“Tow Lu Lim is 'a subject-matter expert in insurance’ with ‘the ability to cultivate common ground with the claimant, diffuse a contentious atmosphere, and skilfully negotiate a settlement’.”
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2019)

Overview

TL Lim is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Mayer Brown's Insurance and Reinsurance and Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practices. He heads up the Directors' & Officers' Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance Group within the practice. And he is a member of the firm’s Partnership Board.

TL has extensive experience in advising insurers on coverage issues with respect to professional indemnity and Directors & Officers' claims. TL advises on insurance regulatory matters for insurers, insurance intermediaries and financial institutions including licensing, compliance and handling regulatory investigations. He has acted as defence counsel (as well as coverage counsel for insurers) on a variety of professional negligence claims against investment and asset management advisers, insurance intermediaries, property investment companies, corporate trustees, auditors, architects, engineers, solicitors and other professionals. TL also has been appointed by insurers as a legal advisor in the event of a cybersecurity breach and has conducted training and workshops with large multinational companies to increase the awareness in the event of a cybersecurity attack.

TL is the exclusive Winner of the Insurance - Client Choice Awards by International Law Office/Lexology (2017). He is also named as a Leading Individual in Insurance Law by Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2011-2018, 2022, 2023). Client praised TL is “well resourced and has exposure on a wide range of products." (Chambers Asia Pacific 2020), and is "a subject matter expert on insurance law and regulations and is extremely knowledgeable and well connected in the industry," (Chambers Asia Pacific 2018). He is also described as "very proactive in case handling and is flexible enough to adjust strategy to achieve the most desirable results for cases under his supervision." (Chambers Asia Pacific 2017).

The Insurance and Reinsurance Practice in Hong Kong won the ALB Hong Kong Law Award’s Insurance Team of the Year for 2010, 2011, 2013 to 2015 and 2017-2020.

Spoken Languages

  • English

Experience

  • Acted for a leading international life insurance company in relation to a self-reporting incident to the Insurance Authority and SFC in relation to certain longstanding investment-linked assurance (ILAS) products. This involved an in-depth investigation into the root cause of the issue (delving into the system setup and programming) and advising on rectification and remedial steps, among others.  We assisted our client throughout the investigation, and advised on the rectification and the remedial steps in preparing and filing the self-reporting notification which resulted in no further action being brought against our client.
  • Advising a multinational insurer on queries from the IA relating to sales process.
  • Defending various insurance agents at disciplinary actions relating to mis-selling of insurance products.
  • Coverage counsel for professional indemnity and D&O insurers of a number of financial institutions in Hong Kong and Singapore with regard to large scale claims arising from distribution of investment products related to Lehman Brothers (Minibonds) and other retail financial products. Developed bespoke investigation and claims assessment methodology for purposes of determining civil liability and aggregation.
  • Advised on variety of coverage issues arising from various claims made against directors & officers (such claims include alleged breaches of duty, discriminatory conduct, breach of trust, defamation and wrongful termination).
  • Coverage and monitoring counsel for professional indemnity insurers in connection with claims made against investment and asset management advisers relating to investments in equity accumulators and mismanagement of equity accumulator portfolio.
  • Coverage and monitoring counsel for professional indemnity insurers of certified public accounting firm on coverage issues arising from US Federal Securities class action for audit of PRC company formerly listed on NASDAQ.
  • Advised on coverage issues arising from claims on Banker's Blanket Bond policies.
  • Defence counsel of various professional negligence claims and proceedings against architects, structural and consulting engineers, property valuers, construction and project managers, private hospitals and clinics, educational institutions and professionals, and insurance intermediaries.
  • Advised on coverage issues relating to numerous construction related professional indemnity claims against engineers, architects and project managers in Asia and the Middle East.
  • Acted for and advised numerous directors, on instructions from D&O insurers, in successfully responding to show-cause notice issued by Securities Commission following de-listing of public listed company.
  • Advised on coverage issues for material damage and business interruption claims arising from incidents at manufacturing plants in the PRC.
  • Advised on policy response and claims management of numerous Contractors All Risks claims arising from incidents at mines, processing plants, dams and commercial construction sites.
  • Advised on policy indemnity, claims management and reinsurance issues arising from a number of business interruption claims following the SARS outbreak in 2003.
  • Acted as lead counsel to project manage and advise on insurance regulatory and compliance issues arising in multiple jurisdictions such as the PRC, South East Asia and Australia.

Education

Macquarie University, LLB

Macquarie University, Bachelor of Economics

Admissions

  • Hong Kong
  • Australia
  • Malaysia
  • Recommended - Who’s Who Legal: Professional Negligence (2023)
  • "Tow Lu Lim is very measured, sensible and has an excellent tactical nose." – The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023)
  • Thought Leader - Insurance & Reinsurance  – Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders: Mainland China & Hong Kong SAR (2022)
  • Lim Tow Lu is equipped to advise on a variety of contentious insurance matters. He is experienced in advising on arbitrations and investigations. One client observes that he is "extremely knowledgeable in his area and very good at client relations." – Chambers Asia Pacific (2021)
  • "He is well resourced and has exposure on a wide range of products. With complex cases, there are different elements involved. Sometimes the elements are unprecedented and completely new to us, but he has similar or related experience and is able to give us case examples, advice and options."  – Chambers Asia Pacific (2020)
  • Lim Tom Lu "is a subject matter expert on insurance law and regulations and is extremely knowledgeable and well connected in the industry," according to a client, who adds: "I find him articulate and practical in his advice and analysis." – Chambers Asia Pacific (2018)
  • “Tow Lu Lim is 'a subject-matter expert in insurance’ with ‘the ability to cultivate common ground with the claimant, diffuse a contentious atmosphere, and skilfully negotiate a settlement’.” – The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2019)
  • Leading Individual - Insurance, Hong Kong – The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2011-2018, 2022, 2023)
  • Leading Individual - Insurance: Contentious (International Firms), China – Chambers Greater China Region (2022, 2023)
  • Leading Individual - Insurance: Contentious, China – Chambers Asia Pacific (2013-2021)
  • Winner - Insurance – Client Choice Awards by International Law Office/Lexology (2017)
  • Up and Coming - Insurance: Contentious (China) – Chambers Asia Pacific (2011, 2012)
  • Recipient of the ALB Hong Kong Law Award’s Insurance Team of the Year (2010, 2011)
  • "highly recommended by interviewees for his willingness to "deeply understand his clients" as well as "offering a clear view, having reviewed thoroughly the commercial and regulatory aspects." He is an experienced practitioner who focuses on assisting insurers with coverage issues, being particularly adept at advising on professional indemnity and D&O liability claims." – Chambers Asia Pacific (2019)
  • "The highly respected Tow Lu Lim heads the D&O liability and professional indemnity side of the practice." – The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2018)
  • "heads-on" – The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2013)
  • "knowledgeable, proactive and client friendly, he understands insurers' potential risks and is very helpful." – Chambers Asia Pacific (2013)