Adela M. Mao

Barrister-at-law

HK (2016), PRC (2021), UK (2022)

LL.M (Cantab)

B.ENG (CivE) and LL.B (HKU)

HKIAC List of Arbitrators

SIAC Reserve Panel of Arbitrators
Guangdong Higher People's Court, Court-invited Mediator

Direct: (+852) 3752 8560
Email: amao@virtuschambers.com

Profile

Adela's practice comprises contentious and advisory works in civil and commercial matters, with particular focus on international arbitration and cross-border litigation.

Adela acts and advises in matters at various international arbitral institutions including HKIAC, ICC, SIAC, AAA and LCIA. She handles a wide array of disputes including corporate, construction, commercial, banking and financial services, sale of goods. Adela is particularly sought for her knowledge and experience in dealing with Chinese law issues, for she is among the few barristers who have passed the Chinese National LQT (when she performed better than average law graduates (Objective 210+ / Subjective 130+)) and are native in Mandarin Chinese. Adela has gathered invaluable experience working as Tribunal Secretary for prominent leading arbitrators, including retired justices of the court, senior counsel, law firm partners, professors. Adela has been appointed and sits as an arbitrator (including as sole arbitrator).

Adela has experience in a variety of court matters, including arbitration-related enforcement and/or setting aside applications, ex parte applications for injunctive relief, winding up and bankruptcy proceedings, and shareholder/company matters. Adela works as a part-time Judicial Assistant at the High Court. In addition to commercial matters, Adela also has experience in white-collar crimes, family law matters and personal injury actions.

In addition to advocacy work, Adela acts as expert on Hong Kong law in arbitration and Mainland Chinese court proceedings. She has experience in testifying and being cross-examined in arbitration as an expert witness.

Adela studied civil engineering and law at the University of Hong Kong with a full scholarship (HKU Foundation Scholarship for Outstanding Mainland Students) as one of the top candidates from Mainland China with a strong science background - she scored among the top few in the science stream in the Chinese National College Exam and won national Olympiad prizes in various subjects. Turning to law as her career, Adela graduated first in class in the dual degree from HKU and was awarded the Law Faculty's Dean's Honours List a few times. Adela has a keen interest in a wide spectrum of law, winning awards in construction law, personal data and privacy law, constitutional law, and publishing a peer-reviewed academic paper on US copyright law. She has been awarded more than 10 prizes and scholarships.

Admission / Professional Qualifications

Hong Kong (Call to bar: 2016)
China (National Unified Legal Professional Qualification: 2021) (non-practising)
England and Wales (Call to bar: 2022) (non-practising)

Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, List of Arbitrators (2023-26)

Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Reserve Panel of Arbitrators (since 2024)

Guangdong Higher People's Court, Court-invited Mediator (2023-28)

Wuhan International Arbitration Centre, Panel of Arbitrators (2022-25)

Education

2022: LL.M (Cantab)
2014: B.ENG (CivE) & LL.B, dual-degree program (HKU)

with more than 10 scholarships

Selected Cases

International Arbitration (as sole advocate)

Corporate

Acting in a dispute arising from a share buy-back agreement with a claim of over RMB30m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only
Acting in a dispute arising from a share subscription agreement with a claim of over US$15m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in Chinese (Mandarin) only
Acted for a leading Nasdaq-listed Internet company in a dispute arising from a share subscription agreement for a claim worth US$30m under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (2013) with proceedings conducted in Chinese (Mandarin) only – lay client permitted to redeem shares at nominal price
Acted for a state-owned private equity fund in a dispute arising from a shareholder agreement for a claim of over US$20m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in Chinese (Mandarin) only
Advised in two related arbitrations arising from an amended and restated limited partnership agreement and a subscription agreement for a claim of over US$400m under HKIAC Rules (2013) with proceedings conducted in English only

Construction

Acted for a state-owned construction consortium in a dispute involving an oversea energy project with claims and counterclaims exceeding US$120m under ICC Rules (2021) with proceedings conducted in English only – obtained claim in full and defeated most counterclaims
Acted for a Shenzhen-listed construction company in a dispute involving an oversea construction project with a claim of over US$64m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only – arbitration terminated after evidential hearing, with no award or order against lay client

Commercial

Acting in a dispute arising from an investment cooperation agreement with a claim of over HK$65m under HKIAC Rules (2024) with proceedings conducted in Chinese (Mandarin) only
Acted in a dispute arising from a settlement agreement with a claim of over RMB120m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only
Acted for a leading private equity fund in a dispute arising from a bridge loan agreement with a claim of over US$10m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only – obtained an award for full amount in dispute
Acted for multiple respondents in a dispute arising from a real estate purchase and sale contract under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English and Chinese – after hearing from parties, HKIAC decided not to proceed with the case
Advised in a dispute under LCIA Rules (2020)
Acted in a dispute arising from a master agreement and a purchase with a claim of over US$13m under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only
Acted in a dispute arising from a licence agreement against one of the Big Five tech companies under AAA Commercial Rules (2013) with proceedings conducted in English only

Banking and financial services

Acted in a dispute arising from a financial advisor agreement under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only – matter settled after lay client made filings
Acted in a dispute involving an exclusive financial advisor agreement against a Nasdaq-listed company under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in Chinese (Mandarin) only

International sale of goods

Acted in a dispute involving international sale of goods (asphalt) under HKIAC Rules (2018) with proceedings conducted in English only
Acted in a dispute arising from a purchase order together with social compliance guidelines in a jurisdictional challenge under HKIAC Rules (2013) with proceedings conducted in English only – only respondent who succeeded in jurisdictional challenge

Arbitration-related court matters

Acted in a setting aside application of an arbitral award on failure to state reason and public policy ground - settled before substantive hearing
Advised in a number of matters of ex parte applications to enforce an arbitral award

Injunctive relief

HCMP1206/2021 – ex parte worldwide freezing injunction in aid of Hong Kong court proceedings (despite an arbitration agreement) against, inter alia, persons unknown granted
HCMP 1576/2020 – ex parte injunction in aid of arbitral proceedings granted
HCMP 969/2019 – ex parte injunction in aid of arbitral proceedings granted
Advised in a number of matters of ex parte injunction applications and gagging order applications

Winding up and bankruptcy proceedings

HCB 7389 /2023 – interim stay pending arbitration granted
HCCW 82/2021 – over substantial dispute, directions largely in line with suggestion granted
HCCW 393/2019 – winding up order against listed company granted in a contested hearing

Company matters

HCMP 1025/2022 (order pronounced on 1 August 2023) – application for inspection of company's documents opposed

Contract

DCMP 2827/2018 [2019] HKDC 896 – contractual dispute involving blockchain technology
HCA 202/2017 (judgment pronounced on 10 November 2017) – forum non conveniens; (judgment pronounced on 7 February 2018) – summary judgment application

Enforcement of foreign / mainland judgment

Advised in a number of matters of ex parte applications to enforce a civil judgment

White-collar crime

CACC 172/2016 [2018] HKCA 121 – conspiracy to defraud - led by Ms Clare Montgomery QC

Expert evidence

on Hong Kong contract law (share purchase agreement) and company law (doctrine of reflective loss) in a multi-billion yuan dispute in arbitral proceedings at CIETAC-SH – analyzed and adopted by the tribunal
on Hong Kong contract law (deed of guarantee) in arbitral proceedings at SCIA
on Hong Kong court procedures (effect of civil judgments) in a series of related proceedings before various courts in Beijing, Guangdong and Shandong
on Hong Kong contract law (financial transaction master agreement, option contracts, and deed of guarantee) before Fujian Province Higher People's Court – analyzed and adopted by the court
on Hong Kong contract law (financial transaction master agreement, banking facilities agreement, and deed of guarantee) before Fujian Province Higher People's Court – analyzed and adopted by the court
on Hong Kong contract law (subscription agreement, deed of guarantee, share charge, and deed of assignment) before Fujian Province Quanzhou Intermediate People's Court – analyzed and adopted by the court
on Hong Kong company law (director's authority to bind the company, rules of attribution) before Guangdong Province Higher People's Court
on Hong Kong partnership law (partner's authority to bind the partnership) and civil procedures (effect of court order on third parties) before Guangdong Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court

Appointments / Public Commitments

Hong Kong Bar Association - Arbitration Committee, Construction Law Committee, Standing Committee on Mainland Affairs, Member
ICC Young Arbitrators and ADR Forum (YAAF), representative for North Asia (2021-24)
Department of Justice, Steering Committee on Mediation, Public Education and Publicity Sub-committee (2018-19)

Adela teaches international arbitration and mediation at various universities, including (in chronological order): Peking University, East China University of Political Science and Law, University of International Business and Economics, Heilongjiang University.

Adela is frequently invited to give talks to lawyers, in-house counsel and law students.

Languages

English, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese)