Profile
Profile
Michael Lok’s practice spans all areas of commercial litigation (particularly bankruptcy/company/insolvency/land) and arbitration as well as public and administrative proceedings.
Michael appears regularly in Court, including appearances as sole advocate and led junior before the Court of Final Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Michael also serves regularly as a Deputy Judicial Officer in the Hong Kong Judiciary, including as Master of the High Court.
Court proceedings aside, Michael participates in arbitration both as Counsel or Arbitrator. He is appointed to a number of arbitrators’ panels, including the lists of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).
Outside Hong Kong, Michael is an associate member of South Square Chambers in London and has been qualified/registered to practise in the Greater Bay Area (PRC), the Astana International Financial Centre Court (Kazakhstan), the Dubai International Financial Center Court and the Singapore International Commercial Court.
Michael also has a number of roles and responsibilities, both within the Bar and in the wider community. In 2025, Michael was appointed by the HKSAR Government to the Greater Bay Area Taskforce, chaired by the Deputy Secretary for Justice.
Michael joined Des Voeux Chambers after completion of pupillage with Derek Chan (now Derek Chan SC), William Wong SC, José-Antonio Maurellet SC (now José-Antonio Maurellet SC) and Jenkin Suen (now Jenkin Suen SC).
Michael has appeared as Counsel in:-
- Company/commercial proceedings in respect of/relating to e.g. Country Garden Holdings Company Limited (碧桂园); Suning International Group Co., Limited (苏宁国际); Times China Holdings Limited (时代中国); Fantasia Investment Holdings (花样年); Dangdai International Investments Ltd (当代国际); Hsin Chong Construction Company Ltd (新昌营造建筑); China Properties Group Ltd; Target Insurance Co Ltd (泰加保险); GTI Holdings Ltd (共享集团): China Greenfresh Group Co, Ltd (中绿集团); Lamtex Holdings Ltd (朗华国际); Anxin-China Holdings Ltd (中国安芯控股); Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange Ltd (香港商品交易所); Madison Holdings Group Limited (麦迪森); National Arts Entertainment and Culture Group Ltd (国艺娱乐); Convoy Global Holdings Limited (康宏环球);
- Banking/commercial proceedings representing e.g. Allahabad Bank; Bank of Baroda; Citibank, N.A.; CNCB (Hong Kong) Investment Limited; Credit Suisse AG, Hong Kong; CTBC Bank Co., Ltd; DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd; Export-Import Bank of India; Freeman Securities Ltd; HSBC; Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong) Ltd; ICICI Bank; SBM Bank (Mauritius) Ltd; The Bank of New York Mellon, London Branch; Union Bank of India; United Overseas Bank Ltd;
- Public/regulatory proceedings representing e.g. Chief Executive-in-Council; Secretary for Justice; Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs; Secretary for Development; Secretary for Security; Commissioner of Police; Director of Fire Services; Director of Immigration; Auxiliary Medical Service; Buildings Authority; Environmental Protection Department; Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data; Securities and Futures Commission
Notable/Reported Cases
Court of Final Appeal
- So Kwai Chung v. Wong Wai Ying Anita and Others (2025) 28 HKCFAR 243 (land; proprietary estoppel; easement) (sole advocate)
- Sun Min and Others v. Chu Kong (2022) 25 HKCFAR 318 (contempt; commercial; administrative) (led by Johnny Mok SC)
- WFC Holding Ltd v. New Castle Investments Ltd [2021] HKCFA 5 (land; landlord and tenancy) (led by Edward Chan SC)
- Secretary for Justice v. Global Merchant Funding Ltd (2016) 19 HKCFAR 192 (commercial; moneylender) (led by Simon Westbrook SC and with Derek Chan, as he then was)
- Re Ocean Sino Limited [2020] 1 WLR 4656 (Judicial Committee of Privy Council) (shareholders’ dispute; just and equitable winding-up) (led by Richard Hacker KC, John Carrington KC and William Wong SC)
Court of Appeal
- China Minsheng Trust Co., Ltd v. Fu Kwan [2025] HKCA 462 (enforcement of Mainland judgment) (led by Douglas Lam SC)
- Ko Kang Suk v. Director of Immigration [2025] 5 HKLRD 409 (habeas corpus; administrative; unlawful detention)
- Oriental Moon Ltd v. Golden Sino Link Ltd [2023] HKCA 608 (land; compulsory sale for redevelopment) (led by Patrick Fung SC)
- Polyline Development Ltd v. Ching Lin Chuen [2023] HKCA 235 (New Territories land development; winding-up) (led by Horace Wong SC)
- Lai Chee-Ying v. Commissioner of Police [2022] 5 HKLRD 205 (administrative; police powers; national security) (led by Jenkin Suen SC)
- Charteryard Industrial Ltd v. Appeal Tribunal (Buildings) [2021] HKCA 1164 CHK(administrative; judicial review; building; land)
- Tong Ying Kit v. Secretary for Justice [2021] 3 HKLRD 350 (constitutional; judicial review; national security) (led by Jenkin Suen SC)
- Re Nanik Dayaram [2021] HKCA 939 (bankruptcy; discharge)
- Re Convoy Global Holdings Limited (company; shareholders’ dispute) [2021] 4 HKC 167 (led by William Wong SC)
- Chu Kong v. Lau Wing Yan and Others [2019] 1 HKLRD 589 (arbitration; stay) (led by José-Antonio Maurellet SC)
- Re Lau Yu v. HSBC [2019] 2 HKC 18 (banking; bankruptcy) (led by Linda Chan SC, as she then was)
- Crane World Asia PTE Ltd v. Hontrade Engineering Ltd [2016] 3 HKLRD 640 (privilege; strike-out) (led by Gerard McCoy SC and with Derek Chan, as he then was)
- Cornhill Enterprises Ltd v. Leung Chun Sang and Others [2016] 2 HKLRD 1525 (land; bankruptcy)
Court of First Instance
Bankruptcy/Company/Commercial
- Re Hsin Chong Construction (Asia) Ltd v. Wong Po Kee Ltd [2025] HKCFI 2696
- RE 上海昇奕科城实业有限公司 (in liquidation in the Mainland of the PRC) [2025] HKCFI 1744
- Re Mok Tsan San [2025] 2 HKLRD 827
- Lai Chik Kun Michael v. Baptist Convention of Hong Kong [2025] 1 HKLRD 1209
- Ma King Huen v. The Sincere Company, Ltd [2024] 3 HKLRD 217; [2024] 1 HKLRD 1292
- Re ACommerce Gropu Ltd [2024] 6 HKC 296
- Re China Properties Group Ltd [2023] HKCLC 449 (led by Douglas Lam SC)
- Re Dangdai International Investments Ltd [2023] HKCLC 321 (led by Eva Sit SC)
- China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Ltd v. Zhang Kangyang[2022] HKCFI 2135 (led by Audrey Eu SC and with Alan Kwong, as he then was)
- Ng Yan Kit Alfred v. Ever Honest Industries Ltd [2022] 3 HKLRD 174
- Re Target Insurance Co Ltd [2022] HKCLC 1137 (led by Abraham Chan SC)
- Frank Lee and Another v. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd [2022] HKCFI 3680 (led by Eva Sit SC)
- Re GTI Holdings Ltd [2021] HKCLC 1691
- Re Wang Huimin [2021] HKCFI 3472 (led by Benjamin Yu SC)
- Re Trinity (Management Services) Ltd [2021] HKCLC 1097
- Re China Greenfresh Group Co Ltd [2021] HKCLC 749
- Re Lamtex Holdings Ltd [2021] 2 HKLRD 177
- Great Sea Global Ltd v. Registrar of Companies [2020] 6 HKC 664
- Re Madison Lab Ltd [2020] HKCLC 1067; [2020] HKCLC 289
- Re Hsin Kuang Restaurant (Holdings) Ltd [2020] HKCLC 975
- Emperor Securities Ltd v. SMI Investment (HK) Ltd [2020] HKCLC 879
- Kwok Hiu Kwan v. Johnny Chen and Others [2020] 3 HKC 403; [2018] 6 HKC 394 (led by William Wong SC)
- Re National Arts Entertainment and Culture Group Ltd [2020] HKCLC 135
- Re Yuan Yiqiang [2020] 4 HKC 485
- Re UIL Hong Kong Ltd [2019] HKCLC 881
- Re Pearl Oriental Oil Ltd [2019] 3 HKLRD 715; [2018] 5 HKLRD 567
- Re Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange Ltd [2018] HKCLC 319
- Re Enice Holding Co Ltd [2018] 4 HKLRD 736 (led by William Wong SC)
- Re Hong Kong Society of Congenital & Structural Heart Disease Ltd [2016] 5 HKLRD 117
- Re African Minerals Ltd [2015] 4 HKC 215 (led by William Wong SC)
- Re Tai Shing International (Holdings) Ltd [2015] HKCLC 283 (led by José-Antonio Maurellet, as he then was)
Land
- Fortune Chance Ltd v Appeal Board Nominated Under Section 27 of the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance [2025] HKCFI 1874
- Re Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation Ltd [2025] HKDC 261; [2025] HKDC 262
- Re Urban Renewal Authority Development Project at Queen’s Road West/Kwai Heung Street (Urban Renewal Authority Appeal Board) Appeal Case No. 2023-001; 2023-002
- Polyline Development Ltd (in liq) v. Ching Lin Chuen and Others [2023] HKCFI 3049
- Re Mei Wah Building (Buildings Appeal Tribunal) (Case No. 20/2019)
- Yu Hing Tong Ltd v. Fung Hing Chiu Cyril [2016] 5 HKLRD 567
- Chan Sang v. Chan Kwok [2015] 3 HKLRD 131 (with José-Antonio Maurellet, as he then was)
Public Law/Judicial Review/Inquest
- Kwok Cheuk Kin v. Chief Executive in Council [2024] 2 HKC 76 (led by Jenkin Suen SC)
- Akram Muhammad v. Director of Immigration and Another [2023] HKCFI 595
- Lai Chee Ying v. Commissioner of Police [2022] 4 HKLRD 582 (led by Jenkin Suen SC)
- Competition Commission v. Kam Kwong Engineering Company Ltd and Others [2022] 3 HKLRD 786; [2020] 4 HKLRD 61
- 803 Funds Ltd v. Secretary for Education [2021] 4 HKLRD 735 (led by Douglas Lam SC)
- Re Next Digital Ltd [2021] 2 HKLRD 857 (with Jonathan Man and Leona Cheung)
- Death Inquest re: Leung Kin-fai CCDI-555/2021
- Death Inquest re: Li Man-tak CCDI-932/2019
- Death Inquest re: Alex Chow-Tsz Lok CCDI-932/2019
- 彭道力 訴 行政上訴委員會 [2021] HKCFI 230
- Death Inquest re: Alex Chow-Tsz Lok CCDI-932/2019
Others
- German Pool Group Co Ltd v. Dyson Technology Ltd [2022] HKCFI 3504 (intellectual property)
- LKY v. YLP FCMC 4352/2013; FCMC 18284/2013 (Family Court) (led by Robert Pang SC and with Anny Chak, as she then was)
- T v. P FCMC 14290/2016 (Family Court) (with Eugene Yim)
- LCT v. CHY and others FCMC 15794/2015 (Family Court) (with Christopher Chain, as he then was)
Judiciary and Hong Kong Bar Association
- July 2025: Master, High Court
- Feb-Mar 2024: Master, District Court
- Jul-Aug 2023: Deputy Adjudicator, Small Claims Tribunal
- Dec 2019-Feb 2020, Jan-Feb 2022: Deputy Presiding Officer, Labour Tribunal
- Member, Standing Committees on Discipline, Investment, Mainland Affairs and Committee on Arbitration, Hong Kong Bar Association
Other Public Appointments/Responsibilities
- Non-Clinical Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong
- Member, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Task Force, HKSAR Government
- Member, Appeal Panel (Housing)
- Member, Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office
- Member, Panel of Adjudicators of the Obscene Articles Tribunal
- Co-Founder, Company and Insolvency Law Society
- Former Member, Panel of Advisers (Film Censorship)
- Former Chairman, Island School Council, English Schools Foundation
- Former Associate Editor, Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal
- Former Head Boy, Island School
- Bar Scholarship
- Charles Ching Memorial Scholarship
- Sir Roy Goode Prize for BCL, St. John’s College, Oxford
- Slaughter & May Prize for Best Overall Degree, LSE
- Slaughter & May Prize for Best Performance in final year, LSE
- Hogan Lovells Prize in Business Associations, LSE
- Bullen & Leake & Jacob’s Hong Kong Precedents of Pleadings, 3rd Edition – published in December 2020
- Contributing Editor to Hong Kong Company Law Cases (2008 – 2019) – published in 2020 by DVC in collaboration with Kluwer
- Contributing Editor of Hong Kong Civil Procedure (the “White Book”) (Sweet & Maxwell)
- Research Assistant, ‘Sealy and Worthington’s Text, Cases and Materials on Company Law’ and ‘Gower and Davies’ Principles of Modern Company Law’
- Guest Speaker at the 8th Lujiazia Legal Forum, delivering a lecture entitled “Internationalization of Legal Services: Cross-Border Arbitration in Hong Kong” (December 2016)
- Guest Speaker at International Disputes Resolution Along “Belt and Road” Initiative, Renmin University of China) (November 2016)
- Schemes of Arrangement under the Companies Ordinance: Recent Updates and Practical Pointers (CPD seminar, with Terrence Tai) (October 2018)
- Cross-border insolvency and Restructuring – Latest Developments (CPD seminar, with Jason Yu) (September 2018)
- Cross-border insolvency and related shareholders disputes’ (CPD seminar, with Jose-Antonio Maurellet SC) (August 2017)
- Updates on Cross-Jurisdictional Company and Insolvency Litigation (CPD seminar, with Vincent Chiu and Stephanie Wong) (April 2017)
- Hong Kong Companies and Insolvency Law from Litigation Perspective – a lecture delivered to the Pudong Lawyers Association (with Alexander Tang and David Chen) (June 2016)
- ‘Ring-fencing Domestic Property: Is there a solution?’ (CPD seminar, with Martin Kok and Jacqueline Law) (December 2014)
- ‘Demystifying the Law of Unjust Enrichment’ (CPD seminar, with Martin Kok, Martin Ho and Jacqueline Law) (October 2014)
Administrative Review, Commercial Judicial Review, Constitutional Review, Inquiries and Inquests, Statutory Tribunals, Adjudication, Arbitration as counsel, Arbitration as arbitrator, Enforcement of Arbitral Award, Expert Determination, Bankers’ Duties, Credit Financing, Financial Mis-selling, Moneylenders’ Actions, Securities Law, SFC Enforcement Actions, Contract, Conflict of Laws, Equity, Tort, Unjust Enrichment, Insurance Law, Negotiable Instruments, Partnerships, Sale of Goods, Corporate Governance, Compliance with Listing and Other Regulatory Rules, Derivative Action, Unfair Prejudice Petition, Enforcement, Follow-on Action, Investigation, Leniency, Divorce and Dissolution, Matrimonial Finance, Bankruptcy, Restructuring, Schemes of Arrangement, Winding-Up, Breach of Confidence, Copyright, Patents, Passing Off, Trademarks, Aviation, Letters of Credit, Sale and Carriage of Goods, Shipping, Anti-Discrimination, Breach of Confidence, Employment, Restraint of Trade, Auditors’ Negligence, Disciplinary Proceedings, Medical Negligence, Solicitors’ Negligence, Surveyors’ Negligence, Trusts, Wills, Probate and Administration of Estates, Charities, Anton Piller Relief, Asset Tracing, Bankers’ Books Orders, Discovery, Injunction, Norwich Pharmacal Orders, Adverse Possession, Building Management, Charities, Conveyancing, Easements, Landlord & Tenants Disputes, New Territories Law
Accolades
Michael Lok was ranked by Chambers and Partners Greater China Region 2025 in the field of Commercial Dispute Resolution: The Bar.
Chambers Review shared that “Michael Lok acts prominently on company law issues, maintaining a noted specialisation in the areas of insolvency and bankruptcy and regularly representing public authorities and agencies, including the Secretary for Justice and the SFC.”
Clients commented that “Michael understands clients’ needs and delivers.”, “Michael is a strategic thinker who is solution-oriented and able to think outside the box.” and “Michael seems to me to have the enviable skill of explaining difficult issues to the court to obtain the results desired by clients.“.
- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2025)
Michael Lok has been recognised as a Leading Junior for Commercial disputes and Administrative and public law by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025 – Hong Kong Bar.
“Michael is expectedly strong in technical skills. He is a confident and effective advocate. He is great at guiding the court through complex legal and factual issues in his written and oral submissions. In addition, he has a sensitive commercial mindset enabling him to truly understand the commercial objectives of the client.“
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Hong Kong Bar (2025)
Michael Lok was ranked by Chambers and Partners Greater China Region 2024 in the field of Commercial Dispute Resolution: The Bar.
Chambers Review shared that “Michael Lok acts prominently on company law issues, maintaining a noted specialisation in the areas of insolvency and bankruptcy and regularly representing public authorities and agencies, including the Secretary for Justice and the SFC.”
Clients commented that “Michael is one of the most sought-after junior barristers in town. He is no doubt a guru of company law matters. On top of his superb legal skills, he always keep the client’s commercial objectives in mind and is always able to identify the best possible strategy to serve those objectives.”, “He’s very smooth and a very good advocate.” and “Michael is very responsive and diligent. He is a capable junior counsel to work with.“
- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2024)
“Michael Lok of Des Voeux Chambers acts prominently on company law issues, maintaining a noted specialisation in the areas of insolvency and bankruptcy and regularly representing public authorities and agencies, including the Secretary for Justice and the SFC.”
“Michael Lok is very effective and impressive junior. He punches above his weight, and can give senior counsel a run for their money.”
“He’s a very solid junior with a very busy practice and first-rate written work.“
- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2023)
Michael is “well experienced in general company law matters” and “very strong in insolvency“, and lauded for being “a very practical, sensible and commercial guy who punches above his weight” and “a very smooth operator who’s fantastic with clients.”
He acts prominently on company law issues, maintaining a noted specialisation in the areas of insolvency and bankruptcy and regularly representing public authorities and agencies, including the Secretary for Justice and the SFC.
- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2022)
“A source of responsive, solid and practical advice, he is a good advocate who thinks outside the box.” Michael Lok is singled out as a Rising Star for Commercial Disputes.
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific HK Bar (2021)
Michael Lok – Des Voeux Chambers “A source of responsive, solid and practical advice, he is a good advocate who thinks outside the box.”
- Legal 500: Commercial Disputes (2021)
“Sarah Worthington would like to thank Michael Lok for his significant research assistance in the updating of particular parts of this edition; that he managed to provide this help while also conducting an increasingly busy and successful practice in Hong Kong is testament to his energy and organisation.”
- Gower’s Principles of Modern Company Law (10th ed.)
“Michael Lok has once again provided unparalleled research assistance on all the areas addressed in this book, and managed to do that while conducting an increasingly busy and successful practice in Hong Kong.”