"Giles is a consummate advocate. He is a brilliant strategist, a formidable trial counsel, and excellent at cross-examination." - The Legal 500

Giles is a very accomplished & experienced advocate with a strong practice in heavily contested matrimonial & criminal matters.  He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1993 joined Plowman Chambers in 1994, and was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 1997. 

Matrimonial /Family

His matrimonial practice involves all financial and children related matters arising from the breakdown of marital & other relationships. ,  

In addition to the financial relief and children matters, matrimonial injunctions, inheritance (provision for family and dependents), and Hague convention (return of children to HK from overseas) are features of his practice. Trust(s), probate and mentally incapacitated persons (“MIP”s) also increasingly occur as a feature of ‘family matters’ reflecting the changes in HK’s demography. 

Giles has sat temporarily as a Judge in the District Court hearing Family Cases. 

Since the beginning of October 2021, Giles became a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), a worldwide association of practising lawyers who are recognised by their peers as the most experienced and skilled family law specialists. 

Crime

Giles’ criminal practice ranges from: commercially oriented crimes, (corruption, fraud, deception & money laundering);  to violent crimes (murder, serious assaults);  to sexual offences  (including rape and paedophile cases)  to drugs. 

Giles has sat temporarily as a Judge in the District Court hearing Criminal Cases.

Mediation

Giles qualified and became accredited as a mediator in 2007 at CEDR (Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution) in London. 

He has conducted well over a hundred mediations on all issues arising from marital/relationship breakdowns including but not limited to: all aspects of finances; child custody & access; relocation of children to other jurisdictions; education etc.  He is considered one of the most experienced mediators and is wise & thoughtful guide helping families find workable solutions to challenging problems in difficult and turbulent times. 

Giles has also conducted mediations in:  multi family member probate and MIP disputes;  employment; personal injuries;  as well as in areas as diverse as violent football match disputes; neighbour disputes; and ‘animal issues’ (ownership of animals and noisy & disruptive animals) enabling participants in mediation to avoid protracted, damaging & expensive litigation.  

Disciplinary Tribunals 

Giles represents participants in a variety of disciplinary tribunals including those related to the Insurance Industry, the medical field,  and the HK Bar Associations’ own disciplinary proceedings where he has prosecuted for the HK Bar.  

Advocacy Training & Teaching 

Giles is heavily involved in training advocates. He was a founding member of and is now Vice Chairman of the HK Advocacy Training Council – the HK Bar Association’s training arm.

Having trained & qualified as an advocacy teacher and subsequently a teacher trainer at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) in the USA,  Giles frequently teaches both novice and more experienced advocates and trains aspiring advocacy trainers. He has been involved in advocacy training & teaching not only in Hong Kong, but also trained English Barristers at Keeble College Oxford University, Public Prosecutors in Fiji and in Brunei, and advocates practising at the Malaysian Bar. 

Personal 

Giles is married, he & his wife have three teenage children. He is a keen sportsman.  

There are nearly 200 cases in which Giles has been involved listed on the HK Judiciary web site at: https://legalref.judiciary.hk

Note: The cases on the Judiciary web site do not include any Magistrate Court trials – these are not reported. 

Matrimonial

2019

[2019] HKFC 163; FCMC 9098/2018.  MPS & legal costs funding.  

[2019] HKFC 119; FCMC 5635/2008.  Ancillary relief – Maintenance.

[2019] HKFC 105; FCMC 2295/2014.  Ancillary relief.  

2018

[2018] HKFC 130; FCMC 6134/2017. Removal & Access. 

FCMC 11141/2013; Preliminary issues – legal/beneficial ownership.

Crime 

2019

HCMA 462/2018          Assault & Criminal Damage. 

HCCC 52/2018            Murder.  

DCCC 320/2018          Gross indecency with a child etc.  

2018 

HCMA 438/2017          Indecent Assault 

DCCC 1040/2017        Assault with intent to rob

HCCC 460/2016          Murder.

DCCC 373/2017          Wounding with intent etc.

Vice Chairman of the HK Advocacy Training Council – the HK Bar Association’s training arm

Member of the HK Government’s Advisory Committee on Legal Advice for Unrepresented Litigants. 

Member of the Hong Kong Bar Council for a total of over 10 years; though not currently on the Bar Council. 

Member of the Bar Free Legal Advice Service Scheme; most recent case for the service was HCMA 438/2017 (judgement: 15 June 2018), indecent assault appeal.   

Former contributor to both Archbold Hong Kong and the HK Civil Procedure, the ‘White Book’.