Adrian Au

Family Law, Wills, Probate and Trusts

Adrian is a partner in the Family Practice having joined the firm in 2017. Adrian advises clients on all areas of family and matrimonial law, including pre / post-nuptial agreements, matrimonial breakdown, separation and divorce, financial applications and arrangements for children. Adrian also regularly advises on contentious probate matters.

Adrian advises a diverse range of clients, ranging from chairmen of listed companies, second-generation owners of family businesses and SME entrepreneurs with international backgrounds, to high net-worth individuals in the PRC. Adrian often advises clients on challenging jurisdictional issues, complex financial arrangements involving pension schemes, share options or deferred bonus payments schemes, assets across multiple jurisdictions and entitlements under a trust structure, and spousal and children maintenance (interim and final). Adrian also advises clients on children’s matters including international relocation, custodial and parental arrangements. Adrian has experience advising PRC clients who have substantial assets in Hong Kong and/or in the PRC personally or through their spouse, often involving jurisdictional or financial disclosure issues.

Additionally, Adrian also practises in contentious probate matters. Adrian advises on all aspects of contentious probate, including challenging the validity of Wills on the basis of the testator’s lack of mental capacity, fraudulent signatures and challenging and setting aside letters of administrations. Adrian also advises on matters involving administration of the estate, including applications for appointment of administrator pendente lite, grants of ad colligenda bona and accounts proceedings.

A significant number of Adrian’s matters involve complex law points, such as remedies against the opposing party acting in contempt of Court, remedies against opposing party who has obtained client’s confidential information without his consent, challenging the validity of a consensual financial agreement, seeking or defending against the inclusion of trust assets as part of the matrimonial assets; or matters requiring practitioners from multiple jurisdictions to collaborate on a concerted effort to achieve client’s intended goal.

Prior to specialising in Family and Contentious Probate, Adrian was a general civil litigator. He applies his experience and technical know-how in general civil litigation to assist his current practice.

The Law Society of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Family Law Association, STEP Affiliate