The court case, SPH v SA, resulted in a judgement which says that Hong Kong should follow the precedent-setting English case from 2010, Radmacher v Granatino. The city also has a high proportion of divorces, according to law firm Ip & Heathfield. Matrimonial lawyers refer to Hong Kong as ‘the graveyard of marriages’, according to The South China Morning Post. Lawyers say that Hong Kong now has a tradition of splitting the assets more equally between the two spouses rather than, as in Malaysia and the Philippines, favouring the stronger party financially. 

Bigger awards

Caroline McNally, head of matrimonial at Gall, said: ‘People have really got on board with prenups since 2010 ... the awards are going to be much bigger here and, to avoid that and create a bit more certainty, prenuptial agreements are really popular here.’  Marcus Dearle of Withers in Hong Kong said: ‘I do know that in comparison with courts in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, for example, the courts here are more generous.’ Source: South China Morning Post