Francesca Ip is a Special Counsel of Karas So LLP in Association with Mishcon de Reya. She specialises in the litigation and resolution of cross-border commercial, financial and insolvency disputes.
Francesca has particular experience of acting for creditors and debtors in high profile insolvencies and restructurings, and the enforcement of substantial arbitral awards and judgments in the Asia Pacific region and internationally. She also has experience of international arbitration administrated under the major institutional rules.
Francesca has been granted Higher Rights of Audience for civil proceedings and regularly appears in the High Court and Companies Court of Hong Kong as an advocate.
Key Experience
Commercial Litigation
- Representing a syndicate of major investment banks and financial institutions in Hong Kong and PRC on the cross-border enforcement following default under facility agreement and notes totaling c. US $260 million.
- Representing a leading investment fund on the cross-border enforcement of defaulted notes, including obtaining freezing injunction and discovery orders, leading to full recovery.
- Representing a leading ATM manufacturer in successfully resisting application to set aside parts of an arbitral award and opposition to enforcement application, and the enforcement of the award in Hong Kong and PRC.
- Representing a group of investors defrauded in a sport trading scheme in the cross-border recovery of their funds.
- Representing a high net worth individual on the cross-border recovery of misappropriated funds, including a successful application for an order of committal before the High Court of Hong Kong.
- Representing a high net worth individual on the cross-border enforcement of a substantial judgment, including successfully resisting an application to set aside orders for service out of the jurisdiction and interlocutory judgment for defamation.
Insolvency
- Representing a high net worth individual and co-founder of major Chinese coffee company in opposing winding up applications made internationally and on the restructuring of debt and termination of the liquidations.
- Representing an oil super major in opposing a petition to wind up a Hong Kong incorporated LNG trading company, and procured the appointment of independent directors to manage the affairs and claims of that company.
Career History
- Special Counsel, Karas So LLP (2023)
- Associate, Kobre & Kim (2020)
- Associate, Holman Fenwick Willian (2015)
- Trainee Solicitor, Holman Fenwick Willian (2013)
- University of Hong Kong, PCLL (2013)
- University of Oxford, Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence (2012)