50 Women to Watch: Eunice Chiu

Eunice Chiu, Partner, Oldham, Li & Nie

Eunice is a partner with OLN's Dispute Resolution Group. She is qualified to practise in Hong Kong and Canada with extensive experience advising companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, MNCs, local conglomerates, cross-border insolvency practitioners and high net-worth individuals in the areas of insolvency and bankruptcy, complex commercial disputes, shareholders' litigation, contractual disputes, real estate disputes and estate planning. Born and partly raised in Hong Kong, having spent her formative years and educated in Canada and working as a barrister in Canada and a solicitor in Hong Kong (and to a lesser extent in Shanghai and London), she uses her multicultural background and perspectives as well as her fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin (French less fluent) to serve her diverse clientele to the best of her ability.

What is your proudest achievement?

Starting from ground zero as a lawyer in 2014 after a hiatus of a few yearsand making partner in 5 years despite cultural adjustments and society being sometimes less than forgiving with mature lawyers starting from scratch.

What is the most influential piece of advice (professional or personal) you have received?

Clear goals are not always the answer. Go with your intuition, work as hard as you can and never look back. Before you know it, the journey which may have started off without perfect clarity will have taken you to exactly where you wish to be.

Where do you see the legal profession in 10+ years?

Commerical litigation and arbitration of any complexity will always require the kind of flexibilty, creativity, intuition and targeted communication with human beings, features of a good lawyer that can never be replaced by technology.

What is/are your favorite extracurricular activity/activities?

Listening to and playing music, exercise, meditation and meaningful connections with friends and family.

What is one thing people should know about you but don't?

Behind the harsh exterior of a litigator, I am actually a softy.

Name your hometown/where you were born/where you grew up and where you live now.

Toronto/Vancouver, Hong Kong

If you were not a legal professional, what other line of work would you pursue?

Performing arts

Anything else you'd like to share?

Passion and intuition count for a lot more than people think in all areas of life including one's career.