Profile
Profile
Terrence joined chambers in 2016. He read History at the University of Cambridge before completing his Juris Doctor at the University of Hong Kong (with First Class Honours, ranking second in his year) and his Bachelor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford (with Distinction). He was awarded the Bar Scholarship in 2015 and the Charles Ching Memorial Scholarship in 2016.
Terrence maintains a broad civil and commercial practice, with particular emphasis on company, insolvency and restructuring matters. He has also acted and advised in matters involving mentally incapacitated persons, including issues of mental capacity in contentious probate cases, applications under the Mental Health Ordinance (Cap. 136), and proceedings concerning enduring powers of attorney. He has appeared at all levels of court, from the District Court to the Court of Final Appeal, and has advised on and appeared in arbitrations.
Selected Cases
Bankruptcy and Insolvency
- Appeared in cases arising out of corporate insolvency or restructuring related to or arising from the public and private companies.
- Selected cases: Re China City Construction (Int’l) Co Ltd HCCW 166/2018; Re Lerthai Group Ltd HCCW 233/2020; Re Trinity Management Services Ltd HCCW 420/2020; Re Tian Shan Development (Holdings) Ltd HCCW 383/2021; Re NewOcean Energy Holdings Ltd HCCW 86/2022; Re HK Airlines Ltd HCCW 712/2022; Re Dangdai International Investments Ltd HCCW 65/2023; Re Differ Group Auto Ltd HCCW 266/2023; Re Country Garden Holdings Ltd HCCW 116/2024; Re Sino Ocean Group Ltd HCCW 380/2024; Re China South City Holdings Ltd HCCW 54/2025; Re KWG Group Holdings Ltd HCCW 492/2025; Re Agile Property Holdings Ltd HCCW 780/2025
- Appeared in applications by companies for schemes of arrangement, including creditors’ schemes.
- Selected cases: Re Asia Television Ltd HCMP 1278/2017, Re National Arts Entertainment and Culture Group Ltd [2020] HKCFI 271, Re Samson Paper Holdings Ltd [2021] 5 HKLRD 286, Re Hidili Industry International Development Ltd [2022] HKCFI 1833, Re Moody Technology Holdings Ltd [2022] HKCFI 1992, Re Ozner Water International Holdings Ltd [2022] HKCFI 2875, Re China Beidahuang Industry Group Holdings Ltd [2023] HKCFI 2332; Re Helenbergh China Holdings Ltd [2024] HKCFI 2628, Re Powerlong Real Estate Holdings Ltd [2025] HKCFI 271 & [2026] HKCFI 3836, Re Golden Wheel Tiandi Holdings Co Ltd [2025] HKCFI 3268; Re China SCE Group Holdings Ltd [2026] HKCFI 4824; Re E-House (China) Enterprise Holdings Limited HCMP 525/2026
- Appeared in bankruptcy proceedings and other bankruptcy related applications, including Re Guy Kwok-Hung Lam (2023) 26 HKCFAR 119, the leading authority on the effect of exclusive jurisdiction clauses on bankruptcy petitions.
- Selected cases: Re Yau Wing Keung [2025] HKCFI 5551, Re Guy Kwok-Hung Lam (2023) 26 HKCFAR 119, Re Li Hiu Yan HCB 4759/2023, Re Nam Ho Kwan [2022] HKCFI 3160; Re Lin Zhuo Yan HCB 5348/2020
Company
- Re Sandmartin International Holding Ltd [2020] HKCA 146 – shareholders’ inspection
- Re Topmix (International) Co Ltd [2020] HKCFI 245 – shareholders’ inspection
- Re Natural Seasoning International (HK) Ltd [2021] HKCFI 1535 – injunction over voting rights
- ARF SV 1 S.à.r.l v. The Registrar of Companies [2022] HKCFI 963 – restoration of deregistered company
- Tan Jian Ming v Tan Jiacheng [2025] HKCFI 63868 – rectification of Company Registry records
Mental health law
- Acted and advised in contentious and non-contentious applications under the Mental Health Ordinance (Cap. 136), including applications for directions, interim relief, appointment of Committees, sales of properties, appointment of s.24 payees, Committee’s costs, and proceedings before the Guardianship Board.
- Acted and advised in proceedings concerning enduring powers of attorney, including a trial on the capacity of a donor to execute an enduring power, applications to challenge/revoke such powers, and applications for attorneys to provide accounts.
- Selected cases: Re LWY HCMH 71/2012; Re CKY HCMH 67/2016; Re WHY HCMH 72/2016; Re CFS HCMH 70/2017; Re YHM HCMH 62/2017 [2019] HKCFI 1441; Re LSL HCMH 91/2017; Re CKY HCMH 7/2018; Re TSH HCMH 69/2018; Re SL HCMH 1/2019; Re NYMT HCMH 32/2019; Re FSKB HCMH 60/2019; Re QLK HCMH 66/2020; Re HVD HCMH 48/2021 [2021] HKCFI 3212; Re LY HCMH 25/2021; Re SCH HCMH 9/2022; Re LPMPM HCMH5/2023; Re JC HCMH 19/2024; Re NYYB HCMH 30/2025; Re CKJL HCMH 36/2026; Re FER HCMH 17/2026
Probate and succession disputes
- Yeung Lai Sze Ritz v Cheung Yin Ling Ellie [2025] HKCFI 2894 –beddoe application
- Re Cheung Fung Yan [2024] HKCFI 469 – appointment of professional administrator
- Li Yan Hun v Li Yau Chun HCAP 25/2015 – trial of probate action on affidavit evidence
- Re Cheung Fung Yan HCMP 1832/2022 – pass over application
- Re Lo Wai Tung HCMP 1331/2022 – revocation proceedings
Banking and Finance
- HSBC v Fully Richest International Ltd [2022] HKCFI 365 – mortgagee action
- Bao Yuan Finance Ltd v Luo Guiying [2020] HKCFI 2942 – mortgagee action
- China Citic Bank International v Tus-Holdings Co., Ltd [2025] HKCFI 5264 – guarantee claim
General Civil and Commercial
- GMT Industrial Ltd v Fang Rong Li [2025] HKCFI 2141 – trial on breach of fiduciary duty
- Maurizio De Gasperis v Shanghai Tang Investment Holding Company Ltd [2025] HKCFI 2372 – trial on breach of contract and trademark licence
- Fong Ping Kit v Tsang Hin Wai [2024] HKCFI 3583 – trial to set aside a judgment obtained by fraud
- Excel Courage Holdings Ltd v Seto Ming Wai [2024] 2 HKLRD 708 – trial on breach of Quincecare duty
- China Energy Reserve and Chemicals Group Overseas Co Ltd v BoCom (HK) Ltd [2021] HKCFI 2367 – Resisting application for pre-action discovery
- Bluesun Capital Ltd v Tewoo Group [2021] HKCFI 2040 – Setting aside default judgment on the basis of inter alia material non-disclosure
- Sunni International Ltd v Kao Wai Ho Francis [2021] 1 HKLRD 841 – Application for security for costs and interplay with non-party cost order
Securities and regulations
- Re Asia Telemedia Limited – Market Misconduct Tribunal sanction hearing
- SFC v Liu Zhongkui [2021] HKCFI 1975 – application for disqualification order
- SFC v Yang Shuyan [2025] HKCFI 839– application for disqualification order
Private International Law
- Prime Success, LP v Sinovac Biotech Ltd HCMP 1037/2025 – resisting interim anti-suit injunction
- Dickson Valora Group (Holdings) Co Ltd v Fan Ji Qian [2019] 2 HKLRD 173 – “quasi-contractual” anti-suit injunction against a respondent who was not party to the relevant arbitration clause
- Dickson Holdings Enterprise Co Ltd v Moravia CV [2019] 3 HKLRD 210 – application for striking out unfair prejudice petition on the ground of lack of locus standi; mandatory stay of the petition in favour of arbitration
- Step Perfect Ltd v Gregory Goldstein HCA 846/2017 – Stay of proceedings, forum non conveniens, dismissal of interlocutory injunction application
- Charles Ching Memorial Scholarship (2016)
- Bar Scholarship (2015)
- Prince Philip Scholarship (2008)
- Tutor, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong (2016 – 2021)
- Contributing Editor to Hong Kong Company Law Cases (2008 – 2019) – published in 2020 by DVC in collaboration with Kluwer
- 2016 年普通法精要—國際商貿法律實務課程
Bankruptcy, Restructuring, Schemes of Arrangement, Winding-Up, Breach of Confidence, Employment, Restraint of Trade, Committees, Guardianship
Accolades
Terrence Tai was ranked by Chambers and Partners Greater China Region 2026 in the field of Commercial Dispute Resolution: The Bar.
Chambers Review shared that “Terrence Tai wins recognition for his strong restructuring and insolvency disputes practice, in addition to solid expertise in trust and probate-related matters.”
Clients commented that “Terrence has strong technical skills and is pragmatic and very responsive,” and “He’s a very experienced restructuring counsel in Hong Kong and also an excellent all-rounder.”
- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2026)
Terrence Tai was ranked by Chambers and Partners Greater China Region 2025 as Up and Coming in the field of Commercial Dispute Resolution: The Bar.
Chambers Review shared that “Terrence Tai wins recognition for his strong restructuring and insolvency disputes practice, in addition to solid expertise in trust and probate-related matters.”
Clients commented that “He’s delivered very impressive performances in court on a number of occasions which has given me a lot of confidence in using his services”, “Terrence is responsive and practical, gives good advice out of the box, is technically very sound and provides solutions. He is a very good strategist as well”, and “Terrence Tai is a talented junior. He gives prompt advice which is succinct and precise.”