After receiving a First Class Honours BSc in civil engineering at Warwick University and the Institution of Civil Engineers prize for being the best student, Alan Ma went on to complete a PhD at the age of 24. He then followed a career in engineering. He rose to the position of department head in a major multi-disciplinary engineering company. He studied law whilst in full time employment. He was called to the Bar in 1993 and subsequently transferred to become a solicitor.

Alan has worked on major capital projects and dealt with the day-to-day commercial issues.  In 1996, he was appointed legal counsel and extended the diversity of his legal functions within the multi-national organisation. Whilst there, he also became deputy company secretary.

In 2000, Alan joined a city law firm and worked on a range of energy and engineering matters, both contentious and non-contentious. In 2003, he set up Maxwell Alves Solicitors in Central London. The firm has rapidly developed into a major legal adviser both to industry and private clients.

Since running Maxwell Alves, Alan Ma’s expertise and experience in law and management has growth exponentially in depth and breadth. He publishes legal articles in a variety of newspapers and trade magazines in both Chinese and English. He is a recognised authority in a number of practice areas, notably immigration, commercial and property.

His qualifications are:

• BSc, Civil Engineering (1st Class Honours, Warwick).  Recipient of the Institution of Civil Engineers prize for being the best student.
• PhD, Structural Engineering (Warwick).
• Chartered Engineer (CEng).
• Member of Institution of Civil Engineers (MICE).
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).
• Member of British Computer Society (MBCS).
• Member of Institution of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (MIMarEST).
• Barrister, called to the Bar of England and Wales at Lincoln’s Inn.
• Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.