Karas So Llp

What Karas So Llp does

Karas So LLP in association with Mishcon de Reya is a Hong Kong-based limited liability partnership specializing in complex disputes and investigations. Founded in 2009 as Lipman Karas by Jason Karas, the firm became Karas So LLP in September 2021 following the formal association with UK-based Mishcon de Reya LLP. It operates from its headquarters at 23rd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, with a team of over 20 locally qualified professionals (plus consultants and associates) and a partnership of eight as of July 2024.

The firm delivers a full suite of dispute resolution and investigations services, including commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration, cross-border insolvency and asset recovery, commercial fraud, corporate and regulatory investigations, professional negligence (auditors, bankers, solicitors), director and shareholder disputes, mediation and ADR, dispute financing, and private client services (family law, estate planning, and art law). It draws on affiliated technology platforms — notably Mishcon's MDR Discover (e-discovery and forensics) and MDR Cyber — to support investigative and cyber matters from day one. The firm also engages in thought leadership, including the biennial China Art Market Report co-published with ArtTactic.

Commercially, Karas So LLP operates as a professional services partnership on a partner-led engagement model, billing through legal services fees (typically hourly or fixed-fee arrangements) to corporate, regulatory, government, and private clients. Its customer base spans Hong Kong listed companies, PRC state-owned banks, government and public institutions, ultra-high-net-worth families, and art market participants. Distribution is direct, supplemented by referrals from the Mishcon de Reya network across London, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The firm is recognized across Benchmark Litigation, Chambers HNW, Doyle's Guide, Legal 500, IFLR1000, and Asian Legal Business, and reports no private equity, venture capital, or public ownership.

Name

Karas So Llp

Legal name

Karas So LLP

Website

https://mishconkaras.com.hk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Karas So LLP is a Hong Kong-based dispute resolution and investigations law firm in association with Mishcon de Reya. It serves corporate, regulatory, government, and ultra-high-net-worth clients across Asia, Europe, and the Americas in complex litigation, arbitration, insolvency, fraud, and asset recovery matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Revenue generated from providing legal services including litigation, arbitration, investigations, and advisory work to corporate, regulatory, government, and private clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Karas So LLP is a Hong Kong-based law firm that delivers strategic dispute resolution and investigations services, including complex commercial litigation, international arbitration, insolvency and restructuring, commercial fraud, asset tracing and recovery, professional negligence, and corporate/regulatory investigations. In parallel, the firm provides private client services to HNW and UHNW individuals covering family law, estate planning, and art law.

Product overview

Karas So LLP in Association with Mishcon de Reya is a Hong Kong-based investigative dispute resolution law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services centered on complex dispute resolution. The firm's core offering is its Disputes and Investigations practice, which encompasses commercial litigation, international arbitration, insolvency litigation and asset recovery, commercial fraud, corporate and regulatory investigations, professional negligence claims, director and shareholder disputes, and alternative dispute resolution including mediation. Additional service modules include dispute financing and private client services covering family law, estate planning, and art law. The practice serves corporate, regulatory, government and private clients across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disputes and Investigations Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Recognition in Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2024 and 2023 in Family and Matrimonial and Insolvency categories
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• International Fraud Group (IFG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2024Karas So LLP in association with Mishcon de Reya hosted the IFG Flagship Fraud Conference in Hong Kong in April 2024, marking the 30th anniversary of IFG. The conference brought together 130 delegates from 25 jurisdictions to discuss fraud investigation, asset recovery, and insolvency topics.
• U-GominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2023Mishcon de Reya partnered with educational social enterprise U-Go to fund 100 scholarships for women from low-income countries across Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Vietnam. This is Mishcon's first Impact collaboration across UK and Asia offices.
• Mishcon de Reya LLPflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 September 2021Mishcon de Reya launched association with Karas LLP in Hong Kong in September 2021. The association focuses on disputes and investigations practice covering high-value complex issues including corporate collapses, audit and professional negligence, shareholder disputes, and commercial fraud. The partnership also builds a private wealth practice leveraging Mishcon de Reya's expertise.
• MDR DiscovercoreTechnology or IntegrationAccess to Mishcon de Reya's electronic discovery and forensics technology platform for investigations, complementing the firm's investigative capabilities.
• MDR CybercoreTechnology or IntegrationCybersecurity expertise from Mishcon Group integrated with legal investigations from day one, enabling rapid response and evidence preservation in fraud and cyber matters.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Allen & Overy (A&O Shearman): Global law firm with a leading Hong Kong office covering arbitration, litigation and investigations. A direct competitor for cross-border commercial disputes and regulatory work, with substantially deeper resourcing than Karas So.
• Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW): International law firm with a longstanding Hong Kong office focused on commercial disputes, arbitration and investigations. Highly comparable to Karas So in dispute-led practice mix and client base, especially in cross-border commercial fraud and asset recovery.
• Dechert: International law firm with a notable Hong Kong disputes and investigations practice and a strong focus on financial services and restructuring. A relevant comparable for Karas So's complex commercial litigation and insolvency work, and a former employer of Karas So partner Stella Hu.
• Linklaters: Magic Circle firm with an established Hong Kong disputes practice handling complex cross-border litigation, arbitration and investigations. Competes directly with Karas So for premium mandates targeting listed corporates and financial institutions.
• Clifford Chance: Magic Circle firm with a substantial Hong Kong disputes and arbitration practice. Competes for the same multi-jurisdictional commercial litigation and regulatory investigation work Karas So targets, supported by a globally integrated platform.
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Magic Circle firm with a strong presence in Hong Kong disputes and international arbitration. Competes for high-value Asia-facing commercial litigation and asset recovery matters alongside Karas So.
• Norton Rose Fulbright: Global law firm with a substantial Hong Kong disputes, regulatory and investigations practice. Competes for similar cross-border litigation and regulatory mandates, with broader sector coverage across financial services and energy.
• Herbert Smith Freehills: Global law firm with one of the largest disputes and arbitration practices in Hong Kong. Directly competes with Karas So for high-value cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration mandates, while also offering a much broader corporate/finance platform that exceeds Karas So's scope.
• Hogan Lovells: Global law firm with a sizeable Hong Kong disputes and investigations practice. Comparable to Karas So in handling complex cross-border investigations and regulatory matters for corporates and financial institutions.

Others

• Mishcon de Reya LLP: UK-headquartered law firm that has been in formal association with Karas So LLP since September 2021. While not a direct competitor, Mishcon is the strategic partner that provides Karas So's international reach across London, Singapore and Hong Kong, and is the closest comparable disputes and investigations firm in terms of practice mix and client profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karas-so-llp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Karas So Llp