Dechert Appoints Maria Sit as New Hong Kong Managing Partner

Maria Sit is a highly-regarded lawyer, specializing in financial services regulation and complex civil litigation and dispute resolution. She joined Dechert’s Hong Kong office in 2019 as partner in the trial, investigations and securities Group, and was quickly appointed as the Asia head and global co-leader of the firm’s white collar, compliance and investigations practice.

Ms. Sit is a former in-house counsel at the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. She has built her career as a litigator with more than two decades of experience focusing on complex commercial litigation and has a strong track record representing clients in a broad variety of significant cases in mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as a number of other jurisdictions around the world.

“Maria is a highly esteemed lawyer who has demonstrated strong leadership skills and dedication to her work, clients and the firm’s overall growth and success,” said Eric Deltour, who heads Dechert’s Asian offices. “Hong Kong, and Asia as a whole, is a cornerstone of Dechert’s global business. We are pleased to see Maria take on this pivotal role as we continue to invest and grow our offering in this critically important market.”

“I am both honored and excited to lead the team in Hong Kong,” said Maria Sit, “As a key financial hub in the region, Hong Kong continues to generate significant opportunities for the firm. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Hong Kong as well as across Dechert’s global platform to keep delivering high-quality services to our clients while capturing these opportunities to further grow our business.”

Ms. Sit continues to distinguish herself in her practice: she was “Highly Commended” in the Financial Times’ Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2020 for achieving full recovery within four days on behalf of a client that had been victim to a complex global wire fraud. The feat was described by a Hong Kong judge as “exceptionally rare.” In addition, she is ranked by Chambers Greater China 2022 as a leading lawyer for China Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory, and recognized by IFLR1000 Women in Business Expert Guides 2022 for Financial Services Regulatory in Hong Kong. She was also recognized among Global Investigations Review’s 100 leading women in investigations and shortlisted as one of the finalists in the “Financial Services Regulatory” category by IFLR's Women in Business Law Awards 2020 – Asia.

The Dechert Hong Kong office was established in 2008 as the firm’s first Asia office. It offers expertise across a wide range of areas, including capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, fund formation and investment funds, dispute resolution, white collar, investigation and compliance, financial services regulations, restructuring and insolvency and corporate governance. The team has advised on several of the most high-profile matters in the region and established a strong track record of providing results-oriented legal and business solutions to assist leading companies, both Asian and global firms doing business in the region, fulfil their strategic objectives in Asia and beyond.

About Dechert

Dechert is a leading global law firm with 22 offices around the world. The firm advises on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.