdictions totalling nearly HK$5 billion
- private capital clients on confidential shareholder disputes, including urgent injunctions to prevent breaches of shareholders’ agreements and advising on substantive proceedings
- Hong Kong Airlines Limited in defending a claim by a Hong Kong based construction company for retention money allegedly held under a construction contract, as well as related interlocutory injunction proceedings
- a distressed debt fund in connection with an urgent enforcement of securities for a US$100 million loan against a listed Chinese developer who triggered several events of default and cross defaults
- a NY listed Chinese real estate developer in defending a claim by an investment fund to repurchase the real estate developer’s own notes that are in default
- BYD Company Limited in connection with a cross border dispute relating to disclosure of trade secrets and confidential information
- a Chinese investment bank for an urgent application for injunctive relief to preserve data stored in electronic database
- a satellite operator in defending an application to set aside an arbitral award on the ground of failure to comply with pre-arbitration escalation clauses, and subsequent appeals to the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal
- a major Korean financial institution in relation to recovery of investments funds of over US$30 million in a potential Ponzi scheme
- a high net worth individual in relation to a cross-border shareholder dispute of over US$100 million
- a NYSE listed company in a shareholder dispute arising from competing privatisation attempts, including obtaining an injunction to prevent dealing in shares and conducting HKIAC arbitration proceedings
- a global investment bank in defending a claim by its former customer relating to an alleged fraud committed by its former employee
- a major Chinese media producer on copyright infringement by a Hong Kong online video streaming platform
Contentious insolvency
- Hong Kong Airlines Limited on contentious matters related to a Hong Kong Scheme of Arrangement for the restructuring US$6.2 billion of debt
- a major Chinese financial institution in claims threatened by an ad hoc group of creditors during investment company restructuring negotiations
- liquidators of Shanghai Huaxin Group (Hong Kong) Limited in connection with various contentious insolvency proceedings, including challenging arbitrability of undervalue transaction claims
- liquidators of a major subsidiary of a Hong Kong listed company in connection with disputes on proof of debt adjudication
- UBS AG in a US$400 million fraudulent trading claim by the liquidators of China Metal Recycling (Holdings) Limited
- shareholders and directors of Parakou Shipping Pte Limited on claims by liquidators for breach of fiduciary duties, undervalue transactions, and related litigation for conspiracy to injure by unlawful means
- China Everbright in its winding-up petition against Simplicity & Vogue Retailing (HK) Co., Limited
Cryptocurrency disputes
- claims from flash loan attacks on decentralised finance exchange platforms and issues related to the issuance and cancellation of a major stablecoin on the blockchain
- a cryptocurrency exchange in disputes over stablecoin issuance agreements
