Professional Practice

In 2020, Cyrus joined Des Voeux Chambers after completing his pupillage under the supervision of Joseph Tse SC, Christopher Chain SC, Jason Yu, and Justin Lam. He quickly developed a robust civil practice, primarily centered around complex and high-value commercial disputes. These cases often involve cross-border elements and span various practice areas, including professional negligence, shipping, civil fraud, and arbitration. Highlights of his recent cases include:

(1)      Acting for an accounting firm to defend a professional negligence claim for over USD 100 million. Cyrus was led by Justin Fenwick KC and Douglas Lam SC for a 50-day trial which was ultimately settled: see China Forestry v KPMG [2021] HKCFI 1519.

(2)  Acting for a Big Four accounting firm to defend a professional negligence claim for over HKD 3 billion. Cyrus was instructed to assist Justin Fenwick KC and Jin Pao SC to prepare for a 40-day trial that ultimately settled: see China Medical v. KPMG (HCCL 7/2020).

(3)    Acting for a shipowner and other cargo stakeholders in a maritime collision dispute valued at over HKD 130 million, which raised an important question on whether wreck removal claims are limitable under the LLMC 1976. Appearing together with Charles Sussex SC and Jason Yu, Cyrus successfully resisted the plaintiff’s appeal before the Court of Appeal (see Perusahaan v. Trevaskis [2022] 4 HKLRD 37; [2023] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 493) and Court of Final Appeal ([2023] HKCFA 20).

(4)    Acting for a European software company to enforce an NAI arbitral award for over HKD 1 billion against a member of an Asian technology conglomerate (led by Clifford Smith SC). The award arose out of an HKD 15 billion dispute over a software licensing agreement: see A v. B [2022] 3 HKC 240.

(5)    Acting for an asset management fund to successfully resist an application to annul a bankruptcy order (led by José-Antonio Maurellet SC). The bankruptcy order arose out of a HKD 600 million syndicated loan to finance the acquisition of shares in Baccarat SA, a luxury crystal manufacturer: see Re Chu Jiaru [2023] HKCFI 721; [2023] HKCFI 1177.

(6)        Acting for China Construction Bank in successfully obtaining summary judgment against Mr Zhang Kangyang – the President of the Inter Milan Football Club – in respect of his liability under a HKD 1.7 billion guarantee and indemnity (led by Rachel Lam SC): see China Construction Bank v. Zhang Kangyang [2022] HKCFI 2135.

(7)        Acting for liquidators in successfully obtaining a joinder order in a trust dispute for over HKD 350 million, which raised complex issues of cross-border civil fraud. Cyrus was led by José-Antonio Maurellet SC: see Aleph Kraus v. All Asset Management (Asia) Ltd [2023] HKCFI 1827; [2023] HKCFI 2992.

Separately, Cyrus has amassed trial experience as an advocate. He appeared as sole trial counsel for a member of a Euronext-listed group in 2022, where he defended a claim for breach of a shareholders’ agreement in an ICC commercial arbitration.

Education

Cyrus boasts an impressive academic background, having secured a triple first in his BA (Law) at Cambridge and subsequently graduating with distinction from the BCL at Oxford. Among numerous accolades and subject prizes, Cyrus was awarded the Vinerian Scholarship (Proxime Accessit) for ranking second in Oxford. Cyrus also had the privilege of assisting Professor Sir Roy Goode in publishing the Official Commentary to the Cape Town Convention.

Scholarships and Awards

Thomson Reuters Law Prize (PCLL, 2019)

Sweet & Maxwell Edlyn Yap Prize for Litigation (PCLL, 2019)

Vinerian Scholarship (proxime accessit) (BCL, 2018)

3VB Prize for Legal Concepts in Financial Law (BCL, 2018)

John Morris Prize in The Conflict of Laws (BCL, 2018)

Monckton Chambers Prize in Competition Law (BCL, 2018)

Clifford Chance Prize for European Union Law (BA, 2017)

Herbert Smith Freehills Prize for Conflict of Laws (BA, 2017)

Falcon Chambers Prize for Land Law (BA, 2016)

One Chancery Lane Prize for Tort Law (BA, 2015)