James Tennison

James Tennison’s practice focuses on international dispute resolution. He regularly handles mediations and arbitration proceedings subject to various institutional rules (including HKIAC, CIETAC, ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL) and is familiar with expedited and emergency arbitral procedures. Mr. Tennison often advises on domestic, international and offshore litigation matters and has experience before the Court of Appeal in England and Wales and Bermuda, as well as the Privy Council.

In recognition of his work, Mr. Tennison was named to The Legal 500’s inaugural Arbitration Powerlist — Hong Kong. In addition, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific has consistently listed him as a “key lawyer” in its international arbitration and litigation categories (2021-2024 editions), with the 2024 edition describing him as “building a strong reputation” in arbitration and noting that he has “a solid reputation advising on domestic, international and offshore litigation.” Mr. Tennison has been recognized in previous editions as an “exceptionally talented lawyer” who is “able to think of clever arguments that others have not” and who “lays matters out very clearly.” He also has been noted by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific as “very meticulous” and “very receptive to points of view from others,” as well as a “star of the future.”

Mr. Tennison has represented a broad range of companies, funds and individuals in the financial, corporate, construction and trust sectors, advising on disputes involving complex arrangements and cross-border aspects, as well as regulatory investigations. His recent experience includes:

• a comprehensive victory in one of the highest-value claims anywhere in the world and the largest claim ever before the Bermuda Courts concerning trusts with assets of approximately US$20 billion, in addition to related court proceedings and appeals in Hong Kong, Bermuda, Taiwan, the U.S. and England and Wales;
• several successful outcomes by way of alternative dispute resolution on behalf of a major international gaming conglomerate concerning the construction and operations of a number of multibillion-dollar properties, in addition to providing ongoing advisory assistance;
• a victory on behalf of one of the world’s largest online travel companies and a mainland China-based private equity firm in expedited HKIAC arbitration proceedings and related court proceedings in Hong Kong with respect to preventing the privatisation of a Nasdaq-listed US$1 billion company;
• a potential SIAC arbitration for an Australian subsidiary of a Japanese company with respect to one of the largest liquefied natural gas projects in the world, valued at approximately US$34 billion;
• a successful outcome for a major global technology company in HKIAC arbitration proceedings with respect to multimillion-dollar assets in Hong Kong;
• a positive result for a Hong Kong company in emergency CIETAC arbitration proceedings with respect to significant business operations in mainland China;
• a global resolution by way of mediation on behalf of a high-net-worth individual with respect to personal assets located around the world that were the subject of court proceedings in England and Wales; and
• a successful outcome for a European subsidiary of a U.S. conglomerate against multiple defendants before the Hong Kong Courts following a multimillion-euro fraud.