A convenient one-stop shop for all areas of civil and commercial advisory.
Founded in 1984, today DVC is the largest set of barristers’ chambers in Hong Kong
Des Voeux Chambers (“DVC”) was founded in 1984. Today, DVC is both a leading set and the largest set of barristers’ chambers in Hong Kong, comprising 100 practising barristers.
Whilst justifiably proud of its history, DVC’s focus is on the ‘here and now’ and going forward. DVC has planned for and continues to plan for the future.
As at 2024, 25 members of DVC have been appointed Senior Counsel in Hong Kong and/or King’s Counsel in England & Wales. DVC’s well-established and structured intern, pupillage and recruitment policies are designed to create solid foundations for the future by ensuring that junior members are selected from the very top graduates in Hong Kong and elsewhere, with 36 Bar Scholars currently at DVC.
Several members are qualified to practice in other jurisdictions including the People’s Republic of China, England & Wales, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, the United States of America, Bermuda, and the British Virgin Islands.
DVC is consistently rated by Chambers & Partners as a Leading Set of Chambers in Band 1 and has been awarded ‘Chambers of the Year’ on 6 occasions by Asian Legal Business.
Many DVC members regularly receive award-winning accolades in a wide variety of practice areas from Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, WWL and Doyles.
DVC members practice in a wide and diverse range of practice areas, including banking & finance, competition law, company law, construction law, family law, insolvency, intellectual property, international trade, planning law, property law and trusts, probate and succession.
Several DVC members are experienced mediators and DVC has a strong domestic and international arbitration practice with many leading international arbitrators.
Public service has always been important to DVC and will continue to be so. DVC members have served as the Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, Chairman of the United Nations Peace & Development Foundation, Chair of the Communications Authority, and Member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the Rule of Law.
Prominent positions also include various appointments held by DVC’s current Head under the auspices of the International Bar Association (IBA), and the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA.) These comprise variously, Co-Chairman, Forum for Barristers and Advocates, IBA, Member, Policy Sub-Committee, Bar Issues Commission, IBA, Member, China Working Group, Asia Pacific Forum, IBA, Officer, Diversity and Inclusion Council, IBA, and Vice Chairman, Women Business Lawyers Committee, IPBA.
DVC members regularly sit as Recorders, Deputy High Court Judges, Deputy High Court Masters, and Deputy District Court Judges.
Distinguished Former Members:
As an integral component of its forward-thinking, DVC broke new ground in April 2017, when it set up its pioneering Practice Development Department, the first set of Chambers in Hong Kong to do so.
This prompted DVC to be the only Chambers in Asia and Australia to be short-listed by the Financial Times under the ‘Innovation in the Business of Law: New Business & Service and Delivery Models’.
Our clerks and practice development team have extensive knowledge of the skillset and expertise of the barristers within their team, and is able to effectively assist members in developing their practices, as well as providing appropriate assistance to business queries.
The Bar has traditionally retained its identity as a 'referral' institution both in Hong Kong and the UK. Every barrister in Hong Kong can only practise law as a sole-proprietor.
