Published in Hong Kong Lawyer Journal:
7. “One Firm, Multiple Suspects: Conflicts of Interest in Hong Kong Criminal Investigations, Legal Visits and Co-Defendant Representation.”
Conflicts can emerge long before Trial, during a police-station attendance, a legal visit, or when a firm receives confidential instructions under a limited retainer. By the time co-defendants advance inconsistent accounts, change pleas, cooperate with investigators, or blame one another in mitigation, the firm may already face incompatible professional duties.
The article examines:
• Conflict checks at intake and throughout criminal proceedings.
• Current-client loyalty and continuing confidentiality owed to former clients.
• The limits of separate teams, information barriers, joint retainers, and waivers.
• Plea changes, cut-throat defences, sentencing divergence, and withdrawal.
• A practical conflict-management protocol for Hong Kong firms.
The central question is not simply whether different lawyers can keep separate files. It is whether the firm can provide each client with independent, candid, and loyal representation.
Read the article:
If you are interested in my other articles published in Hong Kong Lawyer Journal, you can access them without a paywall, free of charge, through my author page:
🔗 https://www.hk-lawyer.org/authors/ahmed-ashfaq
1. “Theft Sentencing in Hong Kong: Categories, Aggravating Factors and Appellate Guidance”
2. “Forgotten, Confused, or Dishonest? Mental-State Evidence and the Proof of Theft in Hong Kong”
3. “Hong Kong Bank Disclosure Costs: Judicial and Legislative Developments” — co-authored with Irene Cheng.
4. “The HKIAC Rules 2024: Flexibility, Innovation, and the Modern Balance in Arbitration”
5. “Defamation, Digital Speech, Apologies, and Privacy in Hong Kong in 2026”
🔗 https://www.hk-lawyer.org/content/defamation-digital-speech-apologies-and-privacy-hong-kong-2026
6. “Hong Kong’s Comprehensive Framework for Regulated Virtual Asset Trading and Financial Crime Prevention: A 2026 Legal Analysis”
For updates on the Journal’s latest articles and legal commentary, I recommend subscribing to the Hong Kong Lawyer E-Newsletter:
🔗 https://www.hk-lawyer.org/content/e-newsletter-subscription