Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Hong Kong courts’ powers supporting arbitration: stays, interim injunctions, asset/evidence preservation, receivers and security—legal tests and procedures for court applications, including emergency arbitrator relief and anti-suit injunctions

Published by a LexisNexis Arbitration expert

Practice notes

The court may, under the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap 609) (AO), order a variety of interim relief to support arbitration proceedings. These measures are chiefly intended to ensure the arbitral process is respected, prevent any award from being frustrated, regulate the behaviour of the parties, and preserve assets or evidence. It should also be noted that the arbitral tribunal has corresponding powers to grant interim measures under AO, s 35. Note: Hong Kong judgments below are not reported by LexisNexis®.

Power of the court to stay court proceedings in favour of arbitration

Under AO, s 20, the court may stay proceedings and refer the parties to arbitration on a party’s request where the action is the subject of an arbitration agreement, unless the arbitration agreement is invalid, inoperative or incapable of being performed. In Hong Kong, the courts consistently uphold the primacy of the arbitration agreement once it is shown that the matter falls within such an agreement (Polytec Overseas Ltd (保利達國際有限公司) v Grand Dragon International Holdings Co Ltd (龍浩國際集團有限公司) [2017] HKCU 878)...

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Valerie Li

DLA Piper

Valerie Li is an Of Counsel in the Litigation and Regulatory team, based in DLA Piper's Hong Kong office. Valerie has extensive experience in international arbitration and commercial litigation. She is the Co-Chair of HK45 for the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). In 2018, Valerie is accredited as a Tribunal Secretary at the HKIAC. She regularly handles commercial disputes covering areas including intellectual property and technology, investment funds, joint ventures, licensing and distribution, energy and natural resources, and international trade and sale of goods in arbitrations seated in jurisdictions including Hong Kong, London, Singapore and Mainland China under rules including HKIAC, CIETAC, UNCITRAL, SIAC, ICC, and LMAA Terms. Valerie has represented clients from the Middle East, Americas, United Kingdom, Europe, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and other parts of Asia. Valerie has also acted for clients in...

Bryan Chan

DLA Piper

Bryan is a senior associate at DLA Piper Hong Kong. He has substantial experience in commercial litigation and arbitration. He has advised and acted for banks, funds, joint ventures and companies in various industries including real estate, pharmaceutical, sports, TMT, hotel, property management and shipping.Bryan has a particular focus on handling shareholders disputes, breach of directors’ duties, contractual disputes, insolvency and winding-up, breach of trust, fraud, property management and defamation.Bryan regularly advises and represents clients in proceedings at various levels of the Hong Kong courts, as well as arbitrations in the HKIAC, CIETAC, LCIA and SIAC.Most recently, Bryan has acted for a leading global investment manager in an HKIAC administered arbitration in respect of a shareholders' dispute which concerns a USD200 million investment in a joint venture in Mainland China, and also acted for one of the largest commercial real estate services and...

Janice Li

DLA Piper

I am currently an associate in DLA Piper's litigation and regulatory group. I am a solicitor admitted in the High Court of Hong Kong and an US attorney qualified to practice law in the New York State. My practice focuses on international arbitration and commercial litigation. I have handled disputes covering areas including financial instruments, licensing and distribution, construction, insurance, international trade and sale of goods, shipping, energy and natural resources and general commercial disputes in the High Court of Hong Kong, and arbitrations seated in jurisdictions including Hong Kong, Singapore, London, the US and Mainland China.I have advised clients in all aspects of disputes including asset preservation, injunctions, as well as enforcement of arbitral awards in various jurisdictions....

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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