Lareina Chan

Practice Areas

Commercial Law

Employment

Family Law/Private Client

Intellectual Property

Land Law

Personal Injuries/Medical Negligence

Probate

Career

Lareina maintains a strong matrimonial, civil and white-collar crime practice. She has appeared as an advocate in her own right in the Court of Appeal, the Court of First Instance, the District/Family Courts and the Magistrates’ Courts, and as Junior Counsel. She is accredited for... "looking into the details of every fact of the case and she is good at meeting the tight deadlines of demanding clients… Her native English has made her a standout when she makes submissions into Court.” (Legal 500 2024.) She also debuted in 2025 in Chambers & Partners and earned accreditation for Family & Matrimonial Law. Lareina was noted for being "experienced in handling cases relating to children, advising on disputes relating to custody, relocation and education. Lareina was able to provide her expertise and deal with complicated and time-sensitive matters well." (Chambers & Partners 2025 - GCR.)

Lareina has substantial experience in all aspects of matrimonial and family litigation and has developed a solid practice in this area. She has acted for high-net-worth individuals and is regularly instructed in a broad spectrum of matrimonial finance matters and children’s disputes. These include ancillary relief proceedings (including those involving cryptocurrencies), third-party interest claims, relocation applications, custody / care and control arrangements, enforcement proceedings and committal proceedings. Since 2017, Lareina has been an Executive Committee Member of the Hong Kong Family Law Association (HKFLA), and she is also a member of the Hong Kong Bar Association’s Committee on Family Law.

In other civil litigation, Lareina has an established and compelling offering with an emphasis on private client matters. She is increasingly being recognised for her work in this sector and is shoring up and bolstering her expertise in a wide range of areas including mental health proceedings, probate / administration, intellectual property, cases involving cryptocurrencies / bitcoin, medical negligence, land law, shareholders’ disputes, as well as other company and commercial matters. She has built up a healthy client base and this has contributed to her robust track record, especially now that she is in her 12th year of practice.

In criminal litigation, Lareina handles complex white-collar matters including cases involving the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), and FinTech / cryptocurrency-related financial crimes.

Work Highlights

FAMILY LAW & PRIVATE CLIENT

MMP v. MMGA (FCMC 751/2018) – 10-day ancillary relief Trial in a long marriage of approx. 22 years involving assets of around HK$1.1 billion, add-backs in relation to ~US$4.5 million (~HK$35 million) in marital assets transferred to a girlfriend/new partner, serious illnesses suffered by both children requiring significant medical expenses / medical insurance and specialist treatment, including arguments as to post-separation accruals, conduct (marital, financial and litigation conduct), adverse inferences from financial disclosure, redaction of documents, relevant dates of valuations of assets, co-mingling of assets, liquidity / illiquidity of assets and undisclosed significant investments post-Trial.

RPB (nee RGP) v. CFB (FCMC 13240/2019) – 5-day ancillary relief Trial with an interlocutory litigation funding application in the context of assets in the Philippines and Texas, USA, including arguments as to ring-fencing pre-marital assets, post-separation / non-matrimonial assets, liquidity / illiquidity of assets, a discount for lack of marketability of assets, passive economic growth / passive income on investments and a discount for minority interests, in the context of inter alia a US Qualified Domestic Relations Order to a US 401(k) pension, US tax SJE evidence, SJE evidence from a Philippines lawyer, a minority interest in an LLC which owns a plot of land, a 50% share in a plot of land purchased using inheritance monies, inherited investment accounts.

LSN v. LCM (FCMC 3810/2021) – ancillary relief application involving volatile crypto-assets representing a significant proportion of the matrimonial assets (at one point as high as 70%, with a then-valuation of over HK$13 million) and other investments in stocks/shares and options including arguments as to valuations of cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets, the relevant dates of valuations, varying risk appetites, financial disclosure and adverse inferences.

DAP v. WPYC (FCMP 167/2020) – 4-day Trial on children matters in relation to a child born out of wedlock, under the Guardianship of Minors Ordinance (Cap 13), including SJE evidence from a Child Psychologist on inter alia access and overnight access, an urgent variation/stay application, the introduction of a new partner (and subsequent marriage) to the child, and principles as to access arrangements for young children, infants and toddlers.

LYYC v. CHL and CSMS, the Executrices of the Estate of CGSK also known as CSKG, Deceased (HCMP 683/2021) [2022] HKCFI 1431 – resisting an application in the context of litigation funding under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Ordinance (Cap 481), including arguments as to the distinction between section 3 of the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Ordinance (Cap 192) and section 7 of Cap 481, res judicata and interim lump sum orders.

WLK by her next friend MYW v. CCIW & Ors. (FCMP 176/2019) – application under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Ordinance (Cap 481) by the Applicant mother who is a mentally-incapacitated person, including a litigation funding application, against her 10 children in relation to the estate of their deceased father / the Applicant’s late husband.

CK v. ZH (FCMP 8/2023) – successful urgent injunction application with an authorisation of arrest pursuant to the Domestic and Cohabitation Relationships Violence Ordinance (Cap 189) against the mother/grandmother of the Applicant, and subsequent arrest due to a breach of the Injunction Order.

IS v. BLL (FCMP 98/2023) – in relation to an intended relocation to South Africa and/or permission to continue to reside in Hong Kong, parallel proceedings in New York, including arguments as to jurisdiction and forum non conveniens.

CWK v. LYW (FCMC 2019/2023) – urgent application for variation / suspension of access, return of the parties’ child and allegations of child abuse.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Selected Cases

Reckitt & Colman (Overseas) Health Ltd. & Reckitt Benckiser Hong Kong v. WHealthfields (Hong Kong) Ltd. (HCIP 2/2022) – resisting an application for summary judgment in the context of Dettol and Walch hygiene products / fast-moving consumer goods, in the context of a claim for copyright infringement and passing off.

K11 Group Limited & Ors v. Ouji Sekken (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. (HCIP 73/2022) – resisting a claim of passing off by the K11 Group / K11 MUSEA, a subsidiary of the New World Development Group, in the context of body wash products sold under the “KHO” brand.

Professional Memberships

Appointments

Lecturer, PCLL Civil Advocacy (Small Group Tutorials), Department of Professional Legal Education, University of Hong Kong (Sep 2019 – Present)

Member, Committee on Family Law (CFamL), HK Bar Association (Mar 2019 – Present)

Member, Standing Committee on Legal Education, HK Bar Association (Mar 2019 – Present)

Member, Hong Kong Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) (Nov 2018 – Present)

Member, Standing Committee on Practice Development, HK Bar Association (Jun 2018 – Present)

Advocacy Trainer, Hong Kong Advocacy Training Council (Jan 2018 – Present)

Executive Committee Member, Hong Kong Family Law Association (Member since 2015) (Nov 2017 – Present)

Vice-Chairman, Standing Committee on Young Barristers, HK Bar Association (Mar 2017 – Feb 2019)

Secretary, Standing Committee on Young Barristers, HK Bar Association (Mar 2016 – Mar 2017)

Member, Bar Council of the Hong Kong Bar Association (under Winnie Tam SC) (Jan 2016 – Jan 2017)

Member, Task Force on Continuing Professional Development (CPD), HK Bar Association (Oct 2015 – Jan 2017)

Member, Task Force on Hong Kong Bar Code of Conduct and Registered Foreign Lawyers Advising on & Practising in Hong Kong, HK Bar Association (Oct 2015 – Jan 2017)

Member, Hong Kong Competition Association (2015 – Present)

Member, Middle Temple Society in Hong Kong (2015 – Present)

Member, Standing Committee on Welfare and Sports, HK Bar Association (2015 – 2018)

Publications

Speaker, “Volatile & Risky Matrimonial Assets: Strategies on Dealing with Fluctuating Values and Varying Risk Appetites”, Haldanes (8 Dec 2023)

Speaker, “Family Law Enforcement: Unless Orders”, RKS Rita Ku & Ser (24 Feb 2023)

Speaker, “Cross-Border Reciprocal Enforcement in Matrimonial & Family Cases”, Howse Williams (16 Nov 2022)

Speaker, “Cryptocurrencies & Cryptoassets in Matrimonial Proceedings”, RKS Rita Ku & Ser (24 Jun 2022)

Contributing Author, “Annotated Ordinances of Hong Kong – Bills of Exchange Ordinance (Cap 19), LexisNexis (Sep 2022 – Present)

Speaker, “Breaking the (Block)Chain: Divorce & Cryptoassets”, Charles Russell Speechlys & PwC (17 Feb 2022)

Speaker, “Remote Hearings & Virtual FDR”, Committee on Family Law, HK Bar Association (Jul 2021)

Speaker, “Family Law Practice & Procedure: First Appointment Hearings”, Committee on Family Law, HK Bar Association (Sep 2019)

Speaker, “Family Law Procedure: Domestic Violence”, Committee on Family Law, HK Bar Association (Jun 2019)

Contributing Author, LexisNexis Practical Guidance – Private Client (Ancillary Relief) (Mar 2019 – Present)

Speaker, “Can barristers be directly instructed to advise on taxation issues? How best to collaborate between barristers and tax practitioners?” (organised by the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong) (Dec 2018)

Speaker, “Topical Issues on Contentious Probate & Administration of Estates” (Sep 2017)

Awards

Education