Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Howse Williams delivers quality legal advice to its clients with a creative, forward-thinking approach.
From two founding partners, Chris Howse and Chris Williams, it has grown to become one of the biggest independent legal firms in Hong Kong, with around 200 legal staff.
“At Howse Williams we focus on providing high quality services with genuine expertise,” said Partner Brian Ho. “We have the local know-how, and know the market well. We believe that clients place a higher value on firms that are dynamic, creative, problem-solvers as well as legal experts.”
The global pandemic has undoubtedly brought challenges to the legal sector. However, as Ho explained, the founding partners had to deal with the SARS pandemic in 2003 and the Asian bird flu outbreak so when Covid arrived, the team had the advantage of having established policies already in place.
During the prolonged Covid pandemic, Howse Williams adopted a flexible approach to keep the business running without compromising the service to their clients, while also enacting in-office protocols to protect staff members and their families.
“We updated our procedures to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and have reviewed and amended them as necessary over time,” Ho said. “Thankfully, we have successfully navigated the storm by recruiting and retaining the best talent. We look forward to a return to normal and a bright future for Hong Kong.”
As the fifth wave of the pandemic now seems to be easing, Howse Williams is eager to continue with its expansion into the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
“We are working on developing opportunities for the firm in the GBA and then the rest of the Mainland. We will also strengthen our ties with the international community via our various networks and ‘best friend arrangements’,” Ho said, adding that membership of HKGCC has enabled the firm to connect with clients and other business partners.
For the legal profession, Hong Kong has many benefits as a location, including a mature legal system based on the rule of law and an independent judiciary. But the pandemic and unstable global political environment in recent years have caused shockwaves, meaning that legal practitioners must be prepared to deal with unexpected developments.
Another challenge for the sector is keeping up with a fluid regulatory environment – in Hong Kong and in other jurisdictions including the Mainland. Law firms have to remain on alert for policy shifts and regulatory changes, as well as issues of cultural sensitivity that might cause implications for transactions. Successful law firms must be creative and adaptable, and conscious of the needs of all stakeholders when doing business, Ho said.
“Howse Williams will continue to strive to maintain excellent standards and work as a reliable legal service provider going forward,” he concluded.
Company : Howse Williams
HKGCC Membership No. : HKH0784
Established : 2012
Website : https://www.howsewilliams.com/