Contact details

Kevin Lee

T: +852 2533 2843 Email Kevin | vCard Office: Hong Kong

Awards

Leading individual for Private Client (Tax, trusts, wealth management and contentious probate) – Hong Kong

Leading individual for Private Client (Tax, trusts, wealth management and contentious probate) – Hong Kong

Private wealth law: International firms

Private wealth law: International firms

Winner of Lifetime Achievement - WealthBriefing Asia Greater China 2023

Winner of Lifetime Achievement - WealthBriefing Asia Greater China 2023

Kevin Lee Partner

Contact details

Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee
Partner

T: +852 2533 2843 Email Kevin | vCard Office: Hong Kong

Kevin is the head of private wealth (Greater China) for Stephenson Harwood. He has been consistently ranked in top band by Chambers HNW and Legal 500 for Private Client lawyers in Hong Kong. He is one of the leading private wealth, tax and trust practitioners in Asia Pacific. Kevin also advises on family businesses, and has represented corporate clients on commercial transactions and establishing operations in Hong Kong.
  • Profile
  • Services
  • Locations

Qualified in Hong Kong and Canada, Kevin advises clients in respect of both jurisdictions. Kevin acts as counsel for major corporations headquartered in Hong Kong and elsewhere. He advises on the registration, corporate tax, intellectual property, employment and immigration aspects of doing business in Hong Kong as well as on cross-border transactions. Kevin also represents numerous high net worth clients from around the world on diverse matters including succession planning, family trust, tax advisory and compliance, wills and estate, asset preservation, family business succession and governance, private equity investments and philanthropy.

Aside from representing trust settlors and beneficiaries, Kevin also advises trust companies on Hong Kong registration, licensing and regulatory compliance issues.

Kevin is also recognised by leading publications for his private wealth achievements. He has been listed as a "Top Recommended" lawyer in Spear's Magazine's 2023 'Tax & Trust Indices'. He also won the "Lifetime Achievement" award by WealthBriefing Asia Greater China 2020, "Pan Asia Leading Individual - Advisor" award by WealthBriefing Asia 2021, and "Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management" award by WealthBriefing Asia 2022. He has also been named the "Private Client Lawyer of the Year" by Asia Legal Awards 2021 and consistently listed as a member of the Private Client Global Elite by Legal Week.

Kevin co-authored the Hong Kong Q&A chapter for the 2019 edition of the Practical Law Private Client Global Guide. He has also been a member of the Private Client Tax Committee of the International Bar Association for many years.

Kevin is fluent in English, and also communicates well in Mandarin and Cantonese.

Kevin is ‘highly respected for the ‘holistic’ guidance he provides regarding the gamut of wealth matters, being sought after to resolve the most high profile, legally complex and multi-jurisdictional trust disputes.’ 

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023
  • Private equity
  • Private wealth
  • Public and private M&A
  • Tax

Acted as the joint advisor for founders of a Cayman Islands private equity fund on capital raises, and as lead advisor for the fund on equity and equity-like investments in start-up and growth-stage companies operating in various sectors including e-commerce, internet portals, media, ticketing, human resources, advertising, logistics, information technology and publishing.

Acted as lead counsel for private equity group to coordinate due diligence on target publishing house with operations in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Acted as co-counsel for lead PE investors in a regional airline, and advising the airline Board on numerous matters including human resources, government bridge financing, disputes and other issues. 

Advisor to prominent Hong Kong families on establishment of family governance and succession in conjunction with family trusts and corporate group restructuring.

Legal advisor for institutional trustees on their various Hong Kong registration, licensing, disclosure of interests filings and other regulatory compliance needs.

Advisor to various Hong Kong listed company founders on pre-IPO and post-IPO trust structuring including in respect of family succession plan, tax, securities disclosure and compliance, and relevant Takeovers Code issues.

Helps oversee the team’s wills and estates practice.

Advised the investor group on structuring of acquisition of controlling interest in an English Football League team.

Legal counsel for project manager for global blockchain research enterprise including establishment of structures in various jurisdictions.

Lead regional counsel for US international school chain in joint venture with PRC education group.

More: Public and private M&A

Provide Canadian tax advice in respect of non-resident trusts, charitable structures, inbound investments, insurance, pre-migration planning and real property holding structures.

Provide Canadian tax residency advice.

Provide Hong Kong tax advice in respect of profits tax, stamp duty, tax exemptions for philanthropy, tax residency for corporate clients and individuals.

Advise clients on compliance with reporting obligations.

More: Tax

  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • North America

Advisor to Mainland China families on asset restructuring in connection with increased globalization of business opportunities and migration of family members to various destinations including U.S., UK, Singapore, Canada and Australia.

Legal project manager for leading bank-owned trust company on obtaining regulatory advice on Shenzhen Stock Connect investments in A-shares.

Advisor to PRC founders of listed companies on pre-IPO and post-IPO trust structuring including on tax and securities regulatory compliance.

Advisor on sale of PRC international school to well-known UK education group.

Advisor for institutional trustees and listed companies on Hong Kong employee benefits trusts in respect of trust documentation, tax and employment law issues.

More: China

Lead external counsel for a major Japanese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Hong Kong.

Advisor to US conglomerate on establishment of Hong Kong regional base.

Advisor to shareholders of a Hong Kong licensed financial advisor corporation in the sale of their entire issued share capital to a U.K. financial institution.

Advisor for institutional trustees and listed companies on Hong Kong employee benefits trusts in respect of trust documentation, tax and employment law issues.  

More: Hong Kong

Regional counsel for an American leather products group in their negotiations with joint venture partners in Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Advisor to Hong Kong listed group on joint venture with Canadian hotel chain.

Advisor to foreign trustee investing in significant bloc of US listed securities on behalf of a family trust.

Awards

Leading individual for Private Client (Tax, trusts, wealth management and contentious probate) – Hong Kong

Leading individual for Private Client (Tax, trusts, wealth management and contentious probate) – Hong Kong

Private wealth law: International firms

Private wealth law: International firms

Winner of Lifetime Achievement - WealthBriefing Asia Greater China 2023

Winner of Lifetime Achievement - WealthBriefing Asia Greater China 2023

Latest news & insights

04 Oct 2023

From News

Stephenson Harwood attending IBA Annual Conference 2023 in Paris

Our multi-disciplinary team from across Stephenson Harwood's international network of offices is delighted to be attending this year's event in Paris, which takes plac..

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29 Sep 2023

From News

Nine lawyers featured in Spear's Magazine's 2023 rankings

Stephenson Harwood partners Jonathan Conder, Kevin Lee, Emily Osborne, James Quarmby, Michael Rutili, Alastair Glover, Helena Berman and Jenny McKeown, and managing as..

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16 Aug 2023

From News

Joanna Jiang joins Wei Tu Law Firm as partner

Stephenson Harwood's Greater China associated firm, Wei Tu Law Firm*, has strengthened its regional private wealth and corporate practice with the arrival of partner J..

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02 Jun 2023

From News

Stephenson Harwood wins four awards at WealthBriefingAsia & Greater China Awards 2023

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has won four awards at the WealthBriefingAsia & Greater China Awards 2023, which were held in Singapore.

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19 Apr 2023

From Insights

Revisions to the proposed family office tax exemption regime in Hong Kong: the key takeaways

In our previous briefing note, we provided a high level comparison between the proposed tax concession scheme for family offices in Hong Kong (the “Scheme”) and how it..

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04 Apr 2023

From Insights

The proposed family office tax exemption regime in Hong Kong: a comparative view

Hong Kong seems determined to go "head to head" with Singapore in attracting global family offices to bring their wealth to the city.

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30 Nov 2022

From Insights

Amendment bill introduced for the reform of the foreign-sourced income exemption regime in Hong Kong

The bill to amend the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap.112) in relation to the reform of the foreign-sourced income exemption regime was gazetted on 28 October 2022 and i..

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26 Sep 2022

From Insights

Proposed reform to Hong Kong's foreign-sourced passive income taxation regime - how will it affect you?

In October 2021, the European Union included Hong Kong in the list of Non-Cooperative Tax Jurisdictions (or the watchlist) due to the concern over double non-taxation ..

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06 Jun 2022

From News

Stephenson Harwood wins at WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2022

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has won two awards – 'Estate Planning (Southeast Asia)' and 'Estate Planning (Greater China)' – at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2022.

More

25 Nov 2021

From Insights

The Asian yacht market and private wealth sector - trends and opportunities

On Tuesday 12 October 2021, Stephenson Harwood's superyacht team hosted a panel discussion, chaired by Sean Gibbons and joined by fellow partner Kevin Lee, on the tren..

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03 Nov 2021

From Insights

Philanthropy and impact investing for climate – Trends in Hong Kong and Asia

Our global private wealth teams are seeing a growing demand for impact investing in the philanthropic sector, as wealthy family offices place greater value on sustaina..

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14 Oct 2021

From Insights

Superyacht webinar - The Asian yacht market and private wealth sector – trends and opportunities

The Stephenson Harwoods superyacht team recently hosted an online panel discussion on ‘The Asian yacht market and private wealth sector – trends and opportunities.'

More

01 Oct 2021

From News

Success in Spear's Magazine's 2021 rankings

Members of Stephenson Harwood's employment, pensions and private wealth team have been recognised in Spear's Magazine's 2021 rankings for the best tax and contentious ..

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18 Jun 2021

From News

Success at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2021

Stephenson Harwood partner Kevin Lee has won the ‘Leading Individual (Advisor)’ award at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2021.

More

07 May 2021

From News

Kevin Lee named Private Client Lawyer of the Year at ASLA Awards

Stephenson Harwood partner Kevin Lee has been named ‘Private Client Lawyer of the Year’ at The Asia Legal Awards (ASLA) 2021.

More

25 Aug 2020

From News

Stephenson Harwood advises The Continental Group on acquisition

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has advised The Continental Group on its acquisition of Juvo Wealth Limited, a Hong Kong-based insurance broker company.

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© Stephenson Harwood LLP 2016. Any reference to Stephenson Harwood in this document means Stephenson Harwood LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a partner is used to refer to a member of Stephenson Harwood LLP.