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Calvin K. Koo photo
Calvin K. Koo
Lawyer
Hong Kong
Champion Tower, 25th Floor
3 Garden Road
Central, Hong Kong
+852 2127 3297
calvin.koo@kobrekim.com
vCard Download 
Hong Kong
Champion Tower, 25th Floor
3 Garden Road
Central, Hong Kong
+852 2127 3297
calvin.koo@kobrekim.com
vCard Download 

Calvin Koo counsels financial technology and Web3 clients in high-stakes international litigation and investigations. This includes leading global dispute resolution campaigns that require highly coordinated multi-jurisdictional activity. For claim monetization cases, his strategies synthesize tracing digital assets on blockchains and advocating in courtrooms around the world to maximize recovery value. He also applies similar techniques on behalf of victims of fraud to recover cryptocurrency or traditional assets, as well as secure significant damages.

Mr. Koo additionally represents clients, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, pursuing offensive and defensive strategies related to cross-border government enforcement matters and regulatory enforcement actions. He advises clients throughout Asia in sensitive international investigations by government and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; the U.S. Department of Justice; the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption; and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission.

Before joining Kobre & Kim, Mr. Koo practiced at Winston & Strawn LLP, where he represented corporations and their executives in white-collar investigations, class-action securities disputes, bankruptcy, and other related litigation.

SERVICES

Admissions

  • Solicitor, Hong Kong
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Education

  • Northwestern University, BA
  • Boston University School of Law, JD

Languages

  • Mandarin
SERVICES

Select Engagements

Claim Monetization & Dilution

  • Representation of Web3 client in multiple lawsuits alleging cryptocurrency and trade secret misappropriation valued at over US$50 million.
  • Representation of high net worth individual victimized by fraud involving cryptocurrency payments including freezing and recovery strategies across multiple continents.
  • Representation of Chinese creditors in an action against debtor billionaire to enforce arbitral award, including investigating debtor’s potential fraudulent activity and reporting the same to relevant authorities.
  • Representation of public company in claim dilution strategies including investigating creditor acting in bad faith and submitting associated complaint to relevant authority.
  • Representation of a U.S. Federal Trade Commission receiver for several companies, administered in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, in designing and implementing international asset recovery strategies in HK and Australia in connection with recovering assets for victims of fraud.
  • Representation of an international transportation company in pursuing a global asset recovery of US $36 million+ arising out of an embezzlement scheme perpetrated by a former employee in Asia.

Government Enforcement Defense and Internal Investigations

  • Representation of an international businessman in global government enforcement defense and civil asset forfeiture matters arising out of alleged kleptocracy activity.
  • Representation of a global investment firm in responding to Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and Hong Kong Police disclosure orders that were issued on behalf of foreign authorities, including significantly narrowing the scope of the information provided.
  • Representation of a Taiwan listed corporation’s former executive in pursuing insolvency-related remedies in Hong Kong to uncover exonerating evidence for use in Taiwan criminal proceedings.
  • Conducted an internal investigation in Malaysia of an international technology company’s operations following allegations of employee misconduct.
  • Representation of a senior officer of a U.S. investment bank in internal and related investigations by U.S. and Hong Kong authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), regarding alleged Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Hong Kong corruption/bribery law violations by the investment bank in Asia.
  • Representation of an Asia-based business executive in a multi-jurisdictional investigation, including by the DOJ and the SFC, involving allegations of fraud, bribery and money laundering.
  • Representation of three senior employees in Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong who worked for a multinational engineering firm in responding to a “show cause” inquiry from the World Bank in connection to several World Bank-financed projects.
  • Co-representation of a blockchain technology company in responding to an SEC subpoena regarding initial coin offerings.
  • Representation of a Japan-based executive of an international financial institution in investigations being conducted by the SEC, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the DOJ into allegations of anti-competitive behavior related to derivatives products.
  • Representation of an Asia-based business executive in connection with criminal charges filed by the DOJ for alleged FCPA violations stemming from work in the oil and gas industry.
  • Representation of a former senior executive of a nutritional product manufacturer and distributor during an internal investigation into potential FCPA violations in China.
  • Representation of the former chief financial officer of DHB Industries Inc., n/k/a Point Blank Solutions Inc., a body armor supplier, in securing a noncustodial sentence, having faced years in prison after pleading guilty in 2007 to her role in an alleged US $200 million fraudulent scheme to inflate company earnings and profits.
  • Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the special committee of the board of directors for a major media publication into allegations of misconduct in the sale of overseas licensing rights, stemming from a whistleblower complaint.
  • Conducted a highly sensitive internal investigation on behalf of a Macau-based gaming company relating to allegations of employee misconduct.

Cross-Border Commercial Disputes

  • Representation of an Australia headquartered oil and gas company in Hong Kong arbitration against its outbound investment adviser over breach of contract allegations.
  • Representation of a Hong Kong-listed entity’s director in connection with Hong Kong arbitration involving the listed company and a related SFC investigation.
  • Representation of a large Chinese conglomerate in disputes subject to International Chamber of Commerce arbitration in Singapore arising out of an engineering, procurement and construction contract for the construction of a power plant in Latin America, with US $700 million+ invested in the project.
 
SERVICES

Professional & Community Involvement

  • American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Member
  • American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Member
  • Northwestern University Alumni Association, Hong Kong Chapter, Member, Board of Directors
  • FinTech Association of Hong Kong, Member
  • Fintelekt Advisory Services, Empaneled Trainer
SERVICES

Publications & Presentations

  • Panelist, “Blockchain Technology and Arbitration” (CARTAL Conference on International Arbitration, April 2022)
  • Co-author, “Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: Has the Sheriff Finally Ridden into Town?” (Commercial Dispute Resolution - Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery, March 2022)
  • Trainer, “Virtual Workshop on Crypto: Understanding Legal Risks, Identifying Red Flag Indicators and Developing Practical Guidance for Financial Institutions” (Fintelekt Academy, March 2022)
  • Presenter, “Crypto’s Evolution: Enforcement Risks, Asset Recovery and Best Practices” (Fintelekt Advisory Services and Asian Bankers Association webinar, December 2021)
  • Panelist, "AML’s Potential Intersection with Cryptocurrency and NFTs: Digital Asset Tracing and Recovery" (AML/CTF Annual Summit Philippines, November 2021)
  • Panelist, "Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and NFTs (“CBNFT”) – what do they mean for arbitration practitioners?" (Young Singapore International Arbitration Centre Conference 2021, November 2021)
  • Panel Moderator, “Managing Cross-border Enforcement Risks and Investigations” (Practical Law ALB Hong Kong In-House Legal Summit, September 2021)
  • Contributor, "Bitcoin and the Wealthy" (Financial Times, June 2021)
  • Author, "Bitcoin: Legal Risks For Asia-Based Investors And Advisors" (Wealth Briefing Asia, March 2021)
  • Author, "The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Hong Kong Courts Adapt to the World of Bitcoin and iPhones" (Hong Kong Lawyer, April 2020)
  • Contributing author, The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review - 3rd through 8th Editions (Law Business Research, 2015-2020)
  • Author, "AA & EA v. The SFC, and the Challenges that Remain for Subjects of Global Investigations." (The Hong Kong Lawyer, April 2019)
  • Co-author, "Enforcement of Foreign Judgments - Hong Kong" (Getting the Deal Through, 2017)
  • Co-author, "India Rising — Tread Cautiously" (Regulation Asia, March 2016)
  • Author, “Preserving Investment Value Through Judgment Enforcement" (Real Estate Finance Intelligence, May 2013)
SERVICES

Credentials

Admissions

  • Solicitor, Hong Kong
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Education

  • Northwestern University, BA
  • Boston University School of Law, JD

Languages

  • Mandarin

Engagements

Claim Monetization & Dilution

  • Representation of Web3 client in multiple lawsuits alleging cryptocurrency and trade secret misappropriation valued at over US$50 million.
  • Representation of high net worth individual victimized by fraud involving cryptocurrency payments including freezing and recovery strategies across multiple continents.
  • Representation of Chinese creditors in an action against debtor billionaire to enforce arbitral award, including investigating debtor’s potential fraudulent activity and reporting the same to relevant authorities.
  • Representation of public company in claim dilution strategies including investigating creditor acting in bad faith and submitting associated complaint to relevant authority.
  • Representation of a U.S. Federal Trade Commission receiver for several companies, administered in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, in designing and implementing international asset recovery strategies in HK and Australia in connection with recovering assets for victims of fraud.
  • Representation of an international transportation company in pursuing a global asset recovery of US $36 million+ arising out of an embezzlement scheme perpetrated by a former employee in Asia.

Government Enforcement Defense and Internal Investigations

  • Representation of an international businessman in global government enforcement defense and civil asset forfeiture matters arising out of alleged kleptocracy activity.
  • Representation of a global investment firm in responding to Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and Hong Kong Police disclosure orders that were issued on behalf of foreign authorities, including significantly narrowing the scope of the information provided.
  • Representation of a Taiwan listed corporation’s former executive in pursuing insolvency-related remedies in Hong Kong to uncover exonerating evidence for use in Taiwan criminal proceedings.
  • Conducted an internal investigation in Malaysia of an international technology company’s operations following allegations of employee misconduct.
  • Representation of a senior officer of a U.S. investment bank in internal and related investigations by U.S. and Hong Kong authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), regarding alleged Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Hong Kong corruption/bribery law violations by the investment bank in Asia.
  • Representation of an Asia-based business executive in a multi-jurisdictional investigation, including by the DOJ and the SFC, involving allegations of fraud, bribery and money laundering.
  • Representation of three senior employees in Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong who worked for a multinational engineering firm in responding to a “show cause” inquiry from the World Bank in connection to several World Bank-financed projects.
  • Co-representation of a blockchain technology company in responding to an SEC subpoena regarding initial coin offerings.
  • Representation of a Japan-based executive of an international financial institution in investigations being conducted by the SEC, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the DOJ into allegations of anti-competitive behavior related to derivatives products.
  • Representation of an Asia-based business executive in connection with criminal charges filed by the DOJ for alleged FCPA violations stemming from work in the oil and gas industry.
  • Representation of a former senior executive of a nutritional product manufacturer and distributor during an internal investigation into potential FCPA violations in China.
  • Representation of the former chief financial officer of DHB Industries Inc., n/k/a Point Blank Solutions Inc., a body armor supplier, in securing a noncustodial sentence, having faced years in prison after pleading guilty in 2007 to her role in an alleged US $200 million fraudulent scheme to inflate company earnings and profits.
  • Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the special committee of the board of directors for a major media publication into allegations of misconduct in the sale of overseas licensing rights, stemming from a whistleblower complaint.
  • Conducted a highly sensitive internal investigation on behalf of a Macau-based gaming company relating to allegations of employee misconduct.

Cross-Border Commercial Disputes

  • Representation of an Australia headquartered oil and gas company in Hong Kong arbitration against its outbound investment adviser over breach of contract allegations.
  • Representation of a Hong Kong-listed entity’s director in connection with Hong Kong arbitration involving the listed company and a related SFC investigation.
  • Representation of a large Chinese conglomerate in disputes subject to International Chamber of Commerce arbitration in Singapore arising out of an engineering, procurement and construction contract for the construction of a power plant in Latin America, with US $700 million+ invested in the project.

News

Professional & Community Involvement

  • American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Member
  • American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Member
  • Northwestern University Alumni Association, Hong Kong Chapter, Member, Board of Directors
  • FinTech Association of Hong Kong, Member
  • Fintelekt Advisory Services, Empaneled Trainer

Publications & Presentations

  • Panelist, “Blockchain Technology and Arbitration” (CARTAL Conference on International Arbitration, April 2022)
  • Co-author, “Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: Has the Sheriff Finally Ridden into Town?” (Commercial Dispute Resolution - Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery, March 2022)
  • Trainer, “Virtual Workshop on Crypto: Understanding Legal Risks, Identifying Red Flag Indicators and Developing Practical Guidance for Financial Institutions” (Fintelekt Academy, March 2022)
  • Presenter, “Crypto’s Evolution: Enforcement Risks, Asset Recovery and Best Practices” (Fintelekt Advisory Services and Asian Bankers Association webinar, December 2021)
  • Panelist, "AML’s Potential Intersection with Cryptocurrency and NFTs: Digital Asset Tracing and Recovery" (AML/CTF Annual Summit Philippines, November 2021)
  • Panelist, "Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and NFTs (“CBNFT”) – what do they mean for arbitration practitioners?" (Young Singapore International Arbitration Centre Conference 2021, November 2021)
  • Panel Moderator, “Managing Cross-border Enforcement Risks and Investigations” (Practical Law ALB Hong Kong In-House Legal Summit, September 2021)
  • Contributor, "Bitcoin and the Wealthy" (Financial Times, June 2021)
  • Author, "Bitcoin: Legal Risks For Asia-Based Investors And Advisors" (Wealth Briefing Asia, March 2021)
  • Author, "The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Hong Kong Courts Adapt to the World of Bitcoin and iPhones" (Hong Kong Lawyer, April 2020)
  • Contributing author, The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review - 3rd through 8th Editions (Law Business Research, 2015-2020)
  • Author, "AA & EA v. The SFC, and the Challenges that Remain for Subjects of Global Investigations." (The Hong Kong Lawyer, April 2019)
  • Co-author, "Enforcement of Foreign Judgments - Hong Kong" (Getting the Deal Through, 2017)
  • Co-author, "India Rising — Tread Cautiously" (Regulation Asia, March 2016)
  • Author, “Preserving Investment Value Through Judgment Enforcement" (Real Estate Finance Intelligence, May 2013)