Brilliance in Practice:
20th Anniversary Law Masterclasses
40 Years of M&A in Hong Kong – A Perspective &
10 Thoughts on Impact of A.I. on Future Lawyers
September 12, 2026
Join Teresa Ko for a rare double-bill masterclass offering both a landmark perspective on the evolution of Hong Kong M&A over the past 40 years and a forward-looking view of the legal profession in the age of artificial intelligence.
Having spent 37 years at Freshfields, including 32 years as a partner, Teresa served as Senior Partner of the firm’s Hong Kong office and as its China Chair before retiring in September 2025.
Widely regarded as an icon of Hong Kong’s legal industry, she has advised on many of the market-defining corporate, M&A and capital-markets transactions that have shaped Hong Kong’s development as an international financial centre. She has also held numerous public and professional appointments, including serving as the first female Chair of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listing Committee.
In the first session, Teresa will discuss the evolution of mergers and acquisitions in Hong Kong, drawing on first-of-their-kind and landmark transactions in which she led or played a significant role. Students will gain an insider’s view of how lawyers help businesses navigate pivotal moments: from defining transaction strategy and managing complex negotiations to reconciling commercial objectives, regulatory requirements and the realities of execution.
In the second session, Teresa will turn to the future. She will share her ten principal reflections on the impact of artificial intelligence on legal practice, together with practical recommendations for young lawyers and law students. She will address what AI can do well, where it remains unreliable, and what lawyers must preserve to remain relevant and sought after in the profession.
Whatever your interests in the law, this masterclass offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the profession’s most distinguished leaders.
About the Speaker
Often described as an icon in Hong Kong’s legal sector, Teresa Ko recently concluded a remarkable 37-year career with Freshfields, a global elite law firm, including 32 years as partner and China Chairman, and as founder of the firm’s Asia equity capital markets practice.
A legal trailblazer, Teresa led many pioneering Hong Kong IPOs and M&A transactions for state-owned, privately owned, and multinational companies, including eight of the ten largest IPOs in Hong Kong. She was the first woman to chair the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Listing Committee, championing new requirements for board diversity and greater representation of women and latterly sustainability related disclosures aligned with international sustainability standards published by ISSB.
Teresa has held public appointments with the SFC and the HKMA, served as a co-vice chair of the IFRS Foundation, and contributed to the task force and steering committee establishing the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
Teresa founded Pedal Power, a listing committee led annual cycling event to award Outward Bound leadership courses to HK youth and Metier Minus, a post-loved luxury fashion charity pop-up that encourages mindful consumption, focuses on quality and craft, and uses proceeds to support confidence building programs for Hong Kong youths and women.
Teresa is a member of the finance and business committee of M+ and, since 2025, a non-executive director of Chanel Limited. She is also a member of the Advisory Council Member of the University of Science & Technology Business School. Amongst her many accolades over the years, she was named one of the Prestige’s Women of Power 2025.
