Dennis WH Kwok is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning lawyer, recognized for his contribution to the rule of law. He was a pro-democratic lawmaker in Hong Kong for 8 years, elected as the sole representative of legal profession in the Hong Kong legislature first in 2012, and then in 2016 with 69% majority of the votes. Dennis is co-heading the firm’s International Disputes and China Corporate Advisory practice.
Dennis has practiced law with a focus in the Asia Pacific Region for more than 20 years. He started his legal career with the international firm Herbert Smith and went on to practice as a barrister in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2023. He represented international businesses in complex litigation and arbitration, and advised on cross-border commercial transactions and disputes involving the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong. Together with local counsel, he has worked on numerous matters in China and the Asia Pacific region including in jurisdictions such as Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines. He has also worked on many international arbitration cases as counsel. With his experience in frontline politics and various public offices, he helps to give clients a deep understanding of the domestic and geopolitical issues in the China region, where political and legal developments are heavily intertwined. Dennis frequently advises democratic governments, policy makers, and MNCs around the world on geopolitical issues concerning the China region.
Aside from his legal career, Dennis served as a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School from 2021 to 2023. His research at Harvard focused on the legal and political risks emerging from the China region. He was appointed as a Distinguished Scholar at Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service in 2021. He also served as a visiting Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo, and as a visiting Lecturer at Northeastern University.
Dennis is fluent in Chinese and English.
Recent Matters handled by the EKLJN International Disputes and China Corporate Advisory practice:
- Advising U.S. states attorney generals in a collective action against one of the largest Chinese owned social media companies. Dennis and Ben were brought in as specialists advising on the PRC angle of the matter;
- Advising a major democratic government in Asia on the U.S-China relationship and geopolitical issues;
- Advising one of the largest U.S. global media conglomerates in their portfolio companies in China and the relocation and re-incorporation of their portfolio out of the China region;
- Advising and providing regular briefings for international media outlets on the changing landscape in the Hong Kong and China region, and the operational risks;
- Advising U.S. clients in an international arbitration where the opposing parties are subsidiaries of a major Chinese state-owned enterprise, and national security issues that are involved;
- Advising a number of U.S. technology firms, including semiconductor firms, on its operations, IP, and supply chain in the PRC and Taiwan;
- Acting as an independent expert witness on Hong Kong laws for one of largest U.S. management consultancy firms in its U.S. litigation;
- Advising on the settlement of a multi-million dollar ICC London arbitration dispute for a US company involved in the new energy sectors in China and India. The contracts were governed by English laws.