HFW achieves top tier rankings in the Legal 500 Greater China Guide 2026

Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has been recognised as a leading firm in The Legal 500 Greater China Guide 2026, which highlights the region’s top lawyers and law firms. The firm achieved eight practice rankings and nine individual partner rankings in the Guide.

HFW maintained its Tier 1 ranking for Shipping: Hong Kong and Shipping: Foreign Firms in China. The firm also achieved a new ranking for International Arbitration in Hong Kong.

HFW has maintained Tier 2 rankings across in Aviation Finance and Construction in Hong Kong.

Client testimonials in the Legal 500 2026 Greater China Guide described HFW as having “a rich heritage in Hong Kong, with the newest generation of partners eager to impress” and being “utterly client centered” and “committed to giving impartial reliable advice.”

HFW rankings:

• Shipping (Hong Kong) – Tier 1
• Shipping: Foreign Firms (China) – Tier 1
• Asset Finance: Aviation Finance (Hong Kong) – Tier 2
• Construction (Hong Kong) – Tier 2
• Dispute Resolution: Litigation – Tier 3
• Asset Finance: Shipping Finance (Hong Kong) – Tier 3
• Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration (Hong Kong) – Tier 4
• Insurance (Hong Kong) – Tier 4

HFW Partner rankings:

Hall of Fame

• George Lamplough – Shipping, Hong Kong

Leading Partners

• Patrick Cheung – Asset Finance: Shipping Finance, Hong Kong
• Gordon Gardiner – Insurance, Hong Kong
• Nicola Hui – Shipping, Hong Kong 
• Nicholas Poynder – Shipping: Foreign Firms, China
• Elizabeth Sloane – Shipping, Hong Kong
• Justin Sun – Asset Finance: Aviation Finance, Hong Kong
• Steven Yip – Construction, Hong Kong

Next Generation Partners

• Lucy Chen – Shipping: Foreign Firms, China

HFW was one of the first international law firms to establish a presence in Greater China, with the firm’s Hong Kong office opening more than 46 years ago, in 1978. The firm opened a Shanghai office in 1999, and in 2016 became only the second international law firm to establish a formal association with a Chinese firm under the Shanghai FTZ rules, with Wintell & Co. HFW opened its third Greater China office in Shenzhen in early 2024.

The firm is continuing to invest in the region, opening a new Hong Kong office in February 2025 and promoting two new partners and a legal director in Greater China in April 2025.

HFW now has 19 partners and more than 60 lawyers in total supporting clients across its three offices in Greater China.