Sophie Liu

Registered Foreign Lawyer (PRC)

With around 12 years of practising experience in PRC, Sophie Liu specialises in cross-border matrimonial law and succession between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. With experience in both contentious and non-contentious matters, she is adept at quickly grasping key facts and formulating effective solutions. Her expertise includes family wealth planning, preservation and succession, which involves analysing family conditions and setting up various instruments such as familial agreements, wills and living wills, voluntary guardianship, family foundations and trusts, as well as family corporate governance structures.

Apart from private client matters, Sophie is well versed in cross-border civil and commercial law as well as dispute resolution. She has extensively advised leading companies in Europe and Asia on foreign investment, corporate governance and regulatory compliance in PRC.

Sophie is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, and speaks conversational English.

Affiliations

Member, China Law Society

Committee Member, 11th International & Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Work Committee, Shenzhen Lawyers Association

Founding Member, “Estate Administrator” Directory, Shenzhen

Committee Member, Matrimonial and Wealth Succession Committee, Zhuojian Law Firm, Shenzhen

Founding Member, China Association of Wealth Managers

Legal Counsel, Advanced Will Registration Center in Shenzhen, China Will Registration Center

Pro Bono Lawyer, China Will Registration Center

Notable Experience

Wealth Preservation & Succession

  • Represented a prominent family business in Hong Kong to conduct risk assessment, advise on and implement solutions for family succession, restructure family corporate governance and family trust
  • Designed wills and advised on voluntary guardianship arrangements according to clients’ specific needs, handled probate and estate administration to ensure children with special needs are duly cared for

Cross-border Contentious Probate

  • Advised on succession litigation with an estate of over RMB250 million involving complex family relationships
  • Advised a Canadian client, together with a Hong Kong lawyer, on a complex case of ancillary relief application in the courts of Hong Kong after divorce in the courts of PRC

Cross-border Civil & Commercial Law

  • Advised on regulatory compliance of business activities carried on by a PRC subsidiary of a Hong Kong listed company
  • Advised on regulatory compliance of promotional activities for the business of gold and silver exchange carried on by a Japan listed company in PRC
  • Advised on market entry of a renowned Italian fashion brand into PRC
  • Advised on export to the PRC market of a pre-IPO bird’s nest company in Malaysia
  • Advised a PRC client on the acquisition of a Hong Kong insurance broker licence and regulatory compliance of carrying on insurance brokerage business in PRC

Admission

Education