Pooja Shahani is a Partner of Karas So LLP, specialising in investigations, asset recovery and complex multi-jurisdictional commercial litigation arising out of high-profile corporate collapses.
She acts for and represents insolvency practitioners, directors and creditors in all aspects of the insolvency process. Pooja has extensive experience in both prosecuting and defending claims especially those involving fraud, conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duties and professional negligence.
In addition to her insolvency work, Pooja advises and represents clients in shareholder disputes, judicial reviews and tracing and recovery of stolen assets. She is also experienced in arbitration having conducted proceedings under the HKIAC rules.
Pooja’s extensive experience along with her commitment, commercial insight and pragmatic approach to matters are highly valued and regarded by clients.
Pooja is an Accredited Mediator with HKIAC, and is fluent in English, Hindi and Sindhi with intermediate proficiency in spoken Cantonese.
Key Experience
- Representing liquidators of various Hong Kong-listed companies with operations and businesses in Mainland in audit negligence proceedings against global accounting firms (e.g., Orient Power Holdings Limited and Blockchain Group Co. Limited).
- Representing Hong Kong liquidators in misfeasance proceedings and actions against former directors for breach of duties and fraudulent disposition of assets.
- Representing directors of a Hong Kong and Singapore-listed fish trading and processing group in defending a claim by liquidators alleging fraud and other misconduct and seeking damages of almost US$1 billion (Pacific Andes Group).
- Representing Big Four accounting firm in defending audit negligence proceedings brought by a Hong Kong listed company (Mingyuan Medicare).
- Representing liquidators and trustees in applications for examination and production of documents against individuals in Hong Kong and/or overseas.
- Representing the former provisional liquidators in defending application by the company to set aside and reopen the assessment of the former provisional liquidators’ costs (Grande Holdings Limited [2022] 1 HKLRD 1317).
- Representing former provisional liquidators in defending the applicant’s application for judicial review to challenge Secretary for Justice’s decision not to prosecute the provisional liquidators in relation to two counts of agent soliciting an advantage and one count of blackmail (Sino Bright Enterprises Co, Ltd v Secretary for Justice & Ors [2020] 1 HKLRD 446).
- Representing a European distributor in a US$20 million arbitration under the HKIAC Rules relating to the purchase and re-sale of goods between China and Europe.
- Representing various overseas individuals, family offices and banks in recovery actions arising out of cyber fraud including through obtaining Mareva injunctions and disclosure orders.
Career History
- Partner, Karas So LLP, 2024
- Special Counsel, Karas So LLP, 2022
- Senior Associate, Karas So LLP, 2021
- Senior Associate, Lipman Karas, 2019
- Associate, Lipman Karas, 2016
- Associate, Victor Chiu Tsang & Partners, 2014
- University of Hong Kong, Master of Laws in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, 2011
- City University of Hong Kong, PCLL, 2010
- City University of Hong Kong, Bachelor of Laws (Hons), 2009
Admissions
- High Court of Hong Kong (2014)
Articles and Publications
Accreditation and Membership
- Accredited General Mediator, HKIAC
- Member, International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
- Member, International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL International)
- Member, Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty (RIF)
- Member, ThoughtLeaders 4 Fraud, Insolvency, Recovery, Enforcement (FIRE)
- Member, Women in Law Hong Kong (WILHK)