Citywealth Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Clifford Ng, Zhong Lun Law Firm LLP, Hong Kong

Date: 05 Feb 2025

Karen Jones

This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Clifford Ng, Co-Managing partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm LLP, Hong Kong.

Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.

I lead the private client team of 10 based out of Hong Kong and also help with the management of the office as one of three managing parters (yes – it takes three of us).   

What does a typical day look like for you?

I am a morning person so I start around 6am in bed with my phone going through messages (really, don’t we all?).  I then go through my news feeds (on my phone) over an espresso (or a few).  I try to exercise every day before work but, once work starts, it is meetings, calls, reviewing and drafting documents, research on laws and dealing with whatever our clients need to deal with.    

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.

We are seeing more and more cross-border matrimonial and estate issues with clients who have assets and family members in Mainland China and other jurisdictions which present very interesting conflicts of laws and enforcement issues.  

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

The wonderful thing about the private client practice is that our clients ask us to advise on a wide range of challenges they face – from technical tax and legal issues to thornier relationship issues.  Because our practice is so broad in its scope, jurisdictions and client demands, we help by bringing a broader and different perspective to the issues; a different way to achieve their objective perhaps or reframe the issue.   

What is your proudest professional achievement?

I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from some amazingly talented and smart clients, lawyers and advisors along the way.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

Know when not to lead.  In so many situations great and small, we see examples where leaders overstay their “sell by” dates or do all the talking and take credit for everything. 

Who do you most admire and why?

My parents.  Immigrating to Canada in the mid-70’s never having been there before with four kids in tow and no jobs in hand took a lot of courage and determination that I appreciate much more now that I am older. 

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

London – it is a great (and cheap) hub to travel to the rest of Europe and my daughters are based in the UK.

If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?

An OpEd writer.  Lawyers are (or at least I am) not much good for anything else except tell people what they should do; preferably with no consequences (with apologies to OpEd writers).

How do you relax after a long day?

As a news junkie, I need my feeds to end the day  . . .