Elaine Sum
Partner
Practice Areas
Matrimonial & Family Law
- Admissions
- Hong Kong
- Languages
- Cantonese • English • Mandarin
Contact
- Tel
- (852) 2230 2804
- Fax
- (852) 2845 1637
- elaine.sum@haldanes.com
- Profile
Elaine Sum is a matrimonial and family lawyer with over 18 years of experience and attained her qualification as a Private Financial Adjudication in 2023. She deals with a full spectrum of matrimonial matters involving divorce, contentious and non-contentious financial issues, third party’s interests in assets in dispute, and custody, care and control, access, maintenance of children born in and out of wedlock.
In the early years of her legal career, Elaine handled general civil litigation matters such as trust, contractual and employment disputes. This experience allows her to assist her matrimonial clients with wider perspectives. In 2013, Elaine was trained as a Collaborative Practitioner. She has been included on the Recommended List of the Doyle’s Guide Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer Rankings – Hong Kong, 2023.
Elaine’s prior work experience in the banking industry and a Hong Kong listed company informs her work on matrimonial cases which involve complex company structures and diverse composition of assets/ liabilities.
It is Elaine’s firm belief that finding practical solutions within the legal framework for clients is important to help them and the children of the family to move forward with their lives.
In addition to the above, Elaine is fluent in Cantonese, Putonghua and English. She also speaks Indonesian and the dialect of Hakka and understands the dialect of Shanghainese.
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Notable Cases:
- Represented a client in facing claims made by the other party involving dynastic overseas trusts.
- Represented several clients in resisting “Crossley” applications for setting aside settlement agreements/ orders by consent.
- Acted for a high net worth client whose family assets comprised of shares in a listed company, trust, landed properties in Hong Kong and in the Mainland.
- Represented a client in a matrimonial matter involving shareholders’ disputes in a listed company, employment disputes, and beneficial ownership disputes in a luxurious property.
- Acted for a client in a divorce case where the parties were engaged in heated arguments concerning inheritance.
- Represented clients in divorce litigation which involved jurisdiction disputes in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions.
- Assisted in advising a wealthy client in contentious divorce proceedings which involved parallel litigation in Hong Kong and Singapore; and substantial assets in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and the USA.
- Acted for a party in divorce proceedings who held assets on trust for a third party and who constantly encountered difficulties in access with the child of the family.
- Assisted a client in defending claims by an illegitimate child, the case of which involved not only monthly maintenance claims but potential future inheritance claims.
Awards:
- Ranked as Benchmark Litigation 2024 – Family & Matrimonial Future Star
- Recommended in the Doyle’s Guide 2023 – 2024 Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers – Hong Kong (Recommended)
- Listed as “Up and Coming” in Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2023 – Family/Matrimonial (International Firms), China, Greater China Region
Testimonials
“She understands my needs and concerns, and gives me truthful advice even if the outcome will minimise her financial gain. Elaine is very patient and good in explaining complex and legal matters in a way that is easier for me to understand.”
Chambers & Partners
“She is very firm but not very aggressive.”
Chambers and Partners
Recognition
Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2024 – Family/Matrimonial: High Net Worth (International Firms) – Up and Coming Lawyer
Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2024 – Greater China Region: Family / Matrimonial Leading Lawyer (Up and Coming)
Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2024 – Family & Matrimonial Future Star
Doyle’s Guide 2024 – Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers – Hong Kong (Recommended)
Doyle’s Guide 2023 – Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers – Hong Kong (Recommended)
Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2023 – Greater China Region: Family / Matrimonial Leading Lawyer (Up and Coming)
Doyle’s Guide 2022 – Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers – Hong Kong (Recommended)