Cindy Au

Cindy advises property developers and investors on sale and purchase of real estate properties or shares in property holding companies. She also represents banks and financial institutions on general corporate lending, commercial and private banking matters, construction finance and related loan/security documents. In addition, she advises on tenancy matters in respect of residential, office and commercial premises and deals with property development projects, including planning for sale, advising on matters in land grants, applying for pre-sale consent, and handling sale/purchase and mortgage of units in residential or non-residential development projects.

Cindy has also advised quasi-government bodies on subsidized housing projects, elderly projects and subsidised loan scheme.

Cindy also advises private funds and investors on acquisition and disposal of real estate properties and works together with other law firms in handling transactions involving real properties in Hong Kong.

Her other transactional work includes sale and purchase of loan portfolios and the underlying mortgages and other securities.

Career history:

• Partner, Mayer Brown JSM – 2009-2015
• Associate/Senior Associate, Johnson Stokes & Master – 1994-2009

Legal qualifications:

• Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 1994
• Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1995

Appointments:

• Notary Public of Hong Kong

Languages:

• English
• Cantonese
• Mandarin

Leslie Kaczmarek

Leslie has practiced in Hong Kong since 1985. His core practice throughout has been acting for tenants in commercial and residential leasing negotiations, mortgagees in the creation and subsequent realization of security and general clients in the purchase and sale of real property including many sales by tender or auction. He also advises private equity clients in their purchase and sale of real estate and on the real estate aspects of corporate acquisitions.

Career history:

• Partner, Mayer Brown JSM – 2008-2016
• Partner, Johnson Stokes & Master – 1988-2008
• Associate, Johnson Stokes & Master – 1985-1988
• Associate, Morton, Fraser & Milligan W.S. – 1982-1985

Legal qualifications:

• Admitted as solicitor, Scotland, 1982
• Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 1985
• Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1990

Mark Bennett

With more than 20 years’ global experience in both the real estate and technology domains, in private legal practice and in-house, Mark is a highly experienced technology and real estate lawyer, dual-qualified in Australia and Hong Kong.

Technology: Mark possesses cutting-edge industry know-how and expertise, supporting start-ups to Fortune-500 companies, in areas such as contract negotiations, FinTech, RegTech, the creation of policies and guidelines, and the strategic adoption and transformation of emerging technology and digital platforms (via 3rd party service providers or incubators and innovation labs). His practice includes identification of new and novel ethical and legal risks and issues, and with over ten years in-house, Mark can provide very specialist in-house legal counsel knowledge and support.

Mark’s technology (digital commerce) legal services capabilities include cloud, sophisticated technology services procurement and outsourcing, data governance and digital content (including privacy/processing, encryption and cybersecurity), software and infrastructure (including “as-a-service”), global sourcing (including ITO & BPO), regulatory & compliance, emerging & disruptive technology and digital platforms, IPR acquisitions and disposals, and mergers & acquisitions and joint ventures.

Real Estate: Mark has extensive experience in prominent real estate transactions across the globe, including leasing, acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, construction, infrastructure and major projects, hospitality & leisure, and digital infrastructure and data centres (offering the unique ability to support both the technology and real estate components of transactions).

Career history:

• Counsel, Bird & Bird, Hong Kong – 2019-2020
• Executive Director, Lehman Brothers and Nomura, Hong Kong – 2007-2019
• Senior Associate, Allen & Overy, London – 2005-2007
• Senior Associate, King & Wood Mallesons, Sydney – 2003-2005
• Senior Associate, Baker & McKenzie, Hong Kong & Sydney – 1998-2003

Legal qualifications:

• Admitted as solicitor, New South Wales and High Court, 1997
• Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 2003

Jeffrey Wong

Jeffrey has experience in acting for property investors in sale and purchase of real estate properties or shares in property holding companies. He also has experience in acting for banks and financial institutions in general lending transactions.

Jeffrey’s practice also covers general conveyancing and tenancy matters.

Career history:

• Associate, Simon Reid-Kay & Associates – 2017-present
• Trainee Solicitor, Kao, Lee & Yip   2015-2017

Legal qualifications:

• Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 2018

Languages:

• English
• Cantonese
• Mandarin