Editor’s note: This is an ongoing list.
June 2021
30 Jun – McDermott Will & Emery (Singapore, Singapore)
McDermott, which is launching an office in Singapore a year after it shuttered its offices in China and two years after closing its operation in South Korea, has added projects partner Merrick White from the Singapore office of King & Spalding. The firm has also applied for a Foreign Law Practice (FLP) license for its Singapore outfit and is awaiting approval from the Ministry of Law. (from http://www.law.com)
30 Jun – Tanglin Venture Partners (Singapore, Singapore)
Arun Scaria, a Bengaluru-based partner at Khaitan & Co, has joined VC firm Tanglin Venture Partners as general counsel in Singapore.
Scaria, who started his career with Nishith Desai Associates in 2009, joined Khaitan in 2017. According to media reports, Khaitan has also seen the exit of Bengaluru partner Rishabh Bhardwaj, but his destination is currently not clear. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
29 Jun – Norton Rose Fulbright (Hong Kong, China)
Norton Rose Fulbright hires White & Case transactions duo in Hong Kong. Private equity partner Peggy Wang and banking and finance partner Victor Sim make the move as deal activity picks up. (from http://www.law.com)
29 Jun – Morgan Lewis (Hong Kong, China)
Morgan Lewis & Bockius has hired Vivien Yu, who will be joining the firm as partner for its employment practice later this summer. According to the firm’s spokesperson, Yu will be based in one of the firm’s seven Asia Pacific offices, which has not yet been determined. The firm has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and Kazakhstan. (from http://www.law.com)
28 Jun – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (Gurgaon, India)
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has hired a new partner for its corporate practice, bringing on Sameer Chugh from New Delhi-based investment holdings company Bharti Enterprises.
At Bharti, Chugh was group general counsel, managing over 50 lawyers based across India and Sri Lanka. At Cyril Amarchand, Chugh will focus on technology, media and communications, and regulatory work. (from http://www.law.com)
24 Jun – Hylands Law Firm (Beijing, China)
Hylands Law Firm has recently hired healthcare lawyer Yan Lin as a partner in its Beijing headquarter from Real Long Law Firm, where he was the executive director.
Yan’s practice focuses on healthcare, energies and private equity. He has advised government institutions, biotech companies and medical institutions, involving healthcare project compliance management, infrastructure construction, shareholding structure, IPO of biotech companies and dispute resolution. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
21 Jun – HFW (Singapore, Singapore)
Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has continued to strengthen its market-leading shipping practice with the hire of Master Mariner Mark Myles. Mark has more than 20 years’ experience in the shipping industry as a mariner and lawyer, and joins HFW’s Singapore office from Reed Smith. (from http://www.hfw.com)
21 Jun – MinterEllison (Sydney, Australia)
Australia’s largest law firm, MinterEllison, has chosen property law partner Virginia Briggs to replace Annette Kimmitt as the firm’s chief executive and managing partner. Ms Briggs has been acting CEO since Ms Kimmitt left the firm in March in the wake of an email she sent to staff about the firm giving defamation advice to Attorney-General Christian Porter. Her appointment is a change in direction for Minters, given that Ms Kimmitt and her predecessor, Tony Harrington, were both non-lawyers who came from a consulting background. (from http://www.afr.com)
21 Jun – Dentons (Perth, Australia)
Dentons continues its momentum on growth, welcoming its fifth new partner for 2021, Andrew Shearwood. Andrew will join the Dentons team as a corporate partner in the Perth office, a move which further strengthens the Firm’s client offering in Western Australia, and bolsters its national corporate practice. Specialising in corporate and commercial law, Andrew brings almost 40 years’ experience advising on mergers and acquisitions; funds management and financial services; equity capital markets; regulation of listed and unlisted companies and their directors; and general corporate governance across industries including financial services, property development and management, agribusiness and resources. (from http://www.dentons.com)
21 Jun – Mayer Brown (Hong Kong, China)
Mayer Brown announced the addition of Joanne Du as a partner. Originally from Mainland China, Ms. Du, who will divide her time between the Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai offices, will be a key member of the globally integrated Oil & Gas industry team. Previously a partner at Baker Botts, Ms. Du advises international oil and gas companies, Chinese oil and gas companies, and other PRC-based corporations and state-owned institutions on their domestic and cross-border energy transactions. (from http://www.mayerbrown.com)
18 Jun – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Sydney, Australia)
Reed Smith’s London-based head of film and TV will leave the firm to join Australia’s government-owned television and radio broadcaster as general counsel. Ingrid Silver will start at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in September and will replace current GC Connie Carnabuci, the ABC said. (from http://www.law.com)
17 Jun – AZB & Partners (Mumbai, India)
AZB & Partners has hired restructuring and insolvency specialist Avinash Subramanian as a partner in Mumbai from L&L Partners, where he spent the entirety of his legal career. Subramanian, who joined L&L in 2012, also has experience private equity, M&A, and banking and finance. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
15 Jun – Gilbert + Tobin (Sydney, Australia)
Australian corporate law firm Gilbert + Tobin has hired M&A partner Karen Evans-Cullen from PwC Legal for its corporate advisory practice. Evans-Cullen is also a member of the Australian Takeovers Panel, a peer review body that regulates corporate control transactions in widely held Australian entities. (from http://www.law.com)
10 Jun – Huen Wong & Co. (Hong Kong, China)
Huen Wong, a former Greater China managing partner at both Simmons & Simmons and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, has launched a sole proprietorship focused on arbitration and mediation, Asian Legal Business has learnt. The firm, which revives its earlier name of Huen Wong & Co., will also hear tax appeal cases as part of Wong’s role as chairman of Hong Kong’s Inland Revenue Review Board. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
10 Jun – Anagram Legal (Mumbai, India)
Shuva Mandal, general counsel of Mumbai-headquartered multinational conglomerate Tata Sons, has left the company to join recently established Indian law firm Anagram Partners.
Anagram was set up in Mumbai in April by two Nishith Desai Associates partners, M&A specialist Simone Reis and international tax expert Rajesh Simhan.
Mandal, who started his career at AZB & Partners in 2000, joined Tata Sons in 2017. Prior to that, he spent nearly two years as national practice head for M&A and corporate at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
10 Jun – Greenberg Traurig (Seoul, Korea)
U.S. law firm Greenberg Traurig has bolstered its presence in Korea after hiring corporate lawyers Eun Sang Hwang (L) and Jang Hyuk Yeo as shareholders.While Yeo joins from Korean law firm Lee & Ko, where he spent more than nine years, Hwang, previously a counsel at Greenberg Traurig, re-joins the firm after a four-month stint at Paul Hastings. The hires come a few months after Greenberg Traurig’s Seoul office lost Iksoo Kim to Paul Hastings. (from asia.legalbusinessonline.com)
10 Jun – Deacons (Hong Kong, China)
Deacons, Hong Kong’s largest local law firm, has hired banking and finance lawyer Erica Wong as a partner from offshore firm Ogier, where she was a managing associate. Wong’s practice focuses on cross-border banking and financing transactions, and also experience in dealing with syndicated, club and bilateral financing, real estate financing, acquisition financing, pre-IPO financing, and margin financing. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
9 Jun – Macquarie Capital (Hong Kong, China)
Khoon Jin Tan, a former partner at Winston & Strawn in Hong Kong, has left to join CBC Group, a healthcare-dedicated investment firm, as managing director. He will be based in Singapore. Tan joined Winston in March 2019 from rival U.S. firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He started his career at the legacy Herbert Smith, and also had a stint as managing director of Macquarie Capital in Hong Kong. His practice spanned IPOs, compliance, M&A, restructuring, and financing arrangements. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
8 Jun – Hamilton Locke (Melbourne, Australia)
Australian firm Hamilton Locke has hired corporate and commercial partner Alex Ninis and two lawyers from DWF as the U.K.-listed law firm downsiizing continues. (from http://www.law.com)
8 Jun – Broad & Bright (Beijing, China)
Broad & Bright has hired Liang Fan, an intellectual property (IP) lawyer, as a partner from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. Liang has also worked as an in-house counsel in Geely and Hewlett-Packard. Liang focuses on foreign IP litigation and application. He has participated in IP-related deals like Geely’s acquisition of Volvo and Raytheon’s acquisition of Websense. He has also dealt with several patent litigation cases in federal courts and trade secret litigation in state courts in the United States. (from http://www.linkedin.com)
8 Jun – Duane Morris (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Duane Morris names Dr. Nguyen Thi Lang as Chair of Duane Morris Vietnam. (from http://www.duanemorris.com)
7 Jun – Goodwin Procter (Hong Kong, China)
Goodwin Procter has hired a new partner, Edwin Chan, in Hong Kong as the U.S. firm expands private equity offering to meet rising demand in the region.
Edwin Chan joins from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison where he was counsel. Chan advises private equity sponsors on transactions through the life cycle of their investments; he’s worked on deals including pre-IPO investments, special situations investments, private investment in public equity and investment restructuring and exits. (from http://www.law.com)
3 Jun – Thomson Geer (Sydney, Australia)
Fast-growing Australian law firm Thomson Geer has hired a partner and an of counsel from Baker McKenzie to join its construction and infrastructure practice.
Partner Franco Aversa is a lawyer who specializes in major projects with a particular focus on front-end construction law and is dual-qualified in both the legal and building fields, Thomson Geer said. (from http://www.law.com)
2 Jun – K&L Gates (Sydney, Australia)
Global law firm K&L Gates is expanding its labor, employment and workplace safety team in Sydney with the addition of partner Stephen Hardy, who joins from Baker McKenzie. (from http://www.law.com)
2 Jun – Trilegal (Mumbai, India)
Indian law firm Trilegal has beefed up its banking and finance practice with the hires of Pranav Sharma and Mallika Chopra as partners from Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM).
Sharma spent around 13 years at CAM and the legacy Amarchand Mangaldas combined, with a six-year stint in-between as a managing associate with Linklaters in London. Specialising in banking and finance, and debt capital markets, he advises banks, financial institutions, and other credit providers on onshore and offshore financings, and also sponsors and borrowers on such financings.
Chopra, who moved to CAM from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas in 2018, also worked for IndusLaw, the legacy Amarchand Mangaldas and ICICI Bank. She advises on banking and financing matters with a special focus on structured debt transactions, real estate and asset backed financings. Chopra represents lenders as well as private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
2 Jun – HSA Advocates (Delhi, India)
HSA Advocates has hired a team of projects and infrastructure lawyers in Delhi from Advaita Legal, including partners Shailendra Kumar Singh, Alok Shankar and Monali Dutta.
Singh, who headed the projects and infrastructure team at Advaita Legal, has almost 19 years of experience in these sectors. He joined Advaita in early 2014 from L&L Partners (known as Luthra & Luthra Law Offices then). Singh began his legal career at Trilegal.
Meanwhile, Shankar has 15 years of regulatory and projects experience. He joined Advaita in 2018 and was previously also a lawyer at L&L.
Dutta, who has 13 years of experience across infrastructure, aerospace & defence, IT & ITES, healthcare and project development, returns to HSA, where she spent four years between 2011 and 2015. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
1 Jun – Chang Tsi & Partners (Beijing, China)
Chang Tsi & Partners has hired IP lawyer Kim Lu as a partner in its Beijing office. Prior to joining Chang Tsi, Lu practiced at AnJie Law Firm. Lu focuses on patent, anti-monopoly, anti-unfair competition and dispute resolution, with expertise in patent application, litigation, business secrets and corporate IP strategy related to communication systems, computer software, digital cameras, electrical connectors, wireless communications, electronic circuits, optoelectronics, semiconductors, smartphones, GUI, haptic technologies, etc. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
1 Jun – Hylands Law Firm (Beijing, China)
Hylands Law Firm has recently hired M&A lawyer Mu Chechang as partner in its Beijing office from Zhong Xin Law Office, where he was a partner. Mu focuses on M&A, dispute resolution, real-estate, and construction. With experience in primary land development, collective land use and real-estate cooperation between urban and rural areas, he has advised the Ministry of Finance, Beijing Land Arrangement and Reserve Centre and a few large enterprises. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
1 Jun – Chance Bridge (Beijing, China)
Beijing-headquartered boutique firm Chance Bridge has hired cross-border investment and finance partner Zou Yongzhong in its Beijing office from Hogan Lovells. Zou has expertise in FDI, cross-border investment and finance, and M&A. he has advised a few multi-national enterprises, Chinese state-owned and private owned companies, international and domestic banks and financial institutes on their cross-border transactions. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
May 2021
31 May – Ashurst (Perth, Australia)
Global law firm Ashurst has hired a disputes partner, Matthew Blycha, from Holman Fenwick Willan to join its Perth office and help it grow in Western Australia. Matthew Blycha, previously the managing partner of HFW’s Perth office, is a construction disputes specialist who advises on the development, construction and operation of large-scale resources projects in Australia and around the world, Ashurst said. (from http://www.law.com)
26 May – White & Case (Singapore, Singapore)
White & Case has added a capital markets partner, Rahul Guptan , in Singapore focusing on India deals. Rahul Guptan most recently co-led the global India practice for Clifford Chance where he’d been a partner since 2008. Guptan advises on India-related equity and debt capital markets deals. Last year, he led Clifford Chance’s representation of the underwriters on Mumbai-based Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.’s $993 million capital raising. (from http://www.law.com)
25 May – K&L Gates (Hong Kong, China)
U.S. law firm K&L Gates has hired Eugene Yeung, who focuses on aviation finance and restructuring and insolvency, as a partner in Hong Kong from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, where he was a counsel. Yeung acts for financial lenders, aircraft owners, airlines, and ultra-high net worth individuals on commercial transactions within the aviation sector, including aviation finance, restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency, and investments and general corporate advisory matters. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
25 May – Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (Bengaluru, India)
Bengaluru-based Tatva Legal co-founding partner Manav Nagaraj will be joining Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) with his team, including partner Bhargava KS, we have reliably learned. His and his team’s joining will be a welcome addition to SAM in the Garden City after the firm in April announced partner Roshan Thomas moving to SAM close unicorn client Byju. (from http://www.legallyindia.com)
24 May – Dentons (Brisbane, Australia)
Dentons has hired a corporate partner to join its Brisbane office as it continues to expand in the north Australian city. Caroline Snow joins as a corporate partner specializing in equity capital market transactions, complex governance, regulatory and compliance matters. (from http://www.law.com)
21 May – Hai Run Law Firm (Beijing, China)
Hai Run Law Firm has hired Zheng Jianou as a senior partner in its Beijing office from King & Capital Law Firm, where he was a senior partner. Zheng has experience in commercial dispute resolution and has advised companies like large state-owned and private enterprises. Zheng is also an arbitrator of Guangzhou Arbitration Commission. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
18 May – Hylands Law Firm (Beijing, China)
Hylands Law Firm has hired Guo Yuancheng as a senior partner from Jingsh Law Firm, where he was a partner. Guo has experience in domestic and foreign private equity, cross-border M&A and foreign direct investment. He has represented clients in areas such as domestic and foreign finance and investment, private equity projects, M&A deals and cooperation projects, involving industries like TMT, education, healthcare and cybersecurity. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
18 May – K&L Gates (Brisbane, Australia)
K&L Gates has expanded its corporate team in Australia with the addition of partner Tom Young, who joins the firm’s Brisbane office from Norton Rose Fulbright. Young, who joins the firm along with special counsel Julie Brown, has experience in the aviation and transport, tourism and hospitality and infrastructure and real estate sectors, K&L Gates said. (from http://www.law.com)
13 May – Grab (Singapore, Singapore)
Christopher Betts, a Skadden, Arps Slate, Meagher & Flom corporate partner in Hong Kong who has worked on some of the largest deals coming out of Greater China in recent years, has left the firm to become general counsel of the Singapore-based ride-hailing, food delivery and financial services company Grab Holdings. (from http://www.law.com)
12 May – Anli Partners (Beijing & Xi’an, China)
Anli Partners has hired partner Qu Jingang to head its Xi’an office, and another three partners Li Yongqi, Zhang Yiqing and Zeng Liqing to join its Beijing office.
Qu focuses on government legal matters and commercial litigation and arbitration. Prior to joining Anli, Qu was the managing partner at W&H Law Firm’s Yan’an arm. He is also the current Vice President of Shaanxi Province Lawyers Association.
Li has expertise in commercial litigation and arbitration, energy and construction, merger & acquisition and restructuring, as well as technology, media and telecommunication. With extensive experience in dispute resolution, Li has advised over 100 litigation and arbitration cases involving large multinational enterprises and state-owned enterprises.
Zeng has expertise in investment and finance, restructuring and M&A, litigation and arbitration. He has extensive experience in advising real estate companies, government platforms and listed companies on their investment and finance projects, involving industries like non-ferrous metals, banking, education, etc.
Zhang’s practice includes real estate and construction, corporate governance, equity investment, civil and commercial litigation and arbitration. He has advised a number of large state-owned enterprises and listed companies. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
12 May – Jones Day (Perth, Australia)
Jones Day has hired a second global disputes partner, Michael Lundberg, this week. Michael Lundberg joins from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and will be based in the Perth office. His arrival follows that of Frankfurt partner Amy Kläsener, who joined on Tuesday from Dentons, as Jones Day continues to bolster its global disputes practice. (from http://www.law.com)
11 May – Shearman & Sterling (Singapore, Singapore)
Global law firm Shearman & Sterling today announces the appointment of David Clinch as a Project Development & Finance partner in Singapore. David brings extensive experience advising clients on a wide range of acquisitions & disposals in the energy and infrastructure sectors as well as project development matters. His expertise spans oil & gas (including LNG), power, infrastructure, chemicals and refining. David has advised clients worldwide for over 25 years from Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Bangkok. His appointment follows the promotion of Asia-based Jean-Louis Neves Mandelli to the partnership in October 2020, the promotion of Joe Freeman to counsel in the region and the relocation of international energy counsel Angela Heywood Bible from Houston to Singapore. (from http://www.shearman.com)
11 May – Morrison & Foerster (Tokyo, Japan)
Morrison & Foerster has hired a locally qualified litigation partner in Tokyo as the firm sees growing needs for regulatory export control advice in Asia. Takahiro Nonaka joins from DLA Piper where he was a Tokyo partner advising Japanese and foreign multinationals on employment and general commercial litigation as well as compliance and investigations in anti-corruption, antitrust, data privacy and other enforcement matters. He joined DLA Piper in 2016 from Sidley Austin and became a partner in 2019. (from http://www.law.com)
8 May – JunHe (Shenzhen, China)
JunHe sincerely welcomes new partner Mr. Jin Liu to our Shenzhen office. Mr. Liu advises clients on matters involving banking and finance, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital.Currently, he is going through relevant formalities before joining JunHe.
Mr. Liu received his Master of Laws from the University of Durham, UK and his Bachelor of Laws from the East China University of Political Science and Law. He handles a broad range of banking and finance matters, including bilateral and syndication loans, trade finance, project finance, debt restructuring, setting up financial institutions, compliance, financial leasing, and trust and assets management. Mr. Liu provides comprehensive advice for a wide variety of clients with respect to domestic and overseas M&As, asset acquisition, fund investments, asset restructuring of listed companies, public-private partnerships and other complex transactions. (from http://www.junhe.com)
7 May – CM Law (Beijing, China)
Shanghai-headquartered CM Law has hired Wang Wenrui, an anti-monopoly expert, as a senior partner in its Beijing office from T&D Associates. Wang has over ten years’ experience in anti-monopoly compliance, declaration of concentration of business operators, anti-monopoly investigation and litigation. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
6 May – Haiwen & Partners (Shanghai, China)
Haiwen & Partners has hired private wealth expert Bao Han as international partner in its Shanghai office from Zhong Lun Law Firm. Bao focuses on private clients’ domestic and foreign wealth inheritance planning, family trust, asset protection and tax planning. She has legal professional qualification in China and New York State in the U.S. and has worked in Hong Kong SAR for many years. With extensive experience in family trust and private wealth management, Bao has been a long-term counsel for many private clients. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
6 May – HFW (Shanghai, China)
Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has continued to expand its fast-growing Greater China transactional practice with the hire of senior partner Brinton Scott and of counsel Danielle Peng in Shanghai. (from http://www.hfw.com)
6 May – IndusLaw (Delhi, India)
India’s IndusLaw has added yet another partner in Delhi, with the hire of employment law specialist Vaibhav Bhardwaj, who joins from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas. Bhardwaj, who has more than 12 years of experience, advises clients on issues such as employee policies, social security, compensations and benefits, investigations and contract labour. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
6 May – Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow (Singapore, Singapore)
Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow, the Singapore firm of Baker McKenzie, has hired Kay Moon as principal in Singapore from Linklaters, where she worked for more than 10 years in London and Hong Kong. Moon advises on cross-border corporate and M&A transactions across the technology, energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
5 May – Squire Patton Boggs (Perth, Australia)
Squire Patton Boggs has expanded its global construction and engineering industry group in Australia with the addition of Perth-based construction partner Donna Charlesworth. She was previously head of the Perth public sector group at Clayton Utz, where she was a special counsel. (from http://www.law.com)
5 May – Christopher & Lee Ong (Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia)
Christopher & Lee Ong (CLO), Rajah & Tann Asia’s Malaysia member firm, has named Shanti Geoffrey as the co-head of its white-collar crime and investigations practice. At CLO, Geoffrey will advise and represent clients before the courts on different aspects of regulatory compliance and enforcement matters involving possible accounting and corporate fraud, criminal breach of trust, market manipulation, insider trading, and corruption. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
5 May – Quahe Woo & Palmer (Singapore, Singapore)
Singapore law firm Quahe Woo & Palmer has added Melvin Lum as a director in its dispute resolution practice from Big Four firm WongPartnership, where he was a partner. Lum, who has more than 15 years of experience, focuses on banking and finance, and corporate and commercial disputes. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
4 May – K&L Gates (Melbourne, Australia)
Global law firm K&L Gates has further strengthened its intellectual property practice with the addition of Patrick Sands in Melbourne. Sands, who joins from Herbert Smith Freehills, is a key addition to K&L Gates’ global team of intellectual property lawyers, with K&L Gates being the only integrated law firm to offer IP services on four continents. (from http://www.klgates.com)
3 May – Ashurst (Melbourne, Australia)
U.K.-based Ashurst has hired real estate partner Arthur Chong to join its Melbourne office from DLA Piper. Chong, who is also admitted to practice in Malaysia, has expertise in investment and development, and will bring added strength to Ashurst’s project and real estate practice, the firm said in a statement. (from http://www.law.com)
3 May – Kennedys (Perth, Australia)
Global insurance and litigation law firm Kennedys has poached a partner and his team of nine from Clyde & Co to launch a Perth office. Jonathan Wyatt and his team of lawyers and paralegals will launch the office to continue the firm’s strong growth, Kennedys said. (from http://www.law.com)
3 May – Clifford Chance (Sydney, Australia)
International law firm Clifford Chance is expanding its Australian transactional practice with the hire of two corporate partners from local corporate firm Gilbert + Tobin and the promotion of two lawyers to partner. David Clee and Elizabeth Hill, who joined Clifford Chance’s Sydney office on Monday, bolster the firm’s public and private M&A, IPO and distressed M&A capabilities, the firm said in a statement. (from http://www.law.com)
April 2021
30 Apr – K&L Gates (Shanghai, China)
Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Roberta Chang as a partner in the firm’s tax practice. Ms. Chang joins the firm’s Shanghai office from Hogan Lovells, where she was a partner and the head of its China tax group. (from http://www.klgates.com)
30 Apr – Hall & Wilcox (Newcastle, NSW, Australia)
Another partner and his team have left DWF to join a local Australian firm as the exodus from the London-listed firm continues while it downsizes in Australia. Planning and environmental partner Brendan Tobin, a senior assochina.legalbusinessonline.comciate and a lawyer all join Hall & Wilcox’s Newcastle office. (from http://www.law.com)
30 Apr – Helmsman (Singapore, Singapore)
Shipping and commodities-focused law firm Helmsman has expanded its corporate capabilities after hiring Lynette Koh to lead its corporate and finance practice in Singapore from Mizuho Bank, where she headed the legal function. Koh is Helmsman’s first director hire since Maureen Poh, joined the firm from Ince last year. Her practice focuses on finance needs and funding structures across industries, and she has experience in commodities and trade financing transactions. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
29 Apr – Gilchrist Connell (Brisbane, Australia)
An employment partner has left DWF to join a local firm, becoming the latest in a stream of lawyers to leave the London-listed law firm as it downsizes in Australia. Mark Curran has joined the national workplace law and employment practices liability team at Gilchrist Connell in Brisbane. (from http://www.law.com)
28 Apr – Gibson Dunn & Crutcher (Hong Kong, China)
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired a partner-led financial services regulatory team from Herbert Smith Freehills in Hong Kong. The four-lawyer team is being led by financial services partner William Hallatt, a statement by Gibson Dunn said on Wednesday. Associates Emily Rumble, Becky Chung and Arnold Pun are making the same move. (from http://www.law.com)
28 Apr – Conyers (Hong Kong, China)
Offshore law firm Conyers has added insolvency and disputes specialist Michael Makridakis as a partner in Hong Kong. Makridakis joins from litigation finance firm Delta Capital Partners Management, where he was a managing director. He joined the company in 2019 from offshore firm Carey Olsen, where he had been a partner. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
28 Apr – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (Bengaluru, India)
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM), India’s largest firm, has hired Karan Pahwa as a corporate partner in Bengaluru. Pahwa joins from an in-house role at venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners, where he spent about a decade. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
27 Apr – Cooley (Beijing, China)
Cooley has hired a capital markets partner in Beijing from rival Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Ethan Jin is dual-qualified in Hong Kong and New York and advises Chinese issuers on Hong Kong listings and related transactions. Last year, he led the team advising the underwriters on television program producer China Bright Culture Group’s $116 million initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. (from http://www.law.com)
26 Apr – Paul Hastings (Shanghai, China)
Paul Hastings is continuing to bolster its Greater China life sciences practice with another hire, this time a partner. Phoebe Yan joins Paul Hastings’ Shanghai office from Hogan Lovells, where she had worked for eight years. Since 2018, she had been based in the firm’s Shanghai Free-Trade Zone associate office Hogan Lovells Fidelity. Previously, she was an associate at local firm JunHe. (from http://www.law.com)
26 Apr – Gadens (Melbourne, Australia)
Local Australian firm Gadens has hired an employment partner and seven lawyers from DWF, the latest departures from the U.K.-based firm in the wake of its move to scale back its Australian operations. Melbourne-based partner George Haros brings two senior associates, three associates and two lawyers along with two legal assistants to the national firm. (from http://www.law.com)
26 Apr – DLA Piper (Sydney, Australia)
Global law firm DLA Piper has hired Stephanie Lambert from HFW to join its Australian real estate practice as a partner. Lambert, who will be based in DLA Piper’s Sydney office, specializes in major property projects which cross a number of industry sectors acting for institutional developers, foreign investors and developers, and listed and unlisted property trusts, the firm said. (from http://www.law.com)
22 Apr – IndusLaw (Hyderabad, India)
Indian law firm IndusLaw has hired real estate expert Praveen Kumar Thodupunuri as a partner in the southern city of Hyderabad from rival Tatva Legal, where he was a principal associate. Thodupunuri, who has more than 15 years of experience, focuses on real estate agreements including commercial leases, joint development agreements, construction agreements and operation of common area maintenance agreements. Prior to his time at Tatva, Thodupunuri worked with Fox Mandal and Associates and the erstwhile Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
22 Apr – J. Sagar Associates (Bengaluru, India)
India’s J Sagar Associates (JSA) has welcomed back real estate and M&A specialist Karthik BM, who joins the firm as a partner in Bengaluru from IndusLaw. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
22 Apr – Byju (Bengaluru, India)
Roshan Thomas, a former Bengaluru-based partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM), has joined Indian learning platform Byju’s as group general counsel. Thomas is the latest in a recent trend of established law firm partners in India moving in-house in leadership roles. Earlier this month, Pratibha Jain left Nishith Desai Associates to join Everstone Group, and before that Damini Bhalla left L&L Partners for Zomato. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
21 Apr – JunHe (Hong Kong, China)
JunHe has hired Qiao Zheyuan as a partner in Hong Kong. Prior to joining JunHe, Qiao has practiced in Clifford Chance, Ashurst and Linklaters. Qiao’s practice focuses on banking and finance, capital market and foreign investment. She is specialized in derivatives and structured finance. Qiao has extensive experience advising international banks, funds, Chinese financial institutions and fintech companies in the areas of OTC derivatives, exchange-traded products, structured products, asset management, cross-border finance and HKMA/SFC regulatory advisory. (from http://www.china.legalbusinessonline.com)
20 Apr – DLA Piper (Sydney, Australia)
Global law firm DLA Piper has hired intellectual property and technology partner Anthony Lloyd from local Australian firm MinterEllison. Lloyd, who will be based in DLA Piper’s Sydney office, previously led MinterEllison’s technology law business unit and has extensive experience advising on major technology, media and communications projects across Asia, the U.S. and Europe. (from http://www.law.com)
20 Apr – DLA Piper (Singapore, Singapore)
DLA Piper has added a leading Hogan Lovells partner with significant experience in Southeast Asia to head up its Asia investigations practice. Singapore-based Maurice Burke joins after seven years at Hogan Lovells where he led the firm’s Southeast Asia disputes practice. He began his career in 1997 at Herbert Smith Freehills, where he spent 17 years. (from http://www.law.com)
19 Apr – Dentons (Sydney, Australia)
Dentons has hired Donald Robertson, a 34-year veteran of Herbert Smith Freehills, as a competition and regulation partner. Robertson had practiced at Herbert Smith Freehills since 1987. (from http://www.law.com)
16 Apr – Ashurst (Sydney & Melbourne, Australia)
Global law firm Ashurst is pleased to announce the appointment of three new partners in its Global Energy practice. Paul Curnow joins Ashurst in Sydney, bringing with him partners Zoë Hilson and Kate Phillips in Sydney and Melbourne, respectively. The hires consolidate Ashurst’s position at the leading edge of the global energy transition. (from http://www.ashurst.com)
16 Apr – GEN Law Firm (Beijing, China)
GEN Law Firm has hired Caidan Cao, an expert in environmental energy, as a partner in its Beijing office from Winners Law Firm, where Cao was a partner and head of its Beijing office. Cao has extensive experience in energy and environmental compliance, development, construction, M&A and investment and finance of energy projects, climate change and green finance, environment litigation, energy litigation and international energy cooperation. (from http://www.china.legalbusinessonline.com)
15 Apr – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (Mumbai, India)
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas Partner Gaurav SInghi has joined Argus Partners as a Partner in Mumbai. He will be part of the firm’s corporate practice. (from http://www.barandbench.com)
15 Apr – J. Sagar Associates (Gurugram, India)
Indian law firm J. Sagar Associates (JSA) has added Niruphama Ramakrishnan as a partner in Gurugram from rival AZB & Partners. Ramakrishnan, who has practiced for more than a decade, focuses on regulatory, general corporate, equity, capital markets, structured products, InvITs and REITs. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
15 Apr – Pernod Ricard (Mumbai, India)
Bijoya Roy, formerly vice president and group general counsel at Indian e-commerce company Flipkart, has joined French alcoholic beverage producer Pernod Ricard as South Asia general counsel in Mumbai.
Roy has experience working in the information technology, media and services industries. She is an expert in negotiations, M&A, leading global compliance initiatives and partnering with HR and finance to create a robust corporate framework. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
15 Apr – Yoon & Yang (Seoul, Korea)
Big Six Korean law firm Yoon & Yang has bolstered its disputes offering with the additions of three new partners: Former presiding judges Su Yeol Lee and Sang Jae Park, and former chief prosecutor Young Hyun Kim. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
14 Apr – Charles Russell Speechlys & Reed Smith (Hong Kong & Singapore)
Hong Kong partners Silvia On and Ian Devereux will join Charles Russell Speechlys while Singapore partner Timothy Cooke departs for Reed Smith. (from http://www.law.com)
13 Apr – East & Concord Partners (Wuhan & Hangzhou, China)
East & Concord has hired partner Pingping Qiu in its Wuhan office and partners Dan Hu, Peng Huang, Jinhua Yang and Xiaojiang Zhu in its Hangzhou office.
Qiu’s main practice areas include corporate and M&A, dispute resolution and labour law. She has advised a number of large listed companies and state-owned enterprises with extensive experience in investment and finance. Prior to joining East & Concord, Qiu was a partner at Lifeng Law Firm.
Hu practiced at Hangzhou branch of Grandall Law Firm. Her practice mainly focuses on corporate and M&A, private equity and investment fund, and dispute resolution. Hu has advised a number of domestic and overseas listed companies, state-owned-enterprises and foreign enterprises, involving industries like sports, movie and television culture, energy, biological technology and healthcare.
Huang has expertise in corporate and M&A, private equity and investment funds, and dispute resolution. Huang previously was a partner at Grandall’s Hangzhou branch. In his over 20-years’ practice, Huang has worked in the financial services department of Fortune 500 companies in the design of structured products, and also served as legal director in charge of cross-border M&As of US listed companies.
Yang is an expert in intellectual property (IP), dispute resolution and compliance. Prior to joining East & Concord, she was a partner at Zhe Jiang Nuo Li Ya Law Firm. Yang has extensive experience in trademark and anti-unfair competition, and has dealt with over 100 IP cases involving trademark infringement and verification.
Zhu focuses on dispute resolution, government legal affairs, and corporate and M&A. Before joining East & Concord, he practiced at Grandall’s Hangzhou branch and had been a partner at Guantao Law Firm. Zhu has extensive litigation and arbitration experience in trade, finance, corporate governance, investment and M&A, involving sectors like land, real-estate, planning and construction and tax. (from china.legalbusinessonline.com)
12 Apr – Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan (Shanghai, China)
Nine months after returning to the firm, a Shanghai investigations and life sciences partner has left Paul Hastings for Quinn Emanuel. White-collar investigations and life sciences disputes lawyer Haiyan Tang has joined Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan’s Shanghai office as a partner from Paul Hastings. (from http://www.iclg.com)
8 Apr – Adani Group (Ahmedabad, India)
Indian multinational conglomerate Adani Group has tapped PM Devaiah to be its new general counsel. Devaiah joins from Everstone Group, which has hired Pratibha Jain, a former partner at Nishith Desai Associates (NDA), to replace him. Devaiah, who joined India-focused private equity firm Everstone Group in 2007, was the group’s vice-chairman and general counsel. His entire career, which began in 1990, has been spent in in-house roles, including legal head positions at ICICI Venture, The Carlyle Group and BPL Cellular. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
8 Apr – Everstone Group (Bengaluru, India)
Indian multinational conglomerate Adani Group has tapped PM Devaiah to be its new general counsel. Devaiah joins from Everstone Group, which has hired Pratibha Jain, a former partner at Nishith Desai Associates (NDA), to replace him. Meanwhile, Jain, who helped launch NDA’s Delhi office in 2011, joined the firm from Goldman Sachs. Her previous firms include Sullivan & Cromwell and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Jain’s practice focuses on private equity, M&A, corporate and regulatory advisory and public policy. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
8 Apr – Skrine (Kuala Kumpur, Malaysia)
Wong Chee Lin, who spent three decades at Malaysian law firm Skrine before a brief stint on the bench, has returned to the firm as a litigation partner in Kuala Lumpur. Wong is Skrine’s third lateral partner hire in a month; the firm recently brought on board Islamic finance lawyers Hafidah Aman Hashim and Sharifah Shafika Alsagoff as partners. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
8 Apr – Veritas Legal (Mumbai, India)
India’s Veritas Legal has hired Manav Raheja as corporate partner in Mumbai from J Sagar Associates. Raheja, who has over 15 years of experience, focuses on M&A, private equity and venture capital investment transactions, and commercial dispute advisory matters. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
8 Apr – Perkins Coie (Taiwan)
U.S. firm Perkins Coie has welcomed back Marcus Woo as a partner from Taiwanese mobile phone manufacturer HTC Corporation, where he was vice president and general counsel. Initially based in New York, Woo will move to Taipei once registration formalities are completed. At the firm, Woo will represent clients in Taiwan and beyond on intellectual property and corporate matters, including U.S. IP litigation work for Taiwanese companies. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
8 Apr – Anagram Partners (Mumbai, India)
M&A specialist Simone Reis and international tax expert Rajesh Simhan, who both left Nishith Desai Associates (NDA) after more than 12 years at the firm’s Mumbai office, have set up a boutique firm called Anagram Partners in Mumbai. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
7 Apr – King & Wood Mallesons (Sydney, Australia)
Chinese-Australian law firm King & Wood Mallesons has strengthened its cross-border finance capability with the appointment of banking and finance partner David Lam, who returns to the firm after a near two-year absence. Lam, who joins the firm from Allen & Overy and will be based in King & Wood’s Sydney office, has 18 years of cross-border finance experience and a “deep understanding and connectivity” with clients in Hong Kong and Mainland China, King & Wood said. (from http://www.law.com)
7 Apr – Jingtian & Gongcheng (Hong Kong, China)
Chinese-Australian law firm King & Wood Mallesons has strengthened its cross-border finance capability with the appointment of banking and finance partner David Lam, who returns to the firm after a near two-year absence. Lam, who joins the firm from Allen & Overy and will be based in King & Wood’s Sydney office, has 18 years of cross-border finance experience and a “deep understanding and connectivity” with clients in Hong Kong and Mainland China, King & Wood said. (from http://www.law.com)
6 Apr – Squire Patton Boggs (Sydney, Australia)
Corporate M&A partner Michael Gajic has left Australian law firm MinterEllison to join international firm Squire Patton Boggs in Sydney, the latest of several partners to join the firm this year. Squire said Gajic brings “a wealth of experience in public M&A having acted for bidders, targets and major shareholders on schemes of arrangement, takeovers (hostile, unsolicited and friendly), takeover defences and take-privates of ASX listed companies by private equity bidders.” (from http://www.law.com)
1 Apr – Clyde & Co (Hong Kong, China)
Clyde & Co has hired Rosie Ng as a partner in the firm’s global insurance group in Hong Kong from HFW, where she was a consultant. Ng focuses on director and officers insurance claims, professional indemnity, commercial crime, fidelity, employment practice and product liability, insurance regulatory and policy wordings, and product development. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)