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Charltons Hong Kong corporate finance law firm Charltons is a leading Hong Kong law firm.

Charltons focuses on corporate finance and provides cutting edge legal advice to Hong Kong and international clients. The firm’s practice covers corporate finance, public and private M&A, regulatory and compliance, securities and virtual assets, private equity, venture capital, asset management and funds, family offices, public policy, trade and tariffs and company and commercial advice. As one of Hong Kong’s leading focused corporate finance legal practices Charltons’ global outlook coupled with significant experience and track record in deal making for PRC and international clients give Charltons the strengths to handle complex cross border transactions. Charltons is recognized as the “Jurisdictional Firm of the Year: Hong Kong SAR” by the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards in 2023 and 2024. Charltons firm won the ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2024 as the “Transactional Boutique Law Firm of the Year” and the ALB Pan Asian Regulatory Awards 2024 as the “Regulatory Law Firm of the Year (North & South Asia)”. The firm is also ranked by Chambers Greater China Region for Corporate/M&A: Independent Hong Kong Firms from 2018 to 2025; and by Legal 500 for Commercial, corporate and M&A: independent Hong Kong law firms; Banking and finance; Corporate (including M&A); and Capital markets (equity) from 2022 to 2025. AsiaLaw highly recommends Charltons for Capital markets, Corporate and M&A, Private equity, Investment funds, Technology and telecommunications, Regulatory, Consumer goods and services, Restructuring and insolvency from 2021 to 2024; and IFLR1000 for Banking, Capital Markets: Debt, Capital Markets: Equity, Financial services regulatory, M&A, Restructuring and insolvency and Retail funds from 2020 to 2024.

We are pleased to announce that the recording of our webinar, “Insider Dealing Under Hong Kong Law,” presented by Julia ...
21/10/2026

We are pleased to announce that the recording of our webinar, “Insider Dealing Under Hong Kong Law,” presented by Julia Charlton, is now available on our YouTube channel.

The session provides a detailed review of Hong Kong’s insider dealing regime under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO), including:

- The circumstances constituting insider dealing and the statutory definition of inside information
- The available defences, including the innocent purpose defence as interpreted in SFC v Yu Ho Ying Charles
- Civil proceedings before the Market Misconduct Tribunal, criminal prosecution and available sanctions
- The SFC’s use of section 213 of the SFO to obtain investor compensation, as illustrated by the Tiger Asia and Dudgeon cases
- The Market Misconduct Tribunal’s findings in the Dickson P**n and Dickson Concepts case
- The SFC’s proposed expansion of the insider dealing regime to cover overseas-listed securities
- The SFC’s market sounding guidelines, effective from May 2025

The recording, together with a detailed chapter index, is available via our website and YouTube channel. We encourage colleagues and clients with an interest in Hong Kong’s securities regulation and market conduct to view the session at their convenience.

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/hong-kong-law/insider-dealing-under-hong-kong-law/

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on the Listing Rule amendments that took effect on 24 July 2026 in the first phase o...
06/10/2026

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on the Listing Rule amendments that took effect on 24 July 2026 in the first phase of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Listing Rule Framework Competitiveness Review, and on the new Uncertificated Securities Market (USM), which is scheduled to launch on 16 November 2026.

1 CPD point

The session will cover the lower market capitalisation thresholds and higher voting ratio now allowed for companies listing with weighted voting rights, and the newly added New Business Model route for showing that a company is innovative. It will also cover the relaxation of secondary listing eligibility criteria, wider use of US GAAP, and the new option not to publish an Application Proof when filing. It will then look at what the USM means for listing applicants and listed companies, including Specified Jurisdictions and specified dates, the requirement to appoint an approved securities registrar, changes to company articles, and the new disclosure obligations.

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/hkex-competitiveness-review-listing-rule-changes-of-24-july-2026-usm-introduction/

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ntMk1GKzSrKvGEivaKZJCw #/registration

We are pleased to announce that the recording of our webinar, "Notifiable and Connected Transactions under HKEX's Listin...
05/10/2026

We are pleased to announce that the recording of our webinar, "Notifiable and Connected Transactions under HKEX's Listing Rules," presented by Julia Charlton, is now available on our YouTube channel.

The session provides a detailed review of the requirements under Chapters 14 and 14A of the Main Board Listing Rules (and the equivalent GEM Listing Rules), including:

- The definition and classification of notifiable transactions using the five percentage ratios
- Reverse takeovers, extreme transactions, and announcement, circular and shareholder approval requirements
- The definition of connected persons and associates, and the treatment of continuing connected transactions
- Independent shareholder approval, annual caps, auditors' reviews and the available exemptions
- HKEX Guidance Letter GL122-26 on the application of the Listing Rules to digital asset-related activities

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/hong-kong-law/notifiable-and-connected-transactions-under-hkexs-listing-rules/

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on Hong Kong’s insider dealing regime under the Securities and Futures Ordinance.1.5...
02/10/2026

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on Hong Kong’s insider dealing regime under the Securities and Futures Ordinance.

1.5 CPD points

The session will explore the conduct constituting insider dealing under sections 270 and 291 of the SFO, what makes someone a “connected person” and when information counts as “inside information”, and the defences, sanctions and remedies available. It will draw on key cases, including the Court of Final Appeal’s ruling on the innocent purpose defence and will also cover the SFC’s plans to widen the regime’s territorial scope and its Guidelines for Market Sounding.

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/insider-dealing-under-hong-kong-law/

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X_0Tsd6AR9W-Zb90h6k_5w

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on the key changes to Hong Kong's virtual asset regulatory regime over the past year...
28/09/2026

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on the key changes to Hong Kong's virtual asset regulatory regime over the past year.

1.5 CPD points

The session will cover the proposed AMLO licensing regimes for VA dealing, advisory, management and custodian services, and the SFC's regulatory relaxations for virtual asset trading platforms and regulated intermediaries, including shared order books, staking, and VA margin financing. It will also look at the Stablecoins Ordinance and the May 2026 relaxations for activities in licensed stablecoins, a recent SFC enforcement action, and the virtual asset proposals in the 2026-27 Budget.

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/hong-kong-virtual-asset-regulation-updates-2025-2026/

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_f88stblaTfW_42JT3QNMEw

Best Wishes for the Mid-Autumn Festival!
24/09/2026

Best Wishes for the Mid-Autumn Festival!

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on the Hong Kong Listing Rules’ requirements for notifiable and connected transactio...
23/09/2026

Join us for a Charltons Law webinar on the Hong Kong Listing Rules’ requirements for notifiable and connected transactions.

The session will explore the definitions, thresholds and exemptions governing transactions under Chapters 14 and 14A of the Main Board Listing Rules (GEM Chapters 19 and 20), and the disclosure and shareholder approval obligations they trigger, plus the Stock Exchange's latest guidance on how these rules apply to digital asset activities.

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/notifiable-%d0%b0nd-connected-transactions-under-hkexs-listing-rules/

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eYjP3zb4QYuBstX_w3SNfQ #/registration

We are pleased to announce that the recording of our recent webinar, "Listing Biotech, Specialist Technology & WVR-Struc...
21/09/2026

We are pleased to announce that the recording of our recent webinar, "Listing Biotech, Specialist Technology & WVR-Structured Companies on HKEX," is now available on our YouTube channel.

This session provides a comprehensive review of the listing regimes for biotech companies, specialist technology companies, and issuers with weighted voting rights (WVR) structures on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with particular focus on the Listing Rule amendments that took effect on 24 July 2026 following the conclusion of the Exchange's Listing Framework Competitiveness Review.

Topics addressed include:
- Revised eligibility and financial thresholds for weighted voting rights listings
- The new 20:1 voting ratio cap applicable to large-cap issuers
- The restructured innovative company test, comprising Route A (new technologies) and Route B (new business model)
- Updated requirements under Chapter 18A for biotech companies and Chapter 18C for specialist technology companies
- Revised thresholds and guidance for secondary listings
- New flexibility for biotech & specialist technology companies meeting Chapter 8 financial tests to list under Chapter 18A or 18C

The recording is available via our website and YouTube channel. We encourage colleagues and clients with an interest in Hong Kong's capital markets and listing framework to view the session at their convenience.

https://www.charltonslaw.com/webinar-recording-now-available-listing-biotech-specialist-technology-wvr-structured-companies-on-hkex/

We are proud to share that our founding partner, Julia Charlton, has been named Woman Lawyer of the Year (Law Firm) at t...
15/09/2026

We are proud to share that our founding partner, Julia Charlton, has been named Woman Lawyer of the Year (Law Firm) at the 25th Anniversary ALB Hong Kong Law Awards, held at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong on 11 September 2026. The award was presented by Fiona Nott, CEO of The Women’s Foundation.

This recognition reflects Julia’s leadership and her contribution to Hong Kong’s legal and regulatory landscape. Congratulations to Julia and to all the exceptional finalists and winners honoured on the night.

Read more: https://www.charltonslaw.com/alb-honours-julia-charlton-as-woman-lawyer-of-the-year-law-firm-2026/

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12th Floor Dominion Centre, 43-59 Queen’s Road East
Hong Kong

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+85229057888

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