Meet Our Lawyers

Born and raised in London, Colin graduated in business law at the City of London University in 1977 and completed his Master of Laws with First Class Honours at Cambridge University the following year. On his arrival in Hong Kong in 1981, he was an assistant solicitor before lecturing in law at the University of Hong Kong. In 1985, he co-founded the company that would eventually be called Boase Cohen & Collins, becoming a Partner in 1988 and Senior Partner in 2004. Colin’s key areas of practice include criminal proceedings and complex corporate crime, as a result of which he has co-ordinated defence teams on some of Hong Kong’s most high-profile court cases. In addition, he has vast experience in commercial litigation, securities regulatory issues and cross-border work, while his arbitration proficiency saw him admitted as a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators in 2015. Recognised for his pro bono work, community outreach and commitment to various charitable causes, Colin was awarded the Hong Kong Medal of Honour in 2012 for his long-standing contribution to the Inland Revenue’s Board of Review, having served as Deputy Chairman for nine years. Away from the office, Colin’s passion is sport, particularly football – he is an ardent follower of Chelsea FC and a scourge of local players in his role as no-nonsense, card-flourishing amateur referee.

Alex’s association with Boase Cohen & Collins dates back to 1991, when he joined the company after receiving his Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong. He was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1993. After some time away from the company, he returned to Boase Cohen and Collins in 1999 as a Consultant, becoming a Partner the following year. In 2008, he completed the world renowned MBA programme run jointly by Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in Chicago and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Outside the practice, Alex spends time with his young family, plays golf when he can, and is an active member of the Lions Club International, including a stint as Cabinet Treasurer for Hong Kong and Macao District in 2013-14.

A beneficiary of British Colonialism, Usha was born in Kenya, raised in England and is a Permanent Resident of Hong Kong. Usha completed her law degree at the University of Hull, where she studied Family Law under the renowned family law academic Professor Hugh Bevan, considered a great authority on the subject. She graduated with Honours in 1980 and was admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales in 1984 and worked in London before relocating to Hong Kong the following year. She initially worked in legal education before being admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1993. From then, Usha worked in private practice before a spell with the Law Society of Hong Kong as Director of Professional Development from 1997-98, after which she joined Boase Cohen & Collins where she has been a Partner since 2001. She is a long-standing committee member of the Hong Kong Family Law Association and is currently Deputy Chairman, having previously served as Chairman from 2013-16. A mother of three grown-up children, she remains extensively involved in extracurricular activities in church and education. Away from the office, Usha enjoys hiking, reading and food, and she is a member of the Food & Beverage Committee at the Helena May, the elegant ladies club in Central.

Teddy moved into the legal profession after starting his career as a qualified physiotherapist in Hong Kong and Australia. He then obtained his law degree with the University of London, graduating with Upper Second Honours in 1997, and earned his Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong in 1998, the same year he joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Trainee Solicitor. He was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2000 and became a Partner in the firm in 2003. A father of two grown-up sons, at weekends Teddy can be found playing football or hiking with friends in the New Territories. His love of the outdoors was enhanced during his teenage years when he was part of a team of volunteers who caught and catalogued snakes and other reptiles for a book that was published by the then Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

After earning her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong in 1990, Fiona was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1992 and as a Solicitor in England and Wales two years later. She first joined Boase Cohen & Collins as an Assistant Solicitor in 1995, becoming a Partner two years later. In 2000, she completed her Master of Laws with Honours at the City University of Hong Kong – this was a double degree course in Chinese and Comparative Law that involved study of the law in mainland China. After some time away from the company, she returned to Boase Cohen and Collins in 2005. Fiona enjoys travelling and maintains a keen interest in environmental issues. She can also be found horse riding at weekends, but insists this is more a parental duty than a hobby.

A career in healthcare beckoned for Lisa after she graduated from the University of Sheffield in England in 1998 with a degree in medical science, but her keen interest in law saw her change tack. She completed her law degree with the University of London and her Masters with the University of Northumbria before earning her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from City University of Hong Kong in 2008. That same year, she joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Trainee Solicitor, becoming an Associate in 2010 and a Partner in 2014. An accredited mediator, Lisa is devoted to helping divorce couples resolve their differences and make future arrangements amicably, which has led to her becoming a committee member of the Hong Kong Collaborative Practice Group. Away from the office, Lisa spends most of her time with her young family.

Born in Pontypool, Wales, and raised in Nottingham, England, Susan studied for her law degree at the University of North London, graduating with Honours in 1992. Soon after, she studied for her Bar exams and joined the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, one of the four Inns of Court in London, in 1993. She then worked as a Paralegal in private practice before being called to the Bar in 1996 as a Non-practising Barrister-at-Law in England and Wales. She was admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales in 1998, shortly after relocating to Hong Kong – her parents’ birthplace – and joining Boase Cohen & Collins as a Paralegal. She was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2002, thus becoming an Assistant Solicitor with the company. She became a Partner in 2016. In her spare time, Susan enjoys travelling, tennis, hiking and running – she completed the Hong Kong Half Marathon in 2014 and the Full Marathon in 2015. Committed to serving the community, she is a volunteer with Giving Bread, the service that delivers donated bread to homes for the elderly.

Jeffrey earned his law degree at the University of Hong Kong, graduating with Honours in 1999, and received his Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the same establishment the following year. He then entered private practice and was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2002. As his career progressed, his keen interest in the community led him to participate in the Free Legal Advice Scheme under the Duty Lawyer Service of the Hong Kong SAR. Jeffrey joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Partner in 2015, thus enabling the firm’s clients to benefit from his considerable experience across a wide range of practice areas, with a particular focus on insurance laws and related disputes. He regularly gives seminars and conducts discussion workshops for the staff members of many insurance companies in Hong Kong. Away from the office, Jeffrey enjoys spending time with his wife and young daughter, playing soccer and watching movies.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Patrick entered the legal profession after initially enjoying a successful career as an engineer. He obtained a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Manitoba in Canada in 1993 and earned his Master of Science at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2000. His switch to the legal profession came after he completed his Juris Doctor – a law degree for graduates from a non-law discipline – at the City University of Hong Kong in 2007 followed by his Postgraduate Certificate in Laws at the same establishment two years later, at which point he joined Boase Cohen & Collins. He was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2011, thus becoming an Assistant Solicitor with the firm. He became a Partner in 2017. Outside the office, Patrick is an active member of Lions Clubs International and is Zone I Chairperson of Lions Clubs International District 303. He plays football for both the Lions and the Law Society of Hong Kong while his love of running saw him complete the London Marathon in 2014.

Hailing from Falmouth in Cornwall, Melville studied law at Liverpool University – which included a one-month programme in Portugal with the International Faculty of Private Law held at the University of Lisbon – and graduated with Honours in 1965. His next stop was Brazil, where he spent a year as a Rotary International Foundation Fellow at the University of Campinas, São Paulo, studying Private International Comparative Law. He was admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales in 1970, becoming Assistant County Prosecuting Solicitor with Gwent County Council in 1973 and Principal Solicitor with Newport Borough Council two years later. Melville arrived in Hong Kong in 1977 as Crown Counsel for the Hong Kong Government, a role he occupied for three years before entering private practice. He set up the company that would eventually be called Boase Cohen and Collins in 1985. Protecting the rights of migrant workers in Hong Kong remains a particular focus of Melville’s legal career and he has been Treasurer of the Mission for Migrant Workers since 1981. A keen cricketer in his younger days, he has been a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club since 1991 and, together with other Liverpool University alumni, was co-owner of Liverbird, a successful racehorse until its retirement in 2011. 

Born and raised in Birkenhead near Liverpool, Charles took his law degree at Preston Polytechnic – what is now the University of Central Lancashire – and graduated with Honours in 1979, then completed his Solicitors’ Finals Law at Chester College of Law the following year. He entered private practice in Liverpool and was admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales in 1982 before relocating to Hong Kong, where he was admitted as a Solicitor in 1983. He was a partner at a major Hong Kong law firm from January 1990 to April 2004 and was also admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in the Australian Capital Territory in 1991. Charles joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Consultant in 2004. A former litigation editor of the Asian Law Journal, he has written numerous case reviews, delivered lectures and moderated seminars on issues as varied as the Bill of Rights, Enforcement of Foreign Judgments, Injunctions, Debt Recovery, Domestic Tenancies and Distraint. Outside office hours, Charles enjoys hiking, occasional golf and watching Liverpool FC, and has a taste for modern literature, indie music, fine food and wine.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Michael was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in New Zealand in 1980, having studied for his Honours degree in law at the University of Auckland. He relocated to Hong Kong in 1984 to take up a position with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong, where he remains to this day as Associate Professor. He completed his Master of Laws with the University of British Columbia, Canada, in 1988 and was admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales in 1992, the same year he was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong. Michael has authored a number of legal publications including the acclaimed textbook Criminal Law in Hong Kong, which was published by HKU Press in 2003. He has been consulting for Boase Cohen and Collins for nearly 30 years, specialising in criminal law and procedure, cybercrime, and privacy and data protection law. He has served as a member of the Hong Kong Law Reform Commission's Subcommittee on Fraud and the Law Society of Hong Kong's Committee on Criminal Law and Procedure, and has appeared on a number of occasions before Legislative Council panels to present submissions. Away from the legal profession, Michael played football and golf for many years, with pace in his earlier years but – he is quick to point out – nearly always with limited skill. He also played cricket for the University of Hong Kong social team.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Erica completed a degree in commerce at the University of Auckland in New Zealand in 2001 and then undertook her law degree at the City University of Hong Kong, graduating in 2004. She completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws at the same establishment the following year. She served as a barrister-at-law from 2006-08 before becoming a Trainee Solicitor, a development which saw her admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2011, thus taking up a position as Assistant Solicitor. She joined Boase Cohen & Collins in 2016. Erica has experience in both Criminal and Civil Litigation and also acts as counsel on fiat to prosecute various criminal offences in the Magistrates Courts. In addition, her commitment to the community through pro bono work has been recognised by the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Home Affairs Bureau. Away from the office, Erica spends time with her husband and young daughter and pursues her interests in travel, music and religious studies.

Catherine earned double degrees in business administration and law at the University of Hong Kong – during which time she also took part in an exchange programme with the University of Western Ontario – before earning a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws in 2010. She then joined Boase Cohen & Collins as Trainee Solicitor – thus returning to the firm where she had once been a summer intern – and became Assistant Solicitor in 2012. Aside from law, Catherine’s other passion is running and she is an outstanding and enthusiastic marathon competitor. She has taken part in numerous races in Hong Kong and abroad, including the signature Gold Coast Marathon in Australia (2013), London Marathon (2014) and Boston Marathon (2015), trips which have also allowed her to indulge in her love of travelling. Her ever-improving personal best times have seen her crowned female champion of the Law Society Team in the Hong Kong Marathon each year since 2013, with her performance in the 2015 race seeing her finish in the top 10 of all Hong Kong ladies.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Alice completed her schooling in the territory before heading to the United Kingdom to study law at the University of Manchester, from where she graduated with Honours in 2009. She returned to Hong Kong and spent six months teaching English before taking time out to go travelling through South America, visiting Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. She received her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong in 2012, joining Boase Cohen & Collins shortly after as a Trainee Solicitor. She was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2014, thus becoming an Assistant Solicitor with the firm. Outside of work, Alice plays hockey and has previously represented Hong Kong at U21 level. She plays for Hong Kong Football Club, where she is Captain of the Ladies' B team and has sat on the Committee for the past 2 years. She also enjoys going to the gym and travelling.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Allison was 15 when she moved with her family to Canada, where she earned a degree in mathematics, majoring in computer science, from the University of Waterloo in Canada. Returning to the land of her birth, she completed her Master of Science at the University of Hong Kong in 2008, specialising in engineering, electronic commerce and internet computing. She then completed her Juris Doctor – a law degree for graduates from a non-law discipline – at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2012 and earned her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the same establishment a year later, after which she joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Trainee Solicitor. She was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2015, thus becoming an Assistant Solicitor in the firm. Away from the office, Allison enjoys spending time with her family. As well, she is a gifted musician, having studied piano to Grade 9 at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and she also plays the violin.

Born in Hong Kong and partly raised in Vancouver, Henry graduated from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in 2009 in Sciences. Later that year, he completed a postgraduate diploma in accounting at the same university. He then enrolled in the City University of Hong Kong’s Juris Doctor programme – a law degree for graduates from a non-law discipline – which he finished in 2012 and he collected his Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the same establishment a year later, after which he joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Trainee Solicitor. He was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2016, thus becoming an Assistant Solicitor in the firm. In his leisure time, Henry enjoys running and badminton, watching movies and indulging in his enthusiasm for cars. If not spending time with family and close friends, he can be found walking his dog.

Angeline studied law at the University of Hong Kong from 2009 to 2013, during which time her academic achievements included being named in the Dean’s Honours List in 2011. In her final year, she joined an exchange programme that enabled her to study abroad for a semester at Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. She completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws at the University of Hong Kong in 2014 and joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Trainee Solicitor. She was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2016 and is now an Assistant Solicitor with the firm. In her free time, Angeline enjoys reading and running.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Rachel studied for her law degree at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2009-13, during which time she enhanced her knowledge of Chinese Law via a summer course at Beijing’s Tsinghua University in 2011 and an internship at Nanjing Baixia Basic People’s Court in 2012. After graduating in 2013, she remained at the Chinese University of Hong Kong to complete her Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, earning a Dean’s Letter of Distinction and an award for writing and drafting litigation documents. She joined Boase Cohen & Collins as a Trainee Solicitor in 2014 and was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2016. Away from the office, Rachel holds a brown belt in karate and enjoys bible studies and reading books related to political history.