Isabel Tam

Isabel Tam graduated with a first class LLB and with distinction in her LLM. She was awarded the Bar Scholarship in 2012. Her practice has an emphasis on public law and complex family law (and is recognised as Leading Junior in Legal 500 in both areas), as well as commercial matters.

She has appeared in all levels of court including the Magistrates’ Courts and the Court of Final Appeal.

Recent highlights of Isabel’s experience include: K v The Secretary for Justice [2025] 6 HKC 466 on the constitutionality of the authorities’ birth registration system for parentage in the context of same-sex couples; NH v TCAB [2024] 6 HKC 765 on the treatment of the principle of res judicata in administrative decision-making; NF v R [2023] 5 HKLRD 58, a breakthrough for same-sex parents, granting a declaration of “parentage at common law” in the context of parents in a same-sex relationship; and AA v BB [2021] 2 HKLRD 1225, which has been hailed as a landmark victory for the LGBTQ community, granting rights to a separated same-sex couple who had co-parented children during their relationship.

Isabel (led by Mr Denis Chang SC) represented the successful appellants (company directors charged with additional tax) before the Court of Appeal in Koo Ming Kown & Anor v The Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2021] 3 HKLRD 642. This is Hong Kong’s first ever case to deal with the third party’s liability for additional tax by reason of “incorrectness” in the company’s return.

She also has an MA in competition law with distinction in the examination component, and was seconded to the Competition Commission.

For more information regarding Isabel’s practice, please visit: https://dcc.law/barrister/isabel-tam/