From private practice to global payments

James Shen’s career has taken him from Kennedys in Hong Kong to in-house roles at Cathay Pacific Airways and Visa. In this Q&A, he reflects on working across industries, adapting to fast-moving sectors like payments and AI, and how a commercial mindset developed at Kennedys continues to shape his approach today.

Tell us about your career path after leaving Kennedys. What does a typical day look like for you in your current role?

I moved from Sydney to join Kennedys Hong Kong in April 2011 and left in December 2014. In January 2015, I joined the commercial legal team of Cathay Pacific Airways where I worked there until May 2020. I then joined Visa as a market lawyer supporting business units in Hong Kong and Macau, which later expanded to business units in Mainland China and regional business units in Asia-Pacific.

In my current role at Visa, I handle a wide range of responsibilities from structuring deals, drafting contracts with our key strategic partners (including banks, acquirers and merchants) to handling regulatory matters. As Visa is a retail payment system designated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, ensuring regulatory compliance constitutes a substantial part of my duties.

The payments industry is evolving rapidly, driven by an increase in the adoption of virtual assets and AI. A key aspect of my role is to keep up-to-date with the latest product and service offerings from Visa, including those that integrate stablecoins and AI while closely monitoring the relevant legal and regulatory developments.  

As a member of the Hong Kong leadership team, I also regularly participate in meetings with management and team leaders in Hong Kong to brief them on the latest regulatory developments and provide legal advice on topical issues.

In what ways did your experience at Kennedys prepare you for your current role?

The diverse range of corporate and commercial matters that I handled at Kennedys prepared me well for my subsequent roles at Cathay Pacific Airways and Visa. Working on new and different matters was business as usual at Kennedys, facilitating a smooth transition to my in-house roles.  

My experience handling different work types at Kennedys provided me with a strong foundation to learn industry-specific knowledge on the job. It also developed my skills in applying knowledge and experience to propose suitable legal strategies and action plans for the company regardless of the industry or situation.
 
At Kennedys, I was also trained to think commercially and from the client’s perspective. This ‘business partner’ mindset has been very important for my in-house roles as it allows me to better understand the commercial needs of the business units that I support and to apply the legal knowledge and skills in ways that drive successful business outcomes. 
 
Prior to Kennedys, Cathay Pacific Airways and Visa, I did not have any relevant experience in the insurance, airline or payments industries. However, the commercial mindset, problem solving skills and adaptability to new and varied matters that I developed at Kennedys helped me to succeed in my subsequent roles.

What was your proudest work moment or achievement during your time at Kennedys?

Working for globally renowned insurers with their branding on skyscrapers around the world was immensely rewarding. I learnt a lot about insurance law and the insurance industry from Richard Bates, my supervisor Partner at the time, and from working on high profile deals which fast-tracked my knowledge in those areas.  

I was also proud to be admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong while at Kennedys and the firm supported my Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examination studies.

What did you enjoy most about working at Kennedys and what do you miss the most?

It’s definitely the people at Kennedys that I miss the most. They are genuine, they care about fostering an inclusive culture, they deliver quality work and they have fun. When I joined Kennedys in Hong Kong, everyone – from support staff to Associates and to Partners – welcomed me warmly from day one. I have made some lifelong friends from my time at Kennedys, including Christine Tsang, Rudy Chung and Wilson Tam.

What does being part of the Kennedys alumni network mean to you?

In every role, my goal has always been to learn something valuable, develop my skills and make friends. We spend more time with colleagues than family, so I always try to make some lifelong friends from every job. Being part of the Kennedys alumni network is a great way to stay connected with my former colleagues, especially now that a busy job and two young kids leave me with limited time for socialising.