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Eugene Chen

Registered Foreign Lawyer

Hong Kong

Eugene Chen

Registered Foreign Lawyer

Hong Kong

For nearly twenty five years, Eugene has helped clients navigate their most complex disputes in some of the thorniest parts of the world. As a U.S.-trained litigator based in Hong Kong, he helps clients proactively overcome the commercial and regulatory challenges they face when doing business in Asia.

When authorities raid, Eugene is a vigorous advocate before both domestic and international regulators. He has handled investigations and enforcement actions before the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities Exchange Commission, the U.K. Serious Fraud Office, the PRC Market Supervision Administration, the Hong Kong SAR Independent Commission Against Corruption, and other government-appointed monitors. He regularly conducts internal corporate investigations where whistleblowers or audits have identified anomalies. To help clients avoid problems, he pro-actively designs and tests rigorous anti-corruption policies with a business-minded approach. And he regularly conducts anti-bribery due diligence to help clients have a deeper understanding of their customers and business partners, and effectively implement their Know Your Customer processes.
 
Having spent the last fifteen years based in Greater China, initially in Mainland China and now in Hong Kong SAR, Eugene is identified by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022 as being “among the firm’s most noteworthy figures” in terms of on-the-ground Greater China litigation capabilities. Eugene is also ranked by Chambers Greater China Region 2022 for his expertise in Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption in China, which notes that he “is regularly enlisted by pharmaceutical and life sciences companies for assistance with U.S. investigations and anti-corruption and anti-bribery compliance. One client refers to him as a ‘great white-collar lawyer,’ while another source considers him a ‘good guy and a solid lawyer.’”
 
Previously Chambers Asia-Pacific has commented that “[Eugene’s] familiarity with both the US and PRC legal markets makes him an almost unique resource when it comes to dealing with FCPA issues and other US regulatory issues.”
 
Eugene also has experience in representing Asian and Western companies in all manner of litigation and international arbitration. His Mainland China-focused disputes practice covers a broad range of commercial and unfair competition claims, regulatory disputes, and large and small-scale product quality issues, with a particular focus on the life sciences, TMT, energy, and consumer product sectors.
 
Eugene is U.S.-qualified, and is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese.

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Office

Hong Kong

9th Floor, Three Exchange Square, Central
Hong Kong

View office →

Qualifications

Professional

Admitted to practice in California, 1999

Admitted to practice in Washington D.C., 2000

Academic

Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, Columbia University, 1995

Juris Doctor, Stanford University, 1998

Other noteworthy experience 

Advising:

  • A global bank on impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law, and ways to mitigate risks. Our advice, drawing from our Hong Kong SAR, Mainland China, US, UK practices, features: Impact on the bank's AML/CTF regime; Interactions with existing and newly introduced foreign sanctions regime; Enhanced investigation powers; Data and managing client.
  • Four US companies in the apparel, information technology, pharmaceutical, and information and data industries, respectively, regarding corruption and bribery issues before the US Department of Justice and US Securities Exchange Commission.
  • A mainland Chinese technology company regarding sanctions issues before the US Bureau of Industry & Security Office of Export Enforcement.
  • Various US and European pharmaceutical companies on commercial bribery investigations by Chinese authorities.
  • A US consumer product company on an investigation by the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption.
  • Several world leading medical device and pharmaceutical companies on conducting internal audits, and preparing codes of conduct and manuals in dealing with sponsorships and donations to hospitals.
  • A major US industrial client and a major US pharmaceutical company on benchmarking of compliance policies and procedures against legal and industry standards.
  • A leading US investment bank on due diligence for an investment spanning Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India.
  • Several US life sciences clients on FCPA due diligence in relation to acquisitions and joint ventures with mainland Chinese companies.
  • A US information services company on the FCPA aspects of the termination of employees across mainland China resulting from the largest ever mainland Chinese criminal prosecution for violation of mainland China’s data privacy laws, as well as resulting CIETAC/HKIAC arbitrations and labour disputes.
  • A major US electronic manufacturer and a European appliances manufacturer on product recall filings and remedial action planning in mainland China. 
    Includes experience prior to joining A&O