Specialist trial lawyer from NZ joins Lai team

Jimmy Lai has hired King's Counsel Marc Corlett from New Zealand for his defense team.

Corlett is a specialist trial lawyer admitted to the Hong Kong Bar in 2020. The prosecution did not oppose Corlett to represent Lai.

This came after Lai was barred from hiring British King's Counsel Tim Owen - who does not have full practice in Hong Kong - to defend him in a national security trial that was originally set to begin in December last year.

In the attempted hiring of Owen, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu requested Beijing's interpretation of the national security law.

The National People's Congress Standing Committee then said all foreign lawyers without full practice in Hong Kong must seek the chief executive's approval to participate in national security trials. The Committee for Safeguarding National Security subsequently advised the Immigration Department to reject Owen's work visa application as he had not obtained the chief executive's approval and his representation in Lai's case would likely constitute a national security risk.

Lai has since filed a judicial review to the High Court to oppose the ruling. The hearing is scheduled for April 16 next year.

Other members of Lai's legal team include senior counsel Robert Pang Yiu-hung, barristers Steven Kwan Man-wai, Albert Wong, Ernie Tung Ho-chit, Colman Li Fung-kei and Velda Yau.

Lai's three Apple Daily-related companies are represented by barrister Jon Wong Kwok-ho.

According to information shown on Bernacchi Chamber's website, Corlett was admitted to New Zealand in 1992 and took silk in New Zealand in 2016. He was admitted to the Hong Kong Bar in June 2020.

He has appeared as counsel in more than 180 substantive trials including commercial litigation; securities and other regulatory litigation, market misconduct, market manipulation and insider trading; breach of directors' duties; fraud and other white-collar crime; money laundering, breaches of AML regulations and proceeds of crime recovery.

As a specialist trial lawyer, Corlett is typically engaged in witness actions when matters are likely to proceed to a substantive trial, according to the law firm.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com