DOMINIC JAMES is a counsel in Sidley’s International Funds group, which was named “Best Law Firm for Asset Management, Asia Pacific” by AsianInvestor in 2018. He has over 15 years of experience, gained in London and Hong Kong, and focuses on financial services regulatory matters, investigations and enforcement, as well as complex commercial litigation.
Dominic is listed as a “Notable Practitioner” and a “key name” for litigation and dispute resolution and financial services by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500 Asia Pacific respectively. In the 2021 edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dominic is praised by clients for his “sound practical advice on Hong Kong regulatory matters, as well as general anti-money laundering matters.” He is also praised by clients for his “ability to work very quickly” (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020), his “high calibre advice” on contentious regulatory matters (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2018) and is also noted for his “professionalism, expertise and diligence” and described as a “solid and reliable operator” who is “very personable and easy to work with" (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2017-2019). He “consistently demonstrates outstanding qualities” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018) and is “a genuine talent for complex regulatory work” (Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018). He has also been consistently recognized as a “Rising Star” by IFLR1000 for financial services regulatory work in 2013-2020.
Dominic has also been ranked by the Financial Times in the 2015 edition of FT Innovative Lawyers report.
With the breadth of experience gained from Dominic’s career working in the region’s commercial and finance sectors and dealing with Hong Kong regulators, he is well-placed to advise multinational fund managers and financial clients on a wide range of regulatory matters, compliance issues, and regulatory policies and developments. Dominic also provides practical advice in response to new laws and regulations as well as disciplinary and judicial decisions. Dominic predominately assists Sidley clients from the financial services and hedge fund industries in formulating responses to formal regulatory inquiries and investigations, and he represents them or their employees in regulatory actions and litigation, as necessary. In addition, Dominic has the depth of experience to advise corporations, creditors and liquidators on a wide range of commercial litigation matters.
Prior to joining Sidley, Dominic has worked on a number of large and well-known commercial/regulatory disputes in Hong Kong, including the Joint Administrators of the Estate of Wang Teh Huei, the Link REIT IPO, the Sole Administrator of Charles Lee Schmitt & Associates, the construction of Nina Tower, and numerous SFC market misconduct proceedings and Takeover Panel disciplinary inquiries.