Practice Areas
Thomas Walsh leads the firm's Hong Kong Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice and is the co-head of the firm's Greater China international arbitration group, with a particular focus on private capital and technology disputes.
He is recognized as one of the foremost arbitration practitioners in Asia and ranked Band 1, Tier 1 or as a Leading Individual by all of the leading legal directories including Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.
Clients praise his ability to "'give confidence... with great communication skills and a thorough understanding of the key issues'" (Chambers & Partners), while The Legal 500 highlights him as a "'dedicated and enthusiastic player at the heart of the dispute resolution scene in Hong Kong... regularly involved in many of the most complicated multi-jurisdictional disputes in the region.'"
Reflecting his standing in the community, Thomas holds key leadership positions at major arbitral institutions. He serves on the HKIAC's Executive Committee, Council, and as Chair of its Appointments Committee. For the ICC, he is the elected Chair of the Hong Kong Nominations Committee and a member of the Hong Kong Executive Committee.
A respected thought leader, Thomas is the General Editor of Hong Kong's leading arbitration commentary, "The White Book" (Arbitration and ADR Volume, Hong Kong Civil Procedure). He is currently an adjunct professor at Peking University and has previously taught at Hong Kong University, Seoul National University, and Yonsei University.
Career
Trinity Hall, Cambridge (BA) 2001
Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 2007
Admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong 2011
Admitted as a Foreign Legal Consultant in the Republic of Korea 2013
Joined Clifford Chance 2014
Head of Korean disputes practice 2014
Partner since 2019
Co-head of China International practice 2020
