Karen Lam

Karen has expertise in a broad range of financial markets transactions, including asset-based finance, structured products, derivatives and financial market infrastructures. She has been at the forefront of market innovations such as the launch of the Stock Connect, Bond Connect and Swap Connect investment channels, and active in developing carbon markets in Asia.

Karen is a partner in our Financial Markets group in Hong Kong. She has over 20 years’ experience advising clients in the full spectrum of structured finance transactions across Asia, with particular expertise in securitisations, structured products and derivatives.

Karen works closely with companies, banks and investors to understand their business objectives, and helps them to structure, negotiate and successfully execute transactions. She worked on a number of complex finance transactions, such as the first public consumer loan securitisation in Hong Kong by Prime Credit Limited and the first infrastructure loan backed securities issued by the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation.

Karen has in-depth knowledge of exchanges, clearing and settlement systems, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Stock Connect, Bond Connect and Swap Connect schemes, which made it easier for overseas investors to access the Mainland China financial markets and vice versa. Recently, she has advised on the development of the Core Climate carbon trading platform. Karen thrives on developing innovative legal solutions for market participants, informed by her first-hand knowledge of market and its commercial challenges.

As well as being the firm’s go-to expert on asset-based finance and financial market infrastructure in Asia, Karen has broad experience in other financial transactions such as margin loans, debt securities and certificates of deposit. She is well-versed in structured product and derivatives regulatory matters.

Karen joined Simmons & Simmons as a partner in 2025. Prior to that, she was a partner at Linklaters from 2019-2024. Karen is listed as Up and Coming in the Chambers Guide for Capital Markets: Derivatives & Structured Products (International Firms), Greater China region and was also listed as a Rising Star in Finance by the Euromoney Women in Business Law Awards. She is named as a Legal 500 Green Ambassador as well.