Lam Po Yee v. Yu Shui Mui

Read the full judgment text of HCA 2092/2024 on BabelCite. This High Court CFI judgment was delivered on 22 September 2025.

1. I refer to my Decision handed down on 14 July 2025. I refer to the costs order nisi I made at §51, that P shall bear the costs of and occasioned by the SC Summons, both here and below, with certificate for counsel, to be summarily assessed.

Cited by 2 cases

Case No.HCA 2092/2024[2025] HKCFI 4356
Court
High Court CFI
Date22 Sep 2025
Judge
Case Document
100%Judiciary

HCA 2092/2024

[2025] HKCFI 4356

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

ACTION NO 2092 OF 2024

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BETWEEN    
LAM PO YEE Plaintiff
AND
YU SHUI MUI ( 余水梅) Defendant

__________________

Before: Hon K Yeung J in Chambers
Dates of Statements of Costs and Reply by the Defendant: 7 April, 28 July and 27 August 2025
Date of Statements of Objections by the Plaintiff: 20 August 2025
Date of Decision on Costs: 22 September 2025

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DECISION ON COSTS

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1.I refer to my Decision handed down on 14 July 2025. I refer to the costs order nisi I made at §51, that P shall bear the costs of and occasioned by the SC Summons, both here and below, with certificate for counsel, to be summarily assessed.

2.I have considered D’s 2 Statements of Costs, one of 7 April 2025 regarding the substantive hearing before Master Hew on 8 April 2025 (“Statement of Costs/Hearing”), and the other of 28 July 2025 regarding the appeal (“Statement of Costs/Appeal”), P’s 2 Statements of Objections both of 20 August 2025, and D’s Reply of 27 August 2025.

Statement of Costs/Hearing

3.For A4 (Fee Earners’ Rate), I am of the view that the involvement of an experienced partner in the conduct of D’s case is reasonable.  I do not accept P’s suggestion that only a solicitor with 2 years PQE needed to be involved.  An experienced principal was indeed involved in the conduct of P’s case.

4.For B (Manual Work), the total claimed amount of HK$4,026 is reasonable.   

5.For C (Communications etc), I am of the view that the total number of hours of 6.5 hours in the total amount of HK$23,300 are excessive.  I allow only HK$12,000.

6.For D1 and D2 (Professional Work – Preparation and Perusal of Documents), I am of the view that the total number of hours of 7 hours in the total amount of HK$29,400 are excessive.  This is particularly so when counsel was engaged to settle documents.  I allow only HK$15,000.

7.For E (Counsel), engagement of counsel for the 3-minute hearing on 7 February 2025 is in my view unreasonable.  I reduce E1(1) by HK$10,000.

8.Adopting a broad-brush approach, I summarily assess the costs at HK$110,000.

Statement of Costs/Appeal

9.For A4 (Fee Earners’ Rate), I am of the view that the involvement of an experienced partner, a solicitor admitted in 2024 and a legal executive are reasonable.

10.Manual Work under B is agreed.

11.In respect of C (Communications etc), I refer to section E of my Decision on “Events after the substantive hearing of the SC Summons”.  Given the occurrence of those matters set out therein, I am of the view that the total number of time (12 hours) and costs (HK$42,400) are reasonable.

12.For D1 and D2 (Professional Work – Preparation and Perusal of Documents), despite the occurrence of those matters set out in section E of my Decision, I am of the view that the total number of hours of 6 hours in the total amount of HK$18,800 are excessive.  I allow only HK$10,000.

13.For E (Counsel), I am of the view that Mr Siu’s brief of HK$80,000 is reasonable.

14.Adopting a broad-brush approach, I summarily assess the costs at HK$151,000.

  (Keith Yeung)
  Judge of the Court of First Instance
  High Court

Statements of Objections by LIMS Solicitors, for the Plaintiff

Statements of Costs and Reply by Tung, Ng, Tse & Lam, for the Defendant

Other Judgments in This Case

Further hearings and rulings under HCA 2092/2024