Biography
Josh is a highly experienced commercial and corporate litigation and international arbitration lawyer, with a particular focus on professional negligence cases, international joint venture disputes, asset tracing and enforcement actions which involve multiple jurisdictions. He also has a successful record in toxic tort/industrial disease cases and a strong public procurement and judicial review practice.
Prior to joining Signature, Josh was a partner at DLA Piper and led on matters involving Europe and China, and was head of the UK China Desk. Prior to this, he was a Senior Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Josh acts for a broad range of clients, focusing particularly on Chinese-based organisations, utilising his in-depth knowledge and experience of practicing in both China and Hong Kong. He regularly acts for clients in the financial services, energy and extractive, insurance, manufacturing and retail sectors.
He has extensive expertise representing clients in ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, SCC and UNCITRAL rules and also specialises in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving the CIS, India, China and offshore jurisdictions such as BVI, Cayman and Belize.
Josh is native Chinese, speaks fluent Cantonese and good Mandarin, and is a regular speaker on issues relating to China at events organised by the China Britain Business Council, UK Trade and Investment and China Britain Law Institute. Josh is Chair of the Northern Chapter of Hong Kong UK Business Forum.
Described as a “a highly experienced commercial international arbitration expert“, Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for international arbitration and banking litigation. A commentator remarks: “Josh Wong and his colleagues are a highly knowledgeable and intellectually-focused team that fully appreciates and acts upon all the levers within complex litigation, taking full account of the strengths and weakness of all components.” Past guides have also noted that he is “an expert in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving multiple jurisdictions”. He has also been ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ for his Chinese dispute resolution, arbitration expertise, and as a ‘Foreign Expert for China’ for UK dispute resolution.
Experience
Commercial litigation
- Advised a Chinese international company on a significant claim arising from an abortive acquisition in Israel.
- Acting for major Chinese Airline in relation to multi-million pound damages for breach of contract in relation to supply of equipment.
- Advising a large Chinese Auto manufacturer on claims arising from contractual disputes and regulatory issues following the acquisition of a global autoparts company.
- Instructed on behalf of a Russian bank in relation to asset tracing and injunctions against major debtor including actions in Belize, Liechtenstein, Cyprus and Luxembourg.
- Acted for a Fortune 500 company in respect to investigation and actions arising from a complex fraud in India.
- Advised a US insurance and investment company in respect to freezing injunctions against two employees in respect to multi-million fraud.
- Advised the world leading UK suitcase retailer on termination of contractual arrangements with six Chinese manufacturers and four agents in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings in Stockholm.
- Acted for a Chinese entrepreneur on a large scale claim against a pharmaceutical company for breach of trading agreement and misrepresentation in High Court proceedings in London.
International Arbitration
- Acted for an investor in ICC proceedings in London against a Russian Investment Management Company in respect to professional negligence and breach of contract including issues of conflict of laws between UK, Russian and Cayman.
- Instructed on behalf of a Swiss-based insurance company in LCIA Arbitration proceedings in London in relation to a breach of indemnity in Sale and Purchase Agreement.
- Acted for City of St Petersburg in its defence against UNCITRAL Arbitration proceedings in Stockholm in relation to alleged breaches of public international law in respect to an investment contract.
- Represented Eastern European government authority in respect to claims by investors in the construction sector under a bilateral investment treaty for expropriation and unfair and inequitable treatment
- Acted for a Chinese purchaser in relation to claims by a supplier for rejection of rapeseed due to alleged poor quality, and confidential FOSFA Arbitration proceedings in London.
Professional Negligence
- Acting for a Life Assurance company in a significant multi-billion pound negligence claim against its former auditors for alleged failures in its audits leading the insolvency of the company.
- Acting for a Big Four accountancy firm against negligence claims from liquidators of a global bank in respect to alleged failures to spot fraudulent activity in the bank leading to its collapse.
- Acting for a Middle Eastern bank in a claim against a surveyor for the alleged negligent valuation of key property in London used by a borrower as collateral for a large loan facility.
- Acting for a Russian investor in a claim for gross negligence against a financial advisor who recommended investments into risky structured products that subsequently lost significant value.
Product Liability/Toxic Tort
- Acting for Global Aerospace Corporate defending claims by former employees of legacy manufacturing operations in the UK for damages from alleged exposure to asbestos including secondary contact “overalls” claims.
- Acting for European Veterinary Medicines and Services group against product liability claims by customers in relation to alleged issues with its vaccines for avian influenza.
- Acting for UK plc against a group action claim by local residents for alleged noise and dust nuisance from its castings and engineering foundry achieving successful settlement outcome
Publications
Discipline in court – Maritime Risk International – 12 November 2019
News in relation to Captain Rashid / OCIMF matter – The Lawyer – 27 August 2019
Ship inspector wins landmark UK High Court ruling in first accreditation case – Maritime Risk International – August 2019
Landmark High Court ruling in novel maritime litigation claim – ICLG – 23 August 2019
OCIMF in dock for ‘unlawfully’ removing SIRE inspector’s accreditation – Tanker Operator – 23 August 2019
OCIMF lambasted by High Court for unlawfully stripping surveyor of accreditation – Seatrade Maritime News – 20 august 2019
OCIMF facing substantial damages in unfair dismissal case – Lloyds List – 19 August 2019
Signature Litigation secures landmark UK High Court ruling against international oil federation – Oil and Gas Press – August 2019
OCIMF ‘unlawfully’ stripped surveyor of accreditation over false logbook claims – Trade Winds – 17 August 2019
Comments in relation to Chinese investment – The Times Raconteur – 18 October 2017
ZTE receives record sanctions penalty – CDR – 9 March 2017
Areas of Expertise
Josh Wong's Latest Published Articles

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