Earl Deng 鄧鈞堤
Call : 2008 (HK)
Set : Main
Practice Areas
Administrative and Public LawChanceryCommercial LawCompany and InsolvencyEmploymentIntellectual PropertyLand and Property LawMediationProbate and AdministrationRegulatory and DisciplinaryTort and Personal Injuries
Contact
Email : [email protected] Secretary : Fiona Lee [email protected]

“Earl is meticulous and detailed, conscientious and hard working, able to communicate in a non-professional language with lay clients, sees issues from lay client’s perspective, and succinctly sums up his advice in conference. His speaking style is courteous and his overall advocacy manner very much styled along the English bar tradition.”
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024, Commercial Disputes — Leading Juniors, Tier 1

“Earl is strong in thinking outside the box while being comprehensive in his legal research, avoiding the risk of tunnel vision in the field, which often hampers effectiveness of some public interest lawyers. Because of his research skills and comprehensiveness, he is a brilliant junior.”
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024, Labour and Employment — Leading Juniors

“Earl is a good advocate with an easy manner.”
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023, Administrative and Public Law — Leading Juniors, Tier 1

Earl Deng read Law at the University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam College on a Prince Philip Scholarship Bursary and was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2008, joining Chambers in the same year.

Earl has an active civil law practice involving advisory and advocacy work in complex commercial, contractual, chancery, and intellectual property disputes and is known as a specialist advocate for public and administrative law matters and sexual minority rights.

Earl has regularly appeared in all levels of the superior courts in Hong Kong.  A selection of his recent cases involve Silver Universe Ltd v China Times Securities Limited [2019] HKCFI 153, 834 injunctive and tracing measures to unwind alleged fraudulent share non-recourse loan arrangements; award of aggravated damages for defamatory remarks by an incorporated owner Tam Heung Man v Incorporated Owners of Lung Poon Yuen [2019] HKDC 822; and Navarro Luigi Recasa v The Commissioner of Correctional Services [2018] 4 HKLRD 38 where a pre-operative transgender prisoner challenged her allocation to a male prison wing and being subject to strip-searches by male prison offers.

Earl is also a regular contributor to a large volume of practitioner publications, and has authored original chapters and volumes, including Chitty on Contracts (Hong Kong Specific Edn.), Employment Law and Practice in Hong Kong, Discrimination Law in Hong Kong, and various volumes of Halsbury Laws of Hong Kong.


• Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb) (2023)
• Barrister (Hong Kong) (2008)
• CEDR Accredited Mediator


  • King George V School (1993 – 2000)
  • MA (Cantab), BA (Cantab), Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge (2002-2005)
  • PCLL, University of Hong Kong University (2006)

  • Prince Philip Scholarship (Bursary) (2002)
  • King George V School Highest A Level Attainment Award (2000)

• Committee Member, Committee on Civic Education, Hong Kong Bar Association (2009 – 2018)
• Committee Member, Committee on Constitutional Affairs & Human Rights , Hong Kong Bar Association (2010 – 2016)


Annotated Ordinance Series, Societies Ordinance, Cap. 151 (Author, 2019 publication)

Chitty on Contracts, Hong Kong Specific Contracts, 1st– 6th Edn, Government Contracts chapter (Author)

Employment Law and Practice in Hong Kong, 1st – 2nd Edn, Government Employment Contracts chapter (Author)

Discrimination Law in Hong Kong, 1st Edn, Vicarious Liability chapter (Co-author)

Basic Law Annotations, 2nd Edn. (Contributor)

Halsbury Laws of Hong Kong, 2nd Edn. Guarantee and Indemnity, Society & Welfare and Services (Contributor)


Commercial

China Shandong Hi-Speed Financial Group Limited (中國山東高速金融集團有限公司) v China Hover Dragon Group (中國翔龍集團有限公司) (HCA 1780/2018)

Breach of M&A agreement of a HKEX ListCO with counterclaim of over HK$1.4 billion

Silver Universe Ltd v China Times Securities Limited (HCA 1824/2018)

Non-recourse loan agreement fraud against PRC investors and defendants held to have breached discovery obligations in aid of proprietary injunctions

Pacific Harbour Advisors Pte Ltd. v Winson Federal Ltd & Ors (HCA 1257/2013)

Guarantee discharged against one co-surety, had the effect of discharging other co-surety

Moores Rowland (A firm) & Anor v Grant Thornton (A Firm) & Ors (HCA 1126/2010)

Minority partners not entitled to set aside consent order entered into by majority partners for the purpose of settlement which in effect compromised the minority partnership’s claim

Sim Kon Fah v JBPB and Co (A Firm) & Ors [2011] 4 HKLRD 45

Breach of confidence, right to privacy and breach of legal professional privilege and litigation privilege and misuse of private information actionable at common law. Issue arising out of a partnership dispute in the Grant Thornton operations in Hong Kong

Chancery & Trusts

Lau Sau Man v Lau Yu Foon & Ors (HCA 3398/2016)

Constructive trusts arising from fraud, dishonest assistance and conveyance of property without consideration and abuse of power of attorney

Arorangi Timerland Ltd & Ors v Minister of the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund [2016] UKPC 32

Statutory forfeiture of employer contributions for withdrawals prompted by change of migrant status from a statutory superannuation scheme held to be discriminatory against foreign migrant workers, as the beneficial interest in such contributions were vested upon being made

Ling Wing Fai Billy & Ors v Ling Shui Fai & Anor (2012) 15 HKCFAR 344

Common intention constructive trusts held not breach statutory provision prohibiting alienation of subsidized government housing as the nature of such trusts were not precluded by public policy

Public & Administrative Law and Discrimination Law

Chan Ka Lam v The Country and Marine Parks Authority (CACV 150/2017)

Authority has a positive obligation to consult the Country and Marine Parks Board for policies and programmes in respect of country parks

Lubiano Nany Almorin v Director of Immigration (HCAL 210/2016)

Director of Immigration entitled to impose as a condition of stay, domestic helpers to live-in their employers home and requirement did not create an unacceptable risk to a breach of fundamental rights against forced labour

Waliyah v Yip Hoi Sun Terence & Anor [2017] 1 HKLRD 1082

Employer breached the implied term mutual trust and confidence in an employment contract, and discriminated against employee by requiring pregnancy testing to be performed

Chung Sze Yuen v The Law Society of Hong Kong [2016] 5 HKLRD 466

Decision of Law Society to impose conditions against the practicing certificates of solicitors in the firm intervened was ultra vires of regulations and conditions imposed were held to be disproportionate in any event

Singh Arjun By His Next Friend Singh Anita Guruprit v The Secretary Of Justice On Behalf Of The Commissioner Of Police And Another [2014] 2 HKLRD 678

Police did not discriminate against the plaintiff on the grounds of race and the provision of policing services does not fall within s.27 of the Race Discrimination Ordinance

W v Registrar for Marriages (2013) 16 HKCFAR 112

Post-operative transgender entitled to marry as their identified gender rather than biological sex at birth

Intellectual Property, Media and Defamation

Tam Heung Man v Incorporated Owners of Lung Poon Yuen (DCCJ 4380/2014)

Statements made by IO were defamatory of District Councilor and malicious and therefore not subject to the defence of qualified privilege

Wealthy Gate Architects & Associates Limited v Factwire News Agency Limited (HCA 617/2018)

An online news agency asserts journalistic and qualified privilege in a report concerning alleged bid-tendering anomalies

Yeung Chi Leung Raymond v Ho Chun Hung (DCCJ 4069/2017 – ongoing)

Whether statements qualified by Emoji icons are to be construed as a joke or were defamatory in nature

Sebastian Laffargue v Marco Skates Limited & Anor (HCA 3342/2016)

Celebrity endorser asserted beneficial ownership of trademark of “Seba-Skates”, against manufacturer who developed and marketed brand with endorsement license

Endozo Maylin Palomar v Lee Chi Ming [2014] 4 HKLRD 470

Compromise of a claim in Labour Tribunal for breach of implied trust and confidence due to falsely accusing an employee of a crime and planting evidence, did not the plaintiff from commencing proceedings for the tort of malicious prosecution in the High Court


Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024: Earl Deng recognised as a “Leading Junior” in Administrative and Public Law, Commercial Disputes, and Labour and Employment

Denis Chang’s Chambers joins community engagement with the Law Society at the annual gala dinner

 

Sanctioned Offer on Costs: Court orders Full Uplift on Interest and on Indemnity Basis

 

Denis Chang’s Chambers supports the Moot Court Summer School for the fourth consecutive year

 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION – Earl Deng Recognised as leading barristers in Doyle’s Guide 2023

 


Court of Final Appeal delivers landmark ruling in favour of female-to-male transsexuals seeking to amend gender markers on HKID cards without undergoing full sex reassignment surgery

 

Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023: Earl Deng recognised once again as a “Leading Junior” in Administrative and Public Law, Commercial Disputes, and Labour and Employment

 

High Court dismisses Indian bank’s summary judgment application for US$3 million debt due to “grave suspicion” that the subject bill of exchange was forged

 

Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022: Denis Chang’s Chambers named a Tier 1 set in Administrative and Public Law, and Competition Law, among excellent rankings across 6 practice areas

 

Denis Chang’s Chambers hosts dialogues on employment and anti-discrimination law with Lewis Silkin

 

Court of First Instance rules Town Planning Board breached statutory and Tameside duties to make inquiries on community needs

 

Jeremy Chan and Earl Deng Recognised as leading barristers in Doyle’s Guide 2021

 

Ancillary or incidental? It’s fairly obvious: A commentary on 蔡建平 v Leung Po Ling & Ors [2021] HKLdT 18

 

A roadblock to the gig economy? UK Supreme Court classifies Uber drivers as “workers”

 

Denis Chang’s Chambers achieves excellent rankings across five practice areas in Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2021

 

International Bar Association Publishes Earl Deng & Samantha Lau’s Article on the Development of LGBTI Rights in Hong Kong

 

Court of Final Appeal Grants Permission to Appeal Against Government’s Refusal to Consult Country and Marine Parks Board

 

COVID-19 – The Law Un-Masked:  Risks and Remedies for Non-Recourse Stock Loan Agreements in a Pandemic Market  

 

COVID-19 – The Law Unmasked: A New Cluster of Regulations:  An Overview on Compliance and Enforcement Powers for Businesses and Gatherings

 

COVID-19 – The Law Un-Masked: Primer for Employers and Employees
僱傭法 – 新冠病毒下的法律面貌:給僱主和僱員的法律指南