Clients have indicated that Fergus is “a standout in the market…”; he “displays a real intellectual capacity for dealing with the most complex of matters and cutting through the issues to provide succinct and clear advice.”; and he is “exceptionally intelligent”
Biography
Fergus Saurin is a partner in White & Case's Disputes Practice and a member of the Firm’s Private Capital industry group. As a trusted adviser, Fergus counsels clients on their most challenging acquisitions and exits, crises and disputes with clarity, strategic insight and discretion.
He is well known for his legal and commercial acumen, regional expertise, contacts and pragmatic mindset which secures exceptional results for financial institutions and individuals operating in or with exposure to private equity, hedge funds, crypto, private credit and special situations.
Fergus’ litigation experience includes cases at first instance and appellate level before the English, Hong Kong, Mainland PRC, Singapore, Cayman Islands and BVI courts amongst others and his arbitration experience encompasses cases administered under all major institutional rules, as well as ad hoc arbitrations. He also regularly advises on contentious regulatory, restructuring and insolvency matters.
Fergus is recognized in major legal directories including Asian Legal Business, Benchmark Litigation, Chambers, China Business Law Journal, IFLR1000, Lawdragon and Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Clients have indicated that he is “a good operator”, “a standout in the market…”; he “displays a real intellectual capacity for dealing with the most complex of matters and cutting through the issues to provide succinct and clear advice. His work on complex negligence type matters is market leading.”; and he is “exceptionally intelligent, very hard working and delivers excellent advice under considerable pressure.”
Fergus graduated from St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge and is admitted in Hong Kong and in England and Wales, is a Hong Kong Solicitor Advocate and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Prior to joining White & Case, Fergus was a partner in a preeminent US firm’s Asia dispute resolution practice.
Experience
Commercial litigation*
- Acted for successful appellant/intervener in China Life Trustees Limited v China Energy Reserve and Chemical Group Overseas Company Limited & Ors, ad-hoc committee as intervener [2024] HKCFA 15 before the Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong) in what is now amongst the leading cases on the nature and scope of Quistclose trusts, one of the most complex areas of trust law.
- Acted for mid-West bank, including as court advocates, in obtaining Mareva and proprietary injunctions, gagging orders and parallel third-party disclosure orders before the Hong Kong Court following sophisticated cyber fraud.
- Acted for non-executive director in c. US$ 960 million professional negligence claim, including in securing the striking out of over 97% of the claims and the amicable resolution of the case.
International arbitration*
- Acted for major US private equity fund in connection with four HKIAC arbitrations arising out of convertible note issuer’s failure to redeem c. US$450m of convertible notes.
- Acted as international counsel for a Malaysian integrated oil and gas service provider with global operations in over 20 countries with respect to multi-hundred million US$ arbitrations in Germany (DIS) and Singapore (SIAC).
Financial restructuring and insolvency*
- Acted for the ad-hoc committee of offshore bondholders of China Evergrande Group (HKSE: 3333) in HCCW 220 of 2024, including representing the committee as advocate alongside John Scott SC in securing the winding up of the Evergrande Group.
Advisory and investment exits*
- Acted for Chinese tech conglomerate in multi-billion US$ pre-IPO redemption dispute involving rights dispute over eight series of preferred shares.
Crisis management*
- Representation of major alternative private equity fund accused of fraudulent misrepresentations in multi-year case securing positive resolution and avoiding adverse regulatory outcome.
- Acted for the General Partner of a fund in connection with disputes surrounding the realisation of fund assets and the distribution of fund proceeds.
- Advised an investment fund on claims for misappropriation of funds in onshore subsidiaries of a cold storage and logistics joint venture and securing commercial exit of joint venture partner.
* Includes experience prior to joining W&C
Professional Highlights
Up and Coming: Dispute Resolution: Litigation (International Firms): China – Chambers Greater China 2026
Listed in International Litigation, Arbitration, Investigations - The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators
Listed in Global Litigation, Financial, Trusts - The 2025 Lawdragon 100 Leading Cayman Lawyers
“Asia 40 Under 40” by Asian Legal Business 2024
“Future Star” in International Arbitration by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2022 - 2024
“Rising Star Partner” in Restructuring and Insolvency by IFLR1000 2023 - 2024
Legal500
China Business Law Journal