Rosita Lau

Rosita is a Band 1 Lawyer in both Shipping (Contentious, International) and Insurance (Contentious, International), of BOTH Chambers & Partners, Greater China, and Chambers & Partners Global.

She is a senior partner of Ince & Co, and the Head of Shipping, Port & Terminal and Insurance Practice of the firm. She studied law in England and holds a Master of Law Degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science of the University of London with a Mark of Merits.

She is admitted to practise in four jurisdictions, namely, England and Wales, Hong Kong, Australia ACT, and Singapore.

She is a well known prominent lawyer in the Greater China Region. She has 30 years of experience in transportation law (covering the sea, the land and the air), insurance law and international trade law. She specialises in handling complex multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes, ALL ASPECTS of dry shipping, ports and terminals, warehouse, logistics, aviation, all aspects of marine and non-marine insurance and insurance regulatory, and international trading of commodities. Her practice is both contentious and non-contentious. She advises clients on contracts and disputes preventive measures, and is also renown for her dispute resolution skill and forceful advocacy.

1. Shipping

Specialising in handling disputes in all types of shipping matters, including charterparties, carriage of goods by sea, shipbuilding, ship management, shipbroking, ship agency, multi-modal transportation of goods. Her clients include leading international, regional and Mainland China shipowners, international and regional charterers, P&I clubs (all members of the International Group of the P&I Clubs, and China P&I Club), other marine insurers, ports and terminal operators, freight forwarders, cargo interests and logistic operators, leading liability insurers, and insurance brokers. She has a huge reputation in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Acting for and advising clients in litigation in courts of all levels, arbitration and mediation is part of her daily practice. She handles Hong Kong, China, Singapore and international arbitrations including HKIAC, HKMAG, SAIC, LMAA, FCC and CIETAC and CMAC arbitration. She is a London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) Support Member.

She has recently been the Mediator of the first International Commercial Disputes administered by the International Organisation of Mediation (IOMed) and settled the complex disputes involved. A success widely reported in the media.

She is always instructed to advise on the most up to date shipping matters such as the Red Sea Crisis, providing BIMCO with her opinion for revising BIMCO’s War Risk Clauses in standard charterparties, advising clients on the impact on shipping by US tariff policies, the US 301 Investigation, the US/Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz !

2. Port and Terminal, Logistics

Rosita has an established Port and Terminal and Logistics practice. Acting for operators of almost all the ocean going vessels terminals and river trade terminals of Hong Kong, logistics parks in Mainland, advising them on non-contentious matters (drafting of and advising on all sort of commercial contracts and documents, advising on strategies) and in contentious matters.

She succeeded in defending many terminal owners and operators in complex criminal charges for unsafe operation and in civil claims for negligence and property damage.

She is instructed in a lot of pioneer projects including the Green Lane Project, the Da-Chan Bay Project, and currently the hottest Dongguan-Hong Kong-Overseas multi-modal transportation of cargo by sea, land and air to overseas countries Project.

3. Insurance

Specialising in, transportation-related (covering the air, sea and land) insurance law matters, all shipping related insurance (H&M, P&I Club and cargo insurance), port and terminal insurance, heavy machinery related insurance, property damage, personal injury, third party liability, product liability, contract and policy drafting, coverage disputes and claims.

She also has abundant experiences in insurance regulatory matters. She advises and represents P&I Clubs, overseas mutual insurers and insurance brokers on insurance authorization. She advised almost all the P&I Clubs which have presence in Hong Kong on getting authorization in Hong Kong, and succeeded in obtaining authorization for all the P&I clubs and mutual insurers she acted for.

Awards and Accolades

Over the years she has received numerous heavy weight, unique international, regional and local awards and accolades. To name some of them:

1. In July 2021, awarded the Medal of Honour (榮譽勳章) by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for her contribution to the development of Hong Kong’s maritime industry and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an International Maritime Centre. She is the first and hitherto the only maritime lawyer who was awarded the Medal and Honour since its inception in 1997.

2. Legal 500 --- Ranked as a “Leading Individual in Shipping” for 20 consecutive years till 2020, then from 2020, when the “Hall of Fame Partner Lawyer” ranking was inaugurated, has been a Hall of Fame Partner Lawyer every year since then.

3. Two-time winner of Lloyd’s List Global’s Top Ten Shipping Lawyers of the world” and two-time winner of the “Top 100 Most Influential Maritime Personnel of the World” accolade and is the first Hong Kong lawyer who obtained these accolades, and winning them twice.

4. Winner of Lloyd’s List Asia’s “Individual Maritime Lawyer of the Year” Award, also the first and hitherto the only Hong Kong and Chinese lawyer to win this award.

5. Winning the “Best in Shipping” Award by Euromoney at their Asia Women in Business Law Awards. She is the first and hitherto the only Hong Kong and Chinese shipping lawyers who won this award.

6. Winning the “Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector” Award presented by Seatrade Maritime Asia in June 2019. She is the first and hitherto the only winner of this award.

7. A “Disputes Star” and a “Litigation Star” for Benchmark Litigation for many years.

8. A “100 Most Outstanding Female Lawyers of Asia” -- Benchmark.

9. Leading Lawyer in Aviation and Maritime by Asia Law & Practice since 2004 to present for 28 consecutive years.

11. A 100 elite lawyers in “The A-List” by China Business Law Journal 2019.

12. 2025 and 2026 ---- Doyle's Guide “Leading Shipping & Maritime Lawyer Rankings - Hong Kong.

13. February 2026, winning the “Shipping Law Expert of the Year in Hong Kong ----- 2026’ by the 2026 Corporate INTL Magazine Global Award.

Testimonals

1. A prominent shipping lawyer of the Greater China Region,

2. “Rosita Lau has extensive knowledge and experience in maritime expertise. Have professional knowledge and international reputation”. (Shipping) Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025,

3. ”Rosita Lau is an outstanding, high-quality maritime solicitor in the region.” (Shipping) Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024,

4. Rosita Lau is competent and skilful in formulating strategies that scare away her clients’ opponents. A formidable litigator, always accurate and brilliant in her legal argument, both in writing and in her advocacy.” (Insurance) Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024,

5. “She is capable of providing excellent legal service to clients.” (Shipping) Chambers & Partners -Greater China Region 2024,

6. “Meticulous and methodical in her approach and detailed in thinking. She is well known in the insurance industry, particularly for her outstanding knowledge of shipping insurance work.” Chambers Asia Pacific,

7. “A ferocious advocate.” Chambers Asia Pacific,

8. “Rosita Lau reaches sensible, pragmatic solutions.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific,

9. “Excellent lawyer – very experienced, capable and famous in the market.” Chambers Asia Pacific,

10. “Rosita has shown her professionalism, knowledge and experience in maritime laws and I am very satisfied with her capabilities and sense of responsibilities.” China Business Law Awards

Public Office Appointments

Many including:

 Appointed member of the Maritime Services Development Committee of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board ---- July 2025 to June 2028

 Appointed Chairman of the Task Force for promoting Hong Kong’s maritime services

 Chairperson of the Promotion and External Relations Committee of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board ----- April 2022 to March 2024

 Chairperson of the Task Force for organising the annual Hong Kong Maritime Week (2022, 2023)

 Member of the Task Force for organising all the annual Hong Kong Maritime Week (from inception in 2016 to 2021, then promoted to be the Chairperson of the Task Force)

 Appointed member of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board ----- April 2016 to March 2024, totalling 8 years which is a record

 Member of a Working Group of the New Business Committee of the Financial Services Development Council, Hong Kong, 2016

 Appointed member of the Maritime Industry Council of Hong Kong ----- 2010 to March 2016, totalling 6 years

 Chairman of the Appeal Tribunal under the Building Ordinance, Hong Kong ----- many years