Paul Wang
Partner
Practice Areas
Criminal Defence • Securities, Regulatory & Disciplinary Matters
- Admissions
- Hong Kong SAR, Solicitor (Admitted in 2014) • GBA Lawyer
- Languages
- Cantonese • English • Mandarin
Contact
- Tel
- (852) 2230 2823
- Fax
- (852) 2845 1637
- paul.wang@haldanes.com
- Profile
Paul is a criminal litigator with a focus on white collar crimes, securities and regulatory enforcement matters. He has been handling a wide array of cases involving complex commercial crime, corruption, money laundering and fraud.
He frequently represents clients in tackling investigations and prosecutions taken by various governmental or regulatory bodies, including the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK), the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB), the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Department of Justice, the Immigration Department and the Customs & Excise Department.
Paul is the first native Mandarin and Cantonese speaking partner of our Criminal Defence Department with law degrees from both Civil Law and Common Law jurisdictions.
Paul is also the first solicitor of the firm to obtain the GBA Lawyer’s License which qualifies him to advise PRC laws in the nine cities of the Greater Bay Area as per the scope prescribed by the License.
Such qualifications and experiences have equipped him with great edge in dealing with PRC-related matters and clients, in particular in assisting the listed companies which have nexus with PRC in dealing with the commercial crime and/or regulatory investigations against them.
As an advocate, Paul appears before the Magistrates’ Courts and the District Court for bail applications, pleas in mitigation, trials and other ancillary applications. He is also selected by the Department of Justice as a fiat prosecutor in prosecuting cases at the Magistracy level.
Education
- Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Juris Doctor, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Bachelor of Law (Civil Law), Guangdong University of Finance & Economics
Presentation At International Conference
- Invited as panel speaker at the International Congress of Forensics & Police Tech 2017 –“The Securities Investigations in Hong Kong”
Publications
- ALB Legal Guide To The Greater Bay Area 2023, published by Asian Legal Business
- “Anti-Corruption 2021 Global Practice Guides (Hong Kong Chapter)”, published by Chambers & Partners
- “Business Crime and Investigation in Hong Kong: Overview”, published by Thomson Reuters
- Read more
Notable Cases:
- Represented a defendant in a 70-day money laundering trial which partly took place in Mainland China using Hong Kong laws under a Letter of Request and involved examination of witnesses in a PRC courtroom before a HK and PRC Judge. Various complex legal issues including extradition, stay application due to abuse of process and exclusion of evidences were argued in Court;
- Represented defendants in a 37-day District Court trial who were alleged of money laundering for over HKD1 billion. The case involved the elements of gambling at Hong Kong Jockey Club and frequent uses of money remittance agents.
- Represented a prestigious construction consultancy firm in defending the industrial summonses concerning fatal accidents, which is the first case in which the prosecution tried to hold the consultant, instead of the contractor, liable for a site accident on the basis it was a “proprietor”;
- Defended two company directors who were charged with defrauding various banks for over HK$400 million in a 50-day High Court trial;
- Represented three directors of a listed pharmaceutical company who were simultaneously investigated by ICAC, SFC and SEHK;
- Represented an ex-director of a listed company in an SEHK investigation and secured a satisfactory closure without enforcement action;
- Represented a director of a state-owned enterprise in U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)-related investigations;
- Represented the largest television broadcaster in Hong Kong in a high-profile Takeovers & Mergers Panel hearing;
- Represented a sub-contractor in the MTR Public Enquiry involving construction law and criminal law aspects of the investigation.
What the legal directories say:
- Ranked in the Who’s Who Legal 2023 for Business Crime Defence – Corporates as “Recommended”.
- Ranked in the Who’s Who Legal 2023 for the category of Mainland China & Hong Kong SAR – Business Crime Defence & Investigation as “Recommended”.
- Ranked in the Doyles’ Guide 2023 for Leading Criminal Lawyers in Hong Kong as “Leading”;
- Ranked in the Doyles’ Guide 2023 for Leading White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime & Regulatory Lawyers in Hong Kong as “Leading”.
- Ranked in the Doyles’ Guide 2022 for the category of Leading Criminal Lawyers in Hong Kong as “Recommended”;
- Ranked in the Doyles’ Guide 2022 for the category of Leading White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime & Regulatory Lawyers in Hong Kong as “Recommended”.
- Exclusive winner of the Lexology Client Choice Award 2022 in the area of Business Crime within Hong Kong jurisdiction
Testimonials
“Paul effortlessly understands the culture of multiple jurisdictions, enabling his clients to be sure they have the best representation in what may not be their home jurisdiction.”
“Paul is an experienced criminal lawyer who considers from the client’s perspective. Paul provides high-quality succinct advice to the client.”
Lexology Client Choice, Business Crime – Hong Kong
“Paul Wang was born and raised in the PRC and is a native Mandarin speaker. He is intelligent and intuitive with a positive, cheerful and outgoing personality. He provides a strong and safe link across the border for those in need of help on the other side. He is warm and caring towards even difficult clients and inspires their trust and confidence. He leads his team with good humour, but is forceful when the need arises.”
Client quote
“Native Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking partner Paul Wang has developed a strong reputation advising on complex commercial criminal matters often involving a significant nexus to the mainland, where he is appreciated for his ability to provide clear and pragmatic advice.”
Legal 500 – Anti-corruption and Compliance – Hong Kong
“Paul Wang is highly recommended by market observers for his intelligent understanding of clients’ cases and ability to effortlessly straddle the cultures of PRC and Hong Kong.”
Who’s Who Legal – Mainland China & Hong Kong SAR – Business Crime Defence & Investigations
Paul Wang is a long-standing fixture in the market and receives extensive praise from market commentators who describe him as “a great strategist and one of the top criminal solicitor in town”
Who’s Who Legal – Business Crime Defence – Corporates
Recognition
ALB – Young Lawyer 2024 (Finalist)
Doyle’s Guide 2024 – Leading White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime & Regulatory Investigations Lawyers – Hong Kong (Leading)
Doyle’s Guide 2024 – Leading Criminal Lawyers – Hong Kong (Preeminent)
The China Business Law Journal – The A-List (Rising Star) 2024
Who’s Who Legal 2023 – Business Crime Defence – Corporates (Recommended)
Who’s Who Legal 2023 – Business Crime Defence & Investigation – Mainland China & Hong Kong (Recommended)
Doyle’s Guide 2023 – Leading White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime & Regulatory Investigations Lawyers – Hong Kong (Leading)
Doyle’s Guide 2023 – Leading Criminal Lawyers – Hong Kong (Leading)
Lexology – Client Choice Award 2022 Exclusive Winner
Doyle’s Guide 2022 – Leading Criminal Lawyers – Hong Kong (Recommended)
Doyle’s Guide 2022 – Leading White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime & Regulatory Investigations Lawyers – Hong Kong (Recommended)
Articles