Leah Lei

Leah joined Reed Smith Richards Butler LLP in 2019 and is currently an associate in the Litigation Department in Hong Kong.

Experience

Representative matters

Acting for a state-owned company in ICA arbitration against various major cotton sellers in disputes over alleged contracts of sale forged by employees (matter value exceeding US$10 million).

Acting for a U.S. multinational pharmaceutical company in a HKIAC arbitration concerning claims for breaches of representation and warranty under a share purchase agreement (matter value exceeding US$40 million).

Advising on and conducting arbitrations in various jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, England and Wales, Mainland China and Singapore.

Experience

Acting for a state-owned company in ICA arbitration against various major cotton sellers in disputes over alleged contracts of sale forged by employees (matter value exceeding US$10 million).

Advising on and conducting arbitrations in various jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, England and Wales, Mainland China and Singapore.

Acting for a Chinese technology company in a HKIAC arbitration against its private equity fund investor arising out of the redemption of shares valued at over US$50 million, with implications for related Cayman Islands winding-up proceedings.

Advising offshore syndicated lenders on their rights and risks under a series of onshore and offshore structured term-loan facilities and security documents (with a combined defaulted indebtedness of approximately US$1.03 billion) following events of default, including the syndicate’s right to commence HKIAC arbitration in Hong Kong and apply for interim measures in the PRC in support of the Hong Kong arbitration. The syndicated facility, involving more than a dozen participating lenders from multiple jurisdictions, was one of the largest-ever structured commodity finance deals in Asia.

Acting for a PRC travel agency in a Hong Kong High Court action defending a contractual dispute related to flight charter agreements (matter value exceeding RMB250 million).

Acting for the owner in relation to charterparty disputes and the wrongful arrest of vessels, involving complex cross-border proceedings in India and South Korea.

Acting on behalf of clients in applications for recognition and enforcement of Chinese and foreign arbitration awards and court judgments in Hong Kong courts.

Acting for a Hong Kong listed company in a Hong Kong ad hoc arbitration against a crew manning agency arising out of a dispute over crew social insurance payments.