Edison Li
Of CounselEdison Li is an Of Counsel in the Litigation and Regulation team, based in DLA Piper's Hong Kong office. Edison is quadruple-qualified in Hong Kong SAR, England & Wales, New York and the PRC.
Edison mainly focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration with particular focus on international sale of goods/trade and commodities, joint venture, licencing and IP, employment construction, insurance and shipping. Edison has extensive experience in handling ad hoc arbitrations and institutional arbitrations in a variety of venues including London, Singapore, Western Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China before arbitral institutions such as the ACICA, BIAC, CIETAC, HKIAC, ICC, LCIA, LMAA, SCMA, SHIAC and SIAC (in alphabetical order).
Edison also routinely handles non-contentious work such as ship sale and purchase, charterparty, shipbuilding and ship financing (including JV structure) related matters.
Edison frequently publishes and contributes to arbitration-related publication on Chambers and Partners, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, Kluwer Arbitration Blog, IBA Arbitration Committee, Jus Mundi and other arbitration related platforms. Edison was also invited to participate in the Advanced Training Class for Foreign-related Lawyers organised by the PRC Ministry of Justice, and to give seminars to foreign-related legal professionals organised by various universities, lawyers' associations and arbitration institutions.
EXPERIENCE
- Acting on behalf of a Dutch bank as the issuing bank/secured party in a dispute concerning bills of lading, sales contracts and charter parties relating to iron ore.
- Advising a Chinese steel mill in its disputes with an Australia iron ore mine arising from an Iron Ore Offtake Agreement, and handling the ad hoc arbitration proceeding in Perth, Australia.
- Advising a well-known Chinese manufacturer of new energy batteries in multiple disputes involving product quality defects and production delays in the United States, Europe and Africa.
- Advising a leading PRC enterprise in the energy storage industry in its potential disputes (AAA arbitration) with a major Japanese corporation arising from several supply contracts for battery energy storage system equipment.
- Acting for a leading Chinese medical device manufacturer in a dispute with a European buyer arising out of email fraud and relevant supply contracts, involving arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong (HKIAC) and criminal proceedings in Indonesia.
- Acting for a well-known Chinese trading company in the London arbitration proceedings, the English court appeal proceedings against the arbitral award, and the recognition and enforcement proceedings in Hong Kong arising out of a dispute over the sale and purchase of coal goods, with substantial merits and costs successes.
- Advising a leading container shipping company as charterers on various time charter party disputes concerning vessels stranded in Persian Gulf and the cargo discharge related issue.
- Advising a leading tanker shipping company as charterers on various voyage charter party disputes concerning various tankers stranded in Persian Gulf.
- Advising a leading container shipping company as the charterer on time charter disputes (including the mediation and settlement) related to a container vessel stranded in Odessa port due to the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
- Advising a leading Hong Kong based container shipping company in relation to concurrent arbitrations arising out of a series of back-to-back charterparties concerning the technical issues on the interpretation of “military vehicles and equipment” under UN sanctions against Libya.
- Advising a leading container shipping company in its dispute with another container shipping company arising out of a cross-chartering agreement for 8 vessels.
- Assisting a PRC state-owned bank in relation to the default of a ship financing agreement and the exercise of a ship mortgage. The disputes involve various jurisdictions including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cook Islands, Colombia, and Cameroon.
- Advising a Chinese leading insurance company with regard to its insurance policy for the offshore project concerning wind turbine installation vessel (including the offshore Heavy Lift Crane) built in China and Germany.
- Advising a leading Chinese insurance company on disputes arising out of a towage contract concerning "knock-for-knock" clause.
- Chinese (Cantonese)
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- English
- Dalian Maritime, Maritime Law
- The University of Hong Kong, Master of Common Law
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Juris Doctor
Publications
- IBA Arbitration Committee Sub Committee on recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards – Country Report on Local Requirements for the Validity of the Arbitral Award: China (2020, 2026)
- “CIArb launches new Guideline on Multiparty Arbitration”, published on HKIAC (May 2023)
- Contributions to Global Practice Guide International Arbitration Trends and Developments in China (2022, 2023, 2024)
- PRC Maritime Law 30th Anniversary | Young Professional Maritime Forum, article titled “Suggestions to Perfect the Rules on Force Majeure for Carriage of Goods by Sea” (July 2023)
- Article titled “The Latest Developments and Drafting Practical Tips for Asymmetric Arbitration Clauses” The 11th "Zhong Lun Cup" International Commercial Arbitration Essay Contest Excellence Award (September 2023)
- International Shipping and Trade Law Review, Shanghai Maritime University, article titled “Limitation under Hague Rules and its Interpretation” (2025 Volume 1)
- Jus Mundi - Arbitration Year in Review – Hong Kong Perspective (2024, 2025)
Memberships And Affiliations
- Peoples Republic of China Qualified Solicitor