Norman Hau

Global Restructuring Review 100 2019

Norman is a Partner in the Hong Kong office of Conyers Dill & Pearman. Norman joined Conyers in 2012 from the dispute resolution team of a magic circle firm.

Norman is a seasoned commercial litigator with extensive experience in restructuring and insolvency matters and shareholders disputes in Hong Kong, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands. Norman is a fluent English, Cantonese and Putonghua speaker.

Norman has acted for listed companies, liquidators, private equity houses, fund managers, and high net worth individuals in their contentious matters involving offshore laws. Norman is highly regarded by his clients and peers for his legal skills, commerciality and strategic mindset demonstrated in complex commercial disputes, insolvency and restructuring cases and asset tracing matters, having been recognised in the 2018 Edition of Legal 500 for his “great client management and general litigation strategy” and his ability to provide “sensible and commercial advice”.

Experience Highlights

Acting for National Arts Entertainment and Culture Group Limited (HKSE:8228) in its successful application in Bermuda for appointment of light-touch provisional liquidators for restructuring purposes, and generally in respect of its debt restructuring.
Acting for China Environmental Technology Holdings Limited (HKSE:0646) and its wholly-owned subsidiary in a successful application in the Cayman Islands for appointment of provisional liquidators against Pacific Fertility Institutes Holding Company Limited, a joint venture beneficially owned by the listed company and an individual named Leon Li in equal shares, on the bases of suspected misappropriation, breakdown of relationship and risk of dissipation of assets of the joint venture. The joint venture in question holds a group of companies running a business of providing medical treatments to patients with fertility issues.
Acting for the Joint Provisional Liquidators of Hsin Chong Group Holdings Limited (HKSE: 404) in respect of its debt restructuring.
Acting for Kingboard Chemical Holdings Limited (SEHK:148) and Kingboard Laminates Holdings Limited (SEHK:1888) in successfully defended a minority oppression claim commenced by a minority shareholder in respect of their Singapore-listed subsidiary Kingboard Copper Foil Holdings Limited through a full trial in the Supreme Court of Bermuda and a substantive appeal in the Bermuda Court of Appeal.
Advising Up Energy Development Group Limited (SEHK:307), a Bermuda incorporated coal-mining company based in China, in its debt restructuring, defending winding up petition and appointment of provisional liquidators for the purposes of restructuring.
Acting for Grand TG Gold Holdings Limited (SEHK:8299), a gold-mining and mineral processing company in its debt restructuring, defending winding up petition and its ultimately successful resumption.
Advising KDDI Corporation regarding the restructuring and liquidation of DMX Technologies Group Limited (Singapore-listed).
Acting for Jupiter Telecommunications Co Ltd., the Japanese television network (formerly listed in Japan) in pursuing winding up petition against its minority shareholder dissenting from its privatization based on a sum repayable pursuant to a Japan court judgment; successfully opposed and discharged an injunction refraining our client from filing a winding up petition which led to an amicable settlement between the parties.
Acting for China Zenix Auto International Limited (NYSE:ZX), a commercial vehicle wheel manufacturing business, in defending a minority oppression claim commenced by an institutional minority shareholder – eventually settled amicably before trial.
Advising a Cayman fund in respect of commencement of winding up petition for recovery of US$25 million (eventually settled before presentation of winding up)
Advising a major provider of private preventive healthcare services in China in relation to threatened winding up petition on mismanagement grounds.
Acting for a managing shareholder of a five-star hotel in China in successfully opposing an application for interim receivers in the BVI and generally in the minority oppression claim commenced by the passive investing shareholder.
Acting for an investment fund in its petition for a just and equitable winding up of a Cayman company holding the PRC business venture of providing Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network services.
Acting for a listed company in Hong Kong in its successful application for an interim injunction order refraining a creditor from presenting a winding up petition against it in Cayman Islands.
Acting for a NYSE listed, Beijing headquartered Cayman information technology services company in its employment dispute with a former senior employee involving question of validity of the employee’s exercise of share options.
Acting for numerous listed companies in Hong Kong in respect of contentious shareholders’ meeting issues and “board room fight” scenario.
Acting for Hong Kong-listed companies in their schemes of arrangement (typically involving parallel applications in Hong Kong and Bermuda/Cayman) for privatization or debt restructuring purposes.