- Recommended Lawyer for 'Regulatory (Hong Kong)'
"Practice head Kevin Yam 'reads the Hong Kong regulatory landscape with precision'."
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021 - Named as a Notable Practitioner for ‘Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory (International Firms) – China” by Chambers Asia Pacific 2018 - 2021
- One source asserting that he is "very understanding of the client as an individual" and is sensitive to "the psychological pressure, pressure with colleagues and pressure of reputation" that individuals under investigation face.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2021 - “A source enthuses: ‘Kevin Yam has particularly impressed me as someone who is able to give practical and useful advice to clients, both in terms of the handling of investigations from regulatory authorities as well as trial strategy.”
Chambers Asia Pacific 2020
- One source asserting that he is "very understanding of the client as an individual" and is sensitive to "the psychological pressure, pressure with colleagues and pressure of reputation" that individuals under investigation face.
- Named as a Recommended Lawyer for ‘Regulatory (Hong Kong)’ by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2015 - 2021
- "Kevin Yam takes care of clients well, and is highly professional."
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021 - “Kevin Yam, who is ‘trilingual, expertly strategic and very experienced in dealing with difficult regulatory investigations’, heads up the team at Kennedys.”
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019, 2020 - “Kevin Yam ‘gets what it takes to help business people and senior managers; he understands their perspectives, needs and risks’.”
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018 - “Kevin Yam is described as ‘a safe pair of hands and one of few trilingual experts in the contentious regulatory space’.”
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017
- "Kevin Yam takes care of clients well, and is highly professional."
Kevin joined Kennedys as a Partner in the Hong Kong office in 2013. He qualified in Hong Kong in 2005 and was a trainee and then an associate at a market-leading disputes and regulatory team of an international law firm from 2002 to 2006. He then became an in-house legal counsel at a big four accounting firm in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2009. He re-joined the same international law firm as a senior associate from 2009 to 2013.
Kevin primarily represents financial sector entities, listed companies, professional services firms and their senior personnel. His main specialisation is in advising clients on handling a wide range of investigations and proceedings instituted by financial and professional services regulators, as well as law enforcement agencies. These include: (i) handling inquiries, investigations and proceedings against sponsors, underwriters and bookrunners in initial public offerings; (ii) handling investigations and proceedings relating to allegations of misconduct by financial sector entities and professionals, market misconduct, bribery and/or fraud; (iii) handling investigations into allegations of misconduct in the selling of investment products; and (iv) advising on anti-money laundering compliance issues.
In addition, Kevin is an experienced litigator. His particular focus is on cases and crisis scenarios where an understanding of the wider financial regulatory and law enforcement environment is important, as well as where a strong appreciation of the wider political and publicity context is vital.
