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Biography

Paul Sephton
Paul Sephton Harneys front portrait image

Paul is “technically strong and responsive” and is noted, in particular, for his “ability to handle complicated matters” in the finance space”.

Legal 500

Paul Sephton

Partner | Banking & Corporate | Hong Kong
+852 5806 7877 paul.sephton@harneys.com
Biography

Paul Sephton is global head of our Banking & Finance and Corporate groups, and the managing partner of our Hong Kong office. He advises leading onshore law firms, major international financial institutions and listed and private companies. Before joining us, Paul worked as counsel in the finance team of Walkers’ Hong Kong office. He also worked at Allen & Overy in London before moving to Linklaters in Hong Kong. During that time, Paul undertook secondments with Barclays' legal team in London and with Standard Chartered’s leveraged finance team in Hong Kong. In his current practice, Paul specialises in debt finance advising on a range of ...

Paul Sephton is global head of our Banking & Finance and Corporate groups, and the managing partner of our Hong Kong office. He advises leading onshore law firms, major international financial institutions and listed and private companies.

Before joining us, Paul worked as counsel in the finance team of Walkers’ Hong Kong office. He also worked at Allen & Overy in London before moving to Linklaters in Hong Kong. During that time, Paul undertook secondments with Barclays' legal team in London and with Standard Chartered’s leveraged finance team in Hong Kong. In his current practice, Paul specialises in debt finance advising on a range of financial products, including leveraged finance, margin lending, acquisition finance, pre-IPO finance, take-private transactions, bond issuances, convertible instruments, derivative transactions, property finance and syndicated lending.

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Recommendations

Paul is a recommended lawyer in the Asia-Pacific Corporate and Finance rankings.

Paul is a recommended lawyer in the Asia-Pacific Corporate and Finance rankings.

Paul is ranked as a "leading individual" in the "Offshore Law Firms - Hong Kong" rankings. He is described as "commercial, user-friendly and hardworking".

Paul's involvement in the 51job take-private financing has been awarded "Deal of the Year".

Paul is ranked as a "leading individual" and is described as "very experienced".

Paul is ranked as "highly regarded".

Paul is ranked a "leading individual". He is "technically strong and responsive" and is noted, in particular, for his "ability to handle complicated matters" in the finance space, including as it relates to leveraged finance, margin lending, take-private transactions, bond issuances, derivative transactions, and syndicated lending.

Paul is recognised as an "Up and Coming" lawyer. He is praised for being "highly responsive and able to get deals done." "He has a wealth of knowledge of BVI, Cayman and Bermudian law and you never have to second-guess his analysis or his advice."

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Acting as BVI counsel to Studio City Company for its US$350 million senior secured notes offering

Advising Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Shanghai Branch on BVI and Cayman Islands law in relation to secured term loan facilities up to an aggregate amount of US$3.8 billion for the acquisition and privatisation of a NYSE listed company, 58.com. This transaction won the Finance Deal of the Year 2021 at the Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards.

Acting as BVI and Cayman counsel to Deutsche Bank AG on the facility, purpose of which is to refinance an existing facility and for on-lending an intercompany loan for general corporate purposes. The security package includes both onshore and offshore security documents, whereby certain constitutional documents of the BVI security provider has to be notarised and legalised (on which Harneys also assists) before the underlying onshore security interests become valid under the PRC laws upon registration. (August 2021)

Acting as BVI and Cayman counsel to the CS team on the facility, purpose of which is to refinance an existing facility sharing an identical deal structure. To guarantee the liabilities of the Borrower under the Facility Agreement, corporate guarantee was granted by the Cayman parent of the Borrower and also 24 of the Borrower’s BVI subsidiaries. The security package also involves accession to an intercreditor agreement with an existing pool of shared securities (including share mortgages in respect of the BVI subsidiary guarantors), and a BVI minority borrower share mortgage. (July 2021)

Acting as BVI and Cayman counsel to the Taipei Fubon team on the multi-tranche facility, purpose of which is to (i) finance consideration for the acquisition of a Hong Kong property-holding company and to (ii) refinance existing Fubon facilities. The common security package includes share charges in respect of the 2 BVI borrowers, one of which is entered into by a Cayman LP (through its general partner) and an assignment and subordination deed of all the shareholder and intra-group loans advanced to the 2 BVI borrowers and the BVI guarantor. (July 2021)

Advising Deutsche Bank in relation to the financing of Key Safety Systems’ US$1.6 billion acquisition of Takata Corporation, a Japanese air-bag maker

Advising US private equity firm, Warburg Pincus, in relation to their investment, via a tranche of US dollar financing, in the Chinese payment giant Ant Financial

Advising on Studio City Company Limited’s Rule 144A/Regulation S international offering of senior secured notes due 2019 and senior secured notes due 2021, and its super senior revolving credit facility. The deal was named High Yield Deal of The Year at the IFLR Asia Awards in 2017

Advising Deutsche Bank on its financing to Intime International Holdings Limited in relation to the joint acquisition (by way of Cayman scheme of arrangement) with Alibaba for Intime Retail (Group) Company Limited

Advising Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited on the US$1 billion financing to Melco Investment Resources Limited in relation to the purchase of certain shares in Melco Crown Entertainment Limited

Advising the joint lead managers on Yuzhou Properties’ series of High Yield Bond Offerings

Advising CTBC Bank Co., Ltd. on its loan facility to Bain Capital Rise Education Limited

Advising Morgan Stanley on its loan facility to Bain Capital VXI Cayman Ltd

Advising Yuzhou on its US$300million issuance of 7.85 per cent green notes and concurrent tender offer

British Virgin Islands
2016

England and Wales
2006

Nottingham Law School
2004

University of Leicester (LLB)
2003

Paul is “technically strong and responsive” and is noted, in particular, for his “ability to handle complicated matters” in the finance space”.
Legal 500

Authored by Paul

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Harneys achieves top-tier status in Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 Guide
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Harneys advises Pioneer Reward Limited on its establishment of US$3 billion guaranteed medium term note programme and US$800 million issuance of listed notes
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The rise of private credit in Asia
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Harneys appoints new managing partner in Hong Kong
Award
Harneys wins Offshore Law Firm of the Year at the Asia Legal Awards
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Harneys named Offshore Law Firm of the Year by IFLR Asia-Pacific
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Harneys Hong Kong secures Tier 1 Legal 500 ranking
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Harneys advises Luckin Coffee on its successful restructuring
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Harneys partners named Top Offshore Lawyers by Asia Business Law Journal
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Harneys advises on US$350 million senior secured notes offering for Studio City Company
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Harneys Hong Kong recognised as “an established and trusted law firm” in Legal 500 rankings
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Harneys advises Ping An on the world’s largest private credit secondaries transaction
Legal update
Executing documents electronically
Article
Harneys wins three Deal of the Year Awards from China Business Law Journal
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Harneys Asia provides “efficient, competent and knowledgeable advice” – Legal 500
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Harneys establishes Asia Special Situations Unit
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Harneys named Best Offshore Law Firm – Client Service by HFM Asia
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BVI Economic Substance Requirements
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Harneys Hong Kong upholds ranking from IFLR1000
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Harneys Asia commended for solution-oriented and commercial advice in Legal 500
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Harneys retains its Best Offshore Law Firm title at HFM’s Asia Awards
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China’s Belt and Road Investment in Africa and the Use of Offshore Finance