Mary B.L. Thomson 林美麗大律師

Year of Call:
2013 (Hong Kong)
1983-1989 & 2013 (UK)
Areas Of Practice:
Administrative and Public
Administrative and Public Law
Admiralty and Shipping Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Aviation
Aviation Law
Banking and Finance
Building and Construction
Commercial and Contract
Commercial Law
Company and Securities
Company and Securities Law
Construction Law
Coroner’s Court Hearings
Coroner’s Inquests
Criminal Defence and Prosecution
Criminal Law
Disciplinary Proceedings
Employment and Labour
Employment and Labour Law
Family
Family Law
Human Rights
Immigration
Immigration Law
Insolvency
Insurance
Insurance Law
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Law
Land
Land Law
Personal Injury
Professional Negligence
Shipping and Admiralty
Tax
Tort
Tort and Personal Injuries
Trusts
Wills & Probate
Wills and Probate
About Mary B.L. Thomson 林美麗大律師:

Barrister-at-law, Former Solicitor, Chartered Arbitrator, Mediator & Adjudicator, Pacific Chambers HK, 36 Stone London & Singapore.

Mary started her career in London. She was called as a barrister in 1983 and undertook pupillage at the chambers of GRA Darling QC (now 36 Stone) in Middle Temple. She went on to work in the insurance (as claims executive and underwriter) and transport industry before returning to legal practice and requalifying as a solicitor. Mary moved to Hong Kong in 1992 continuing practice as a solicitor for over 20 years, for the most part as a dispute resolution partner in Hong Kong and international law firms. Mary’s extensive experience spans the financial, insurance, transport, energy, commodities, IT and manufacturing sectors.

In 2013, Mary joined the Hong Kong Bar and Pacific Chambers in Hong Kong to become self-employed and independent as she was increasingly being appointed as an arbitrator and mediator. In 2014, she rejoined the English Bar.

Mary has been involved in arbitrations since her early years in London, conducting arbitrations including HKIAC, ICC, SIAC, SCMA, LMAA, CIETAC as well as ad hoc arbitrations. She has been appointed arbitrator since 1996, including pursuant to “commercial man” clauses and is on the panel of arbitrators of various regional arbitration centres. She regularly sits in Hong Kong, London and Singapore arbitrations.

Mary has also successfully mediated large international commercial disputes including international trade and shipping, insurance, banking disputes in Hong Kong, London and Singapore.

Mary is a past Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (East Asia Branch), only the second lady chair in its 45 years history. She is also Founder and Immediate Past Chair of ARIAS Asia, sits on the Board of Arbitral Women and the Scottish Arbitration Centre.

She is recommended in Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2017 – The English Bar: Commercial (Tier 1). She has also been recognised by “Who’s who of the Law” (Hong Kong), Chambers Global, and Chambers Asia, and has been described as:
“An arbitrator with experience in London and Hong Kong.” (Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2017)
“Extremely capable and hard working – adopts a practical attitude – very sensible – well liked”

  • - Chair with responsibility for Regional (apart from China), Executive committee, CIArb East Asia Branch
    - ICC Arbitration Commission
    - Board Member, Arbitral Women
    - Aspiring Full Member, London Maritime Arbitrators Association
    - London Court of International Arbitration
    - Panel of Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre
    - Panel of Singapore International Arbitration Centre
    - Panel of Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration
    - Panel of Korea Commercial Arbitration Board
    - Panel of Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group
    - Hong Kong Maritime Law Association
    - Hong Kong Insurance Law Association
    - Former President, Women in Shipping & Trade Association Hong Kong
    - Former Chair, Transport & Logistics Committee of ICC HK
    - Former Chair, Arbitration Standing Committee of ICC HK