“Mediation is a lifestyle” – the life motto of Josephine Ma.

 

Ms. Ma has practiced law in Hong Kong since 1995. She is the Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Mediation Council (HKMC) and the Chairperson of the Family Mediation Division of HKMC. She became an Accredited General Mediator and Family Mediator in 2004, later advancing to Family Mediation Supervisor. In December 2024, she was appointed to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Panel.

 

General and Commercial Mediation Practice:

 

With over two decades of mediation experience, Ms. Ma has extensive expertise across general and commercial disputes, and has successfully facilitated the settlement of numerous civil, commercial, and cross-border matters. Since 2024, she has maintained a strong cross-border mediation practice, with particular focus on commercial and financial disputes involving Hong Kong and Mainland parties. Since 2023, she has also been appointed from time to time as a judicial officer/Temporary Deputy Registrar, presiding over Case Settlement Conferences in the District Court of Hong Kong to facilitate the resolution of civil litigation. Since 2010, she has served as an assessor for the accreditation of General Mediators, reflecting the high professional standards she upholds.

 

Family Mediation and Family Business Disputes Resolution Practice:

 

Ms. Ma’s expertise extends beyond general and commercial matters to the effective resolution of divorce, family business, and inheritance disputes.

 

Ms. Ma integrates advanced mediation approaches into her family practice, with particular focus on family business, inheritance, and divorce disputes involving complex relational and emotional dynamics. Combining legal acumen with a nuanced understanding of family systems, she facilitates practical, durable settlements. She has successfully mediated numerous complex family cases, achieving out-of-court resolutions that reduce litigation costs and emotional strain.

 

Mediation Techniques:

Ms. Ma holds master's degrees in Hong Kong and China Comparative Law, Buddhism, and Family Counseling and Education. This diverse and interdisciplinary educational background enriches her worldview, enabling her to gain deeper insights and provide effective assistance during the mediation process. Continuously striving for excellence, she has actively introduced various mediation methods from around the globe in recent years. She is adept in employing a range of mediation strategies, including Facilitative Mediation, Transformative Mediation, Evaluative Mediation, Narrative Approaches, and High Conflict Mediation Approaches. By applying innovative and flexible methods, philosophical wisdom, and coaching techniques, she crafts unique mediation models tailored to each case, helping all parties navigate complex disputes towards harmony and resolution.

 

Mediation Education:

In addition to her practice, Ms. Ma is a respected mediation trainer who has taught more than a thousand professionals in mediation and negotiation across Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China. She also serves as a trainer for Mediation Accreditation Training Courses.

 

Most recently, she has extended her commitment to cultivating peacemakers by serving as a professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where she teaches a course related to preserving harmony in family businesses.

 

As part of her community work, Ms. Ma has devoted over a decade to peer mediation education—beginning with primary school students and later teaching and developing curricula for secondary schools. She remains dedicated to sharing her knowledge and passion for mediation, contributing to a more peaceful society.