Editor’s note: This is an ongoing list.
June
30 June – Herbert Smith Freehills (Singapore, Singapore)
Herbert Smith Freehills’ Singapore alliance firm Prolegis has added a new partner and head of projects from the Singapore formal law alliance unit of CMS.
Adrian Wong advises equity sponsors, government authorities and others on energy, infrastructure and data centre project development, including M&A. (from http://www.law.com)
30 June – Allen & Overy (Hong Kong, China & Sydney, Australia)
Allen & Overy has hired corporate experts Gilbert Li and Iris Yeung as partners in Hong Kong from Linklaters.
Li, who headed the Hong Kong corporate practice at Linklaters, advises on M&A and enterprise content management, covering the energy, infrastructure, financial services and fintech sectors. He will split his time between A&O’s Hong Kong and Sydney offices.
Yeung advises investment banks and corporations on M&A and equity fund-raising. She will work closely with A&O’s Greater China practice, as well as its joint operation firm Shanghai Lang Yue Law Firm to provide Mainland China companies with Hong Kong-related services. Yeung worked more than 12 years at Linklaters, having started her legal career there in 2010. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
29 June – Wee Swee Teow (Singapore, Singapore)
Wee Swee Teow (WST), one of Singapore’s oldest law firms, is acquiring boutique Tang Thomas. The latter firm’s two name-partners will take on practice head roles at the merged outfit, which will keep the name Wee Swee Teow.
Cynthia Tang, managing partner of Tang Thomas, will head WST’s corporate practice, while partner Raj Joshua Thomas will co-head WST’s dispute resolution practice and lead its regulatory practice. With these additions, WST will have eight partners in total.
Tang, a former lawyer at Kelvin Chia Partnership, also worked in-house with Italian pharmaceutical giant Menarini Group. She co-founded Tang Thomas with Thomas in 2020. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
27 June – Jingtian & Gongcheng (Hong Kong, China)
PRC firm Jingtian & Gongcheng has hired corporate finance lawyer Kelvan Cheung as a partner in its Hong Kong office from Deacons, the SAR’s largest local firm.
Cheung has more than 15 years of experience in the area of corporate finance. He advises on IPOs, M&As, private equity transactions, and regulatory compliance matters. Cheung joined Deacons more than 12 years ago, and was appointed as a partner in 2015. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
27 June – Clyde & Co (Melbourne, Australia)
Norton Rose Fulbright has lost its second Australian partner in a week after insurance lawyer Matthew Ellis resigned to join Clyde & Co.
Ellis, who will join the firm’s Melbourne office, is a corporate and regulatory lawyer focused on the insurance sector, with experience across corporate transactions, the regulation of insurance products and services, regulatory investigations and financial services class actions. (from http://www.law.com)
22 June – DLA Piper (Melbourne, Australia)
DLA Piper has added a tax partner from Norton Rose Fulbright in Melbourne.
Adam Smith has a broad practice across all areas of taxation including on cross border M&A transactions, corporate restructuring, property transactions, stamp duty and GST, DLA said. (from http://www.law.com)
22 June – Goodwin Procter (Hong Kong, China)
As a part of its regional enlargement, Goodwin has individually employed Kirkland & Ellis associate Daniel Dusek for its Hong Kong workplace, two individuals on the agency added.
Dusek had been a associate at Kirkland since 2017, performing on a number of main offers throughout his time there, together with advising on the take-private deal of China’s largest on-line classifieds market, 58.com Inc., valued at $8.7 billion, and on the $2.6 billion take-private of Sina Corp., which owns one in all China’s largest social media platforms—Weibo. Last yr, Dusek suggested a consortium on the $5.7 billion personal fairness buyout of Chinese recruiting firm 51job Inc.
Prior to becoming a member of Kirkland, he was a associate at fellow U.S. led agency Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. He spent over 16 years at Skadden and had been based mostly in the agency’s Beijing, Hong Kong and New York places of work throughout his time there. (from http://www.law.com)
22 June – Atsumi & Sakai (Tokyo, Japan)
Japanese law firm Atsumi & Sakai has hired Harukuni Ito (L), Mitsuru Misawa and Kazuki Ishihara as partners in its Tokyo office. The new partners span emerging practice areas such as data protection, risk advisory, and environmental, social and governance (ESG).
Ito, who joins from U.S. law firm Jones Day, is an IP practitioner with a focus on the pharmaceutical and medical industries. He is also experienced in commercial disputes and data security.
Misawa was most recently in an in-house role at green energy supplier Enfinity Global. Having started his career at Nishimura & Asahi in 2005, Misawa worked at TMI Associates between 2013 and 2019, mainly in the firm’s Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore offices. He is a corporate lawyer with experience in project finance, cross-border M&A and commercial disputes, among other things.
Ishihara is an IT and startup practitioner, experienced mainly in fintech, startup support and data security, covering not only Japan but also mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. He worked for Yahoo! Japan as an in-house counsel between 2013 and 2015. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
22 June – Hill Dickinson (Singapore, Singapore)
UK-headquartered law firm Hill Dickinson has expanded its Singapore office with the hires of Matthew Dow as a partner and Binoy Dubey as counsel and master mariner. They join from Norwegian firm Wikborg Rein and Incisive Law, respectively.
Specialising in international commercial dispute resolution with a focus on shipping and offshore disputes, Dow advises on shipping casualties, underwater cable disputes, offshore casualties involving jackups, and charterparty and bill of lading disputes.
Dow, who started his career at Holman Fenwick Willan in London, joined Wikborg in 2019. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
22 June – Ince (Hong Kong, China)
Ince has hired dispute resolution veteran Stephen Chan as a partner in its Hong Kong office from Reed Smith, where he was also a partner.
Chan’s hire comes a few weeks after Ince’s Hong Kong office lost litigation partner Bonita Chan to Anthony Siu & Co, PRC firm Jia Yuan Law Offices’ association firm in the city.
Stephen Chan’s practice includes multi-jurisdictional fraud and asset tracing involving freezing, gagging and other urgent interim injunctive measures, technology-related disputes, shareholder and company disputes, and contentious employment matters. Chan is also experienced in arbitration under HKIAC, SIAC, ICC, UNCITRAL and other institutional arbitral rules. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
21 June – Herbert Smith Freehills (Melbourne & Perth, Australia)
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has hired a trio of tax partners in Australia from former local tax advisory associate firm Greenwoods, which was acquired earlier this year by PwC.
Toby Eggleston and Ryan Leslie have joined HSF in Melbourne while Nick Heggart has moved across in Perth, shortly after around 65 employees from Greenwoods, including 15 partners, made the move to PwC earlier this month. (from http://www.globallegalpost.com)
16 June – Nishimura & Asahi (Tokyo, Japan)
Nishimura & Asahi, Japan’s largest law firm, has hired energy and natural resources specialist Alexander Woody as a partner in Tokyo from White & Case, where he spent 22 years.
Woody, who advises clients on project investments, development and financing in the energy and natural resources space, has more than 20 years of experience in Japan, with a focus on cross-border LNG investments, tolling and purchase agreements and transportation arrangements. He also advises clients on solar, battery and wind power investments, as well as early-stage hydrogen projects. ( from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
14 June – Johnson Winter & Slattery (Sydney, Australia)
Australian law firm Johnson Winter & Slattery has poached a project finance and banking partner from Ashurst, as the firm aims to win more project work.
Simon Irvine, who joins JSW’s Sydney office this week, has more than 25 years’ experience advising on the funding and development of major projects in Australia and internationally. (from http://www.law.com)
10 June – Clifford Chance (Hong Kong, China)
Clifford Chance has hired Kirkland & Ellis’ Hong Kong funds partner Liyong Xing, marking the third partner to leave Kirkland Hong Kong this year.
Xing advises global and Asian fund sponsors on the structuring, formation and governance of private investment funds across a variety of strategies, including venture capital, growth capital, buyout, real estate, infrastructure, secondaries and co-investment. (from http://www.law.com)
9 June – Amber Group (Singapore, Singapore)
Benjamin Bai, former vice president and chief intellectual property and international litigation counsel at Ant Group, recently moved on to digital asset trading company Amber Group as chief legal counsel.
Bai, who will soon be relocating to Singapore from Shanghai, was previously a partner and head of the regional IP practices at Allen & Overy and Jones Day. (from http://www.law.com)
9 June – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (Bengaluru, India)
Kiran Nidumuri as the head of its disputes practice in South India from IndusLaw. He will be based in Bengaluru.
Nidumuri, who spent seven years at IndusLaw, was named as one of ALB Asia’s Top 15 Litigators for 2022; he was earlier one of ALB’s Asia 40 Under 40 in 2017. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
9 June – Ashurst (Shanghai, China)
UK firm Ashurst has hired Yuan Yan, an expert in corporate transactions, as a partner in its Shanghai office from Clifford Chance, where he was a counsel.
Yuan advises private equity and corporate clients on cross-border M&A transactions, including minority/growth capital investments, joint ventures and control acquisitions in countries and regions including China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North and South America. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
9 June – TOKO (Hong Kong, China)
The head of DLA Piper’s global technology and fintech sector initiative, Scott Thiel, has left the partnership to lead the firm’s affiliate business in digital assets.
Hong Kong-based Thiel has become the chief executive officer at TOKO, the firm’s affiliated digital asset business consultancy. (from http://www.law.com)
7 June – Allens (Brisbane, Australia)
Australian corporate law firm Allens has hired an employment and safety partner from MinterEllison, as more focus is being placed on effective management of risks associated with sexual harassment and workplace bullying.
Samantha Betzien, who joins Allens’ Brisbane office, has more than 20 years of experience advising on strategic and complex safety, employment and industrial relations matters, Allens said. (from http://www.law.com)
6 June – Argus Partners (Bengaluru, India)
Indian law firm Argus Partners has hired commercial dispute resolution expert Bhavya Mohan as a partner in Bengaluru from Arista Chambers.
Mohan has more than 10 years experience in commercial dispute resolution including international arbitration, and advises private clients, public sector enterprises and multinational corporations in a range of sectors such as manufacturing, retail, infrastructure, banking, technology, real estate, and private equity. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
2 June – Gilbert + Tobin (Perth, Australia)
Australian law firm Gilbert+Tobin has poached a corporate advisory partner from global firm Squire Patton Boggs to join its corporate advisory team in Perth.
Simon Rear is the latest partner hire in the Western Australia capital, where energy and resources lawyers are in strong demand, thanks to the booming mining sector. (from http://www.law.com)
2 June – Australian Institute of Company Directors (Sydney, Australia)
The former global chief executive officer of Herbert Smith Freehills, Mark Rigotti, is leaving the firm after 26 years to lead an Australian business group.
Rigotti, who most recently was senior adviser to the firm, will join the Australian Institute of Company Directors as chief executive designate at the end of July before taking over as CEO in September. (from http://www.law.com)
1 June – Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (New Delhi, India)
Law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. (SAM) has appointed Shally Bhasin as an equity partner for litigation for its New Delhi hub.
Bhasin has over 26 years of experience and has done matters relating to financial services, bankruptcy, infrastructure litigation, environment litigation, white collar crime, telecom and tender related litigation, among others, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas said in a statement. (from http://www.vccircle.com)
1 June – King & Wood Mallesons (Sydney, Australia)
Global law firm King & Wood Mallesons has hired competition and regulatory partner and former regulator Luke Woodward from Australian corporate firm Gilbert + Tobin.
In 20 years at Gilbert + Tobin, Woodward worked across a mix of transactional, contentious and regulatory legal matters. Prior to joining Gilbert + Tobin, he held various positions at the country’s competition regulator, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission, including lead prosecution lawyer, executive general manager of the compliance division (responsible for enforcement) and senior assistance commissioner, where he was responsible for mergers and acquisitions, and general counsel. (from http://www.law.com)
1 June – Eric Chow & Co (Hong Kong, China)
Commerce & Finance Law Offices’ Hong Kong association firm Eric Chow & Co has hired litigator Christy Leung as a partner from Winston & Strawn.
Leung joined Winston in July 2019, and was named as a partner in 2021. She earlier worked at Debevoise & Plimpton, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Reed Smith Richards Butler.
With experience in handling contentious regulatory matters and complex commercial disputes with a focus on the financial services sector, Leung advises PRC banks, financial institutions, listed companies, licensed corporations and individuals in regulatory proceedings brought by the Securities and Futures Commission, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Monetary Authority and other regulatory and law enforcement agencies. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
1 June – Hauzen (Hong Kong, China)
DWF, UK’s largest listed law firm, has entered an affiliation agreement with Hong Kong-based Hauzen. The two firms also announced the addition of marine and insurance lawyer Anthony Woo as a partner from Clyde & Co.
Established in 2017, Hauzen has five partners, and provides services related to financial markets, securities regulation, cryptocurrency, white-collar litigation, investment funds, Marshall Islands law, listed0company governance, and corporate services. The firm is also in association with the PRC’s Anjie Law Firm, which merged with Broad & Bright in 2021.
Woo has expertise in multi-jurisdictional commercial dispute resolution, mainly representing insurers, shipowners, and traders. He joined Clyde & Co in 2016, prior to which he had been a Hill Dickinson partner since 2014. Woo earlier worked for Kennedys, Reed Smith Richards Butler, and DLA Piper. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
May
26 May – SCL Nishimura & Asahi (Bangkok, Thailand)
SCL Nishimura & Asahi, the Thai office of Japan’s largest law firm, has hired veteran lawyer Punjaporn Kosolkitiwong in Bangkok as the head of its litigation department from Dej-Udom & Associates.
Punjaporn has almost 40 years of experience in litigation, and previously headed the litigation department of Dej-Udom. She handle arbitrations, civil and criminal cases, tax-related issues, intellectual property and international trade cases in both the Bangkok and provincial courts. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
24 May – Economic Law Practice (Mumbai, India)
India’s Economic Law Practice has rehired tax expert Ritesh Kanodia as partner in Mumbai. Kanodia was most recently at Dhruva Advisors.
Besides tax, Kanodia is also experienced with foreign trade policy including customs laws and regulations, and export control. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
24 May – Saraf and Partners (Delhi, India)
Indian firm Saraf and Partners has hired projects, energy and infrastructure expert Samridha Neupane as a partner in Delhi from L&L Partners, its tenth lateral hire in the past 10 months.
Neupane is focused on renewable energy and natural resources-related work, and has experience in strategic investments, private equity investments, and M&A, along with project and construction-related documentation and general corporate law advisory. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
20 May – Coinllectibles (Singapore, Singapore)
Hong Kong law firm ONC Lawyers has lost its technology consultant, Joshua Chu, to Singapore-headquartered metaverse blockchain company Coinllectibles.
Chu is moving in-house to Coinllectibles, which is publicly traded on the over-the-counter markets in the U.S., as chief risk officer. (from http://www.law.com)
19 May – Howse Williams (Hong Kong, China)
Hong Kong law firm Howse Williams has expanded after hiring insurance expert Gary Chow and corporate specialist William Wong as partners from Clyde & Co and Clifford Chance, respectively.
Chow, who was a counsel at Clyde, joined that firm in 2013 from local outfit Leung & Lau. Specialising in personal injury and insurance-related litigation, Chow acts for liability insurers with experience in defending personal injury claims involving work accidents, traffic accidents, occupiers’ liability and medical malpractice.
Wong was previously a consultant at Clifford Chance, having joined that firm in 2014. He has experience in contentious regulatory work and financial services and commercial litigation, representing institutional and individual clients in investigations by regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong. Wong earlier held in-house roles at Credit Suisse and Merrill Lynch. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
16 May – Kingson Reid (Melbourne, Australia)
Australian employment law firm Kingston Reid has hired a partner from the international firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW).
Melbourne-based Brendan Milne has expertise in industrial disputes and enterprise bargaining and has been involved in some of Australia’s most significant and complex industrial disputes over the past decade, including industries such as stevedoring, mining and construction, Kingston Reid said. (from http://www.law.com)
16 May – Ashurst (Brisbane & Perth, Australia)
Global law firm Ashurst has bolstered its transport and infrastructure group with the appointment of two projects partners from fellow BigLaw firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
Andrew McCormack and Chris Campbell have both joined Ashurst, in a move that will expand the firm’s focus on the energy and resources and infrastructure sectors. The news follows the firm’s addition of 12 Australians to its global partnership ranks last month.
Mr McCormack will be in the Brisbane office and brings 17 years of experience. His practice covers transport, infrastructure, resources and property development, with both government and private sector clients. He was a partner at Corrs for nine years. (from http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au)
16 May – King & Wood Mallesons (Beijing, China)
Fangda Partners has lost veteran intellectual property (IP) litigation partner Gordon Gao to King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing.
Gao updated his LinkedIn profile with his new King & Wood Mallesons appointment and received several congratulatory comments from his network but he has since deactivated his LinkedIn page. (from http://www.law.com)
12 May – Herbert Smith Freehills (Tokyo, Japan)
Herbert Smith Freehills has appointed a Tokyo partner to the new role of North Asia corporate practice head.
In the new role, partner Andrew Blacoe will lead the firm’s corporate practice in Tokyo and Seoul, according to a firm statement. (from http://www.law.com)
11 May – Grandall (Hong Kong, China)
Beijing-based Grandall Law Firm has hired Mayer Brown veteran partner Thomas So as head of its dispute resolution practice in Hong Kong.
So joins Grandall from Mayer Brown, where he practiced for over 25 years. (from http://www.law.com)
10 May – Liberty Mutual (London, UK)
Peng Lim, the Singapore-based global head of the aviation practice at Kennedys Law, is set to leave the firm and join insurance company Liberty Mutual as head of aviation claims.
The newly created role, at Liberty Special Markets, is based in London, and Lim is expected to move in November.
As head of aviation claims, Lim is expected to help Liberty Mutual tap into opportunities from a growing aviation insurance industry. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
10 May – Watson Farley & Williams (Hong Kong, China)
Watson Farley & Williams has welcome back aviation finance expert Simon Collins as a partner in Hong Kong from White & Case, where he spent 17 years.
Collins, who had a six-year stint at WFW starting in 1998, advises clients on cross-border aviation and maritime finance transactions, including asset and project finance, structured lending and restructuring, leasing, and commercial shipping transactions. Notable work includes advising Colombian airline Avianca in a Japanese operating lease with call option (JOLCO) financing. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com/)
9 May – Rajah & Tann Asia (Bangkok, Thailand)
We are pleased to announce that R&T Asia (Thailand) has officially launched its new Intellectual Property practice, and warmly welcomes new partner Nuttaphol Arammuang who will spearhead the team in guiding clients through the precise navigation of all aspects of IP.
Boasting an impressive 20 years of experience, Nuttaphol is well reputed amongst leading legal publications for his all-encompassing IP expertise.
The introduction of this new practice is in line with our network’s ongoing vision of enhancing our capabilities to serve local, regional, and international clients through the effective expansion of service offerings and seamless collaboration between our offices. (from https://www.linkedin.com/company/rajah-&-tann/)
9 May – Widyawan & Partners (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Linklaters’ formal association firm in Indonesia, Widyawan & Partners, today announced the hire of Teguh Arwiko, who has joined as a partner in the corporate practice, based in Jakarta.
Teguh joins Widyawan & Partners from Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung, (in association with Herbert Smith Freehills), where he was a partner.
Teguh is an Indonesia-qualified corporate lawyer specialising in advising corporates, and private equity and sovereign wealth funds on public and private M&A and JVs, with a particular focus on the financial services, TMT/digital economy and real estate sectors. His arrival will further strengthen the firm’s public M&A capabilities and financial services and tech sectors offering, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to deliver best in class support in these rapidly growing areas. (from http://www.linklaters.com)
5 May – Jardine Matheson (Tokyo, Japan)
Linklaters’ Tokyo corporate partner Matthew Bland has left the firm to join listed holdings company Jardine Matheson as group general counsel.
Bland, who has relocated to Hong Kong for his new role, succeeds former Linklaters partner and global head of corporate practice Jeremy Parr, who took on the in-house role in 2015 after three decades at Linklaters. Parr will soon be retiring. (from https://legal-mag.com/)
5 May – IndusLaw (Bengaluru, India)
Indian law firm IndusLaw has made its second disputes partner hire in two months after adding Maneesha Kongovi in Bengaluru from Argus Partners.
Kongovi’s hire comes at a time when IndusLaw has been expanding in South India. The firm recently acquired real estate-focused outfit ASLF, which has offices in the cities of Bengaluru and Chennai.
With experience in appearing before the Supreme Court of India, the Bombay High Court, the High Court of Karnataka, the Delhi, Gujarat and Calcutta High Courts, and also tribunals and district courts, Kongovi has worked on matters including commercial disputes, customs claims, real estate and construction disputes, infrastructure disputes, writ petitions, public interest litigations, winding-up proceedings, and trademark infringements.
Having worked at Bharucha & Partners and the legacy Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co earlier in her career, Kongovi established her own chambers in 2014. She joined Argus in 2019. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
4 May – HFW (Melbourne, Australia)
Global law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) has made its 10th Australian partner hire in the past two years, bringing on commercial litigation and international arbitration partner Bronwyn Lincoln from Australian firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
Melbourne-based Lincoln specializes in international commercial arbitration and high-value multijurisdictional disputes, with a focus on international trade, shareholder and joint venture and project and infrastructure disputes. (from http://www.law.com)
4 May – Mayer Brown (Singapore, Singapore)
Disputes lawyer Kay-Jannes Wegner has left Kim & Chang after over a decade. He has relocated from Seoul to Singapore, along with associate Edern Coënt, for Mayer Brown.
Kay-Jannes Wegner, a foreign legal consultant at South Korean Big Six firm, Kim & Chang, has left the firm, relocating to Singapore to join Mayer Brown as partner.
Wegner is a disputes lawyer who represents Asian and European clients on arbitration matters including construction and infrastructure, and energy and defense-related disputes. He also sits as an arbitrator in International Chamber of Commerce and Korean Commercial Arbitration Board cases. (from http://www.law.com)
3 May – DLA Piper (Hong Kong, China)
DLA Piper today announces the appointment of Crystal Chen as a partner in its Finance, Projects and Restructuring (FP&R) practice, based in Hong Kong.
Crystal joins the firm from Linklaters in Hong Kong, where she was a partner in its energy and infrastructure practice. Crystal is a leading banking and finance lawyer. She is experienced in the development and financing as well as acquisition and disposal of projects in the power, petrochemical and mining sectors. She has extensive experience in a wide range of other types of financing work, including leveraged finance buy-outs, acquisition finance and other structured event-driven financings.
Qualified in New York, Hong Kong and the PRC, Crystal is bilingual and primarily focuses her practice on China inbound and outbound transactions. Crystal has served a broad range of clients, including policy banks, commercial banks, multilateral development agencies, governments, export credit agencies, private equity funds, project sponsors and other project participants. (from http://www.dlapiper.com)
2 May – Pinsent Masons (Australia & Singapore)
Pinsent Masons has refreshed its leadership structure in Asia Pacific ahead of what it has deemed the next phase of its strategic growth in the region.
The appointments will see Melbourne-based partner James Morgan-Payler become the firm’s first formal head of APAC, while Singapore-based international business manager Johanna Murray will become the region’s first chief operations officer. (from http://www.law.com)
April
28 April – Harry Elias Partnership (Singapore, Singapore)
Harry Elias Partnership LLP today announced the appointment of Joanna S. as a partner in the Construction and Engineering practice.
With over 14 years of experience, Joanna is a specialist in in the construction and infrastructure sector. She is amongst the inaugural batch of legal practitioners recognized by the Singapore Academy of Law as an Accredited Specialist in Building and Construction Law and is also accredited as a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators.
Joanna has extensive experience representing major contractors in large-scale infrastructure, engineering and construction disputes across a wide range of jurisdictions globally and sectors. Prior to joining Harry Elias Partnership, Joanna worked with other leading international firms, where she advised and represented clients in a variety of international disputes, including rail and metro projects, power plant, solar plant, mining, integrated resorts, and commercial and residential building projects across Asia-Pacific.
Joanna also frequently advises and represents clients in adjudication proceedings commenced pursuant to the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004 (“SOPA”) in Singapore. Most recently, she successfully defended a Singapore listed company against a multi-million dollar claim made by a subcontractor pursuant to the latest amended SOPA. (from http://www.linkedin.com)
27 April – Greenberg Traurig (Singapore, Singapore)
The US led firm is the latest international outfit set to enter Singapore, though the hires will initially be based in its Tokyo office.
The additions will be led by Hogan Lovells partner Joseph Kim, who has joined as the firm’s Asia head of energy and infrastructure practice. He brings along with him Hogan Lovells counsel William Wu and associate Da Woon Jeong.
Kim had been a partner at Hogan Lovells for seven years, and a partner at Paul Hastings for seven years prior to his move.
The fourth hire is Jared Raleigh, who was an in-house counsel at Acciona Construction Australia in Melbourne. He will relocate to Singapore for the move, having previously worked at the Singapore offices of mining company Orica and at Jones Day and Hogan Lovells as an associate. (from https://prolifelawyer.com)
27 Apr – ByteDance (Hong Kong, China & Singapore)
TikTok-owner ByteDance has appointed Julie Gao, head of the China practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, as its new chief financial officer (CFO), according to an internal memo sent to staff on Monday and seen by Reuters.
Gao, one of Skadden’s top capital markets lawyers, will be based in Hong Kong and Singapore once she joins ByteDance, according to the memo sent by ByteDance chief executive Liang Rubo. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
27 Apr – McDermott Will & Emery (Singapore, Singapore)
U.S. law firm McDermott Will & Emery has continued to expand its newly established Singapore office after hiring four lawyers specialising in investigations and compliance from Sidley Austin, including partners Yuet Ming Tham (L) and Shu Min Ho. Tham will join as Singapore managing partner.
McDermott opened its Singapore office last year, following a year without a presence in the Asian region. Since then, it has expanded rapidly through a series of laterals. First, it hired Ignatius Hwang and Merrick White from Squire Patton Boggs and King & Spalding. Then came the additions of Alfred Chia (also from Squire Patton Boggs), Siddhartha Sivaramakrishnan (from Herbert Smith Freehills), and Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi as Asia transactions chair (from Latham & Watkins).
Specialising in white-collar crime and life sciences, Tham was head of Asia-Pacific and Singapore managing partner at Sidley, additionally holding the role of global co-chair of the government investigations and compliance group. She joined the Hong Kong office of Sidley in 2012 from DLA Piper, having been head of the latter firm’s Asia regulatory compliance and investigation groups, and Asia life sciences practice since 2008.
With expertise in the FCPA and anti-bribery compliance, money-laundering regulations and sanctions, data privacy and employment, Tham represents clients on matters involving the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice, FINRA, as well as Asian enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, Ho began her career in 2011 at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, joining Sidley in 2019. She has experience leading cross-border investigations, with a focus on bribery, corruption, fraud, embezzlement and other corporate crime, especially in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.
Also moving with Tham and Ho from Sidley to McDermott are counsel Sam Johnson and Margaret Huang. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
26 April – Squire Patton Boggs (Perth, Australia)
Squire Patton Boggs has hired a former human resources manager, industrial relations adviser, labor market economist and industrial inspector to join its employment practice in Perth.
Kim Hodge, who joins as a partner from national firm McCabe Curwood Lawyers, advises clients across sectors including mining and resources, engineering, utilities, retail, health care, education, not-for-profit, and local government. (from http://www.law.com)
26 April – Ashurst (Sydney, Australia)
Global law firm Ashurst announces the appointment of Miriam Kleiner as a partner in Legal Governance Advisory, the firm’s head office strategic advisory practice led by partner Rob Hanley.
The appointment of Miriam reflects Ashurst’s commitment to assisting clients with their ever-increasing governance needs. The Ashurst Legal Governance Advisory team works alongside Ashurst’s Risk Advisory and Board Advisory consultants to deliver a unique integrated legal and consulting offering. The team advises General Counsel, Company Secretaries and Non-Executive Directors of ASX listed and larger non-listed entities on current and emerging strategic risks as well as ‘business as usual’ governance and company secretarial matters.
Miriam is one of the few lawyers in Australia who is a true specialist in the governance advisory field. With over 15 years’ experience advising on corporate governance, company secretarial and related advisory matters, Miriam’s experience extends across the financial services, healthcare, energy and resources, consumer and retail, information technology, and leisure and entertainment sectors. (from http://www.ashurst.com)
21 April – King & Spalding (Hong Kong, China)
U.S. law firm King & Spalding has hired international arbitration lawyer Nils Eliasson as a partner in Singapore from the Hong Kong office of Shearman & Sterling, where he led that firm’s Asia international arbitration practice.
Eliasson, who joined Shearman in 2015 from the Swedish law firm Mannheimer Swartling, is the second high-profile disputes partner in Asia to exit the U.S. firm in the past few months. In February, Singapore partner Daryl Chew left Shearman to join UK arbitration firm Three Crowns.
Eliasson acts as counsel and arbitrator in commercial, construction, and investment treaty disputes in Asia, with particular experience in the energy, infrastructure, and telecommunications sectors. Following his departure, Shearman now has seven partners in Hong Kong, but none specialising in disputes. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
20 April – DSK Legal (Bengaluru, India)
Indian law firm DSK Legal has hired a team of lawyers from rival Dua & Associates in the southern city of Bengaluru. Led by partner Srinivas BR, it also includes partners Brijita Prakash, Karan Ajitsaria and Siddharth Suresh.
Srinivas is an expert in real estate transactions, including title due diligence and foreign direct investment in the real estate sector in India, while Prakash has experience in real estate, litigation and financing.
Ajitsaria is experienced in debt and equity financing with particular focus on structuring financing in the real estate sector, and Suresh focuses on private equity, foreign investment, joint ventures and acquisitions in the fintech, real estate, technology, construction and power sectors. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
19 April – Trilegal (Delhi, India)
Trilegal has hired disputes experts Anuj Berry (L) and Vishrov Mukerjee as partners in Delhi from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and J. Sagar Associates, respectively. They are set to join the firm in the next few months.
The duo will become Trilegal’s first partner laterals since it added four from AZB in Mumbai and Bengaluru in December last year.
Berry, who has been with SAM since 2006, works in the areas of general commercial litigation including shareholder disputes, company law-related disputes, litigation concerning the Competition Act 2002 and white-collar defense such as regulatory and internal investigations. In 2021, he was selected by clients as one of the ALB Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers.
Meanwhile, Mukerjee had two stints at JSA, first between 2007 and 2009, and then since 2012. He focuses on regulatory disputes, arbitration in the infrastructure sector and commercial litigation on complex cases such as issues pertaining to changes in law, powers of regulatory commissions, and compensatory mechanisms for the cancellation of coal blocks. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
12 April – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (Mumbai, India)
India’s Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has welcomed back project finance specialist Manasvini Raj as a partner in Mumbai from International Finance Corporation, a unit of the World Bank, where she was a counsel.
Raj began her career in 2010 at the erstwhile Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co, and moved to CAM following the split in 2015, spending two years there. She later worked for White & Case in New York before joining the IFC in Mumbai in 2020.
With more than 11 years of experience in project finance, structured finance, project development and M&A in the infrastructure and energy sectors, Raj’s clients include lenders, multilateral institutions, export credit agencies, sponsors, investors, borrowers and contractors. (from http://www.legalbusinessonline.com)
10 April – Clyde & Co (Sydney, Australia)
Global law firm Clyde & Co has launched an Asia-Pacific cyber risk advisory practice to meet increasing client demand, hiring a senior cyber risk specialist to lead the practice.
Chris McLaughlin joins from Aon, where he was head of the Aon Cyber Solutions in Australia. His hire by Clyde & Co reflects the firm’s ongoing expansion of its global technology and cyber risk offering to meet the rapidly increasing demand for cyber, privacy and digital advice, Clyde & Co said in a statement. (from http://www.law.com)
7 April – Appleby (Hong Kong, China)
Offshore law firm Appleby has hired Richard Grasby as partner and head of its private client and trusts team in Hong Kong. Grasby was most recently a foreign legal consultant at Facey & Associates.
Grasby was at another offshore law firm, Maples and Calder, for close to nine years until May 2017, leaving as a partner. He then joined wealth management specialist firm Charles Russell Speechlys, also as a partner, and spent another year there. Grasby previously worked at the legacy SJ Berwin and offshore firm Ogier.
At Appleby, he will focus on trusts, asset holdings, succession, governance, regulatory and compliance, family offices and related matters. (from https://www.legalbusinessonline.com/)
6 April – Rajah & Tann (Singapore, Singapore)
Singapore firm Rajah & Tann has reshuffled its leadership team and refreshed its practice group heads as it seeks to groom the next generation of leaders and give younger partners a greater say in the firm’s direction.
Arbitration partners Kim Beng Ng and Kelvin Poon step up to become joint deputy managing partners, replacing Rebecca Chew, who has been in the post since 2016. (from https://www.globallegalpost.com/)
5 April – Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld (Hong Kong, China)
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld hired international arbitration and cross-border disputes heavyweight Ing Loong Yang from Latham & Watkins in Hong Kong, bolstering its international disputes practice.
Yang, recognized as a leading cross-border disputes practitioner, has more than three decades of experience handling international arbitration cases and commercial litigation in Asia, particularly involving entities in Greater China. He handles complex, sensitive matters involving shareholder and joint venture disputes, technology and other licensing disputes, commercial criminal defense, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations, private equity, as well as compliance and regulatory matters, Akin Gump said. (from https://www.law.com/)
5 April – Ghows (Singapore, Singapore)
Ghows, a Singapore-based law firm specializing in technology and intellectual property, has hired IP specialists Teresa O’Connor (L) and Patsy Koh as directors from Infinitus Law.
O’Connor has more than 40 years of experience in IP. especially in copyright and trademark. Her notable clients include BMW, Nintendo, Sony, and Möet Hennessy. Meanwhile, Koh has more than 25 years of experience in IP law with a focus on patents and trademarks. She has advised clients such as Nippon Steel, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, Kyowa Kirin, Sysmex and Mos Food. (from https://www.legalbusinessonline.com/)
4 April – Baker McKenzie (Sydney, Australia)
Baker McKenzie has hired a lawyer from King & Wood Mallesons to join its partnership in the restructuring and insolvency team based in Sydney as it anticipates an increase in distressed debt and restructuring.
Gavin Rakoczy was previously a special counsel at KWM and has over 15 years of experience advising insolvency practitioners, companies, boards, banks and special situation funds in restructuring and insolvency. (from http://www.law.com)
4 April – Mayer Brown (Singapore, Singapore)
International law firm, Mayer Brown announced on Friday the appointment of energy lawyer Justin Tan, to its Corporate and Securities practice in Singapore a key Asian hub at the centre of the practice’s ambitious Asian growth plans.
Commencing his new role from 01 April, Tan most recently served at Clyde Co in the city-state, where he served as partner for the past seven years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
With a career focusing on the energy, infrastructure and commodities sectors, the announcement highlighted Tan’s cross-border work, representing multinational corporations, Japanese trading houses and Chinese SOEs in high profile energy and infrastructure deals. (from https://www.financeasia.com)
1 April – DWF (Australia)
Global law firm DWF has expanded its insurance practice in Australia with the hire of partner Matt Dudakov from local firm Lander & Rogers.
The hire comes a year after DWF pulled back from its ambitions in Australia and shuttered its law offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle. (from http://www.law.com)
1 April – HFW (Melbourne, Australia)
UK law firm HFW has hired a team of three disputes lawyers in Perth from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan led by the office’s founding partner, Paul Evans.
HFW said the hires continue a period of sustained investment in Australia, which is now its third-largest market globally after London and Hong Kong, revenue having increased by almost 80% over the past six years and now accounting for 10% of the firm’s turnover.
Quinn, meanwhile, has experienced the second team loss from its Perth arm within a year following the departure of four disputes lawyers to Jones Day last July. The office, which launched in 2017, currently houses two associates and one partner, according to the firm’s website.
Evans brings 35 years of experience handling complex commercial litigation to his new firm and focuses on disputes relating to corporate governance, transactions and takeovers, and competition and economic law. (from https://www.globallegalpost.com/)
1 April – Linklaters (Tokyo, Japan)
Linklaters today announced that Tracy Whiriskey has joined as a partner in the firm’s corporate practice, based in Tokyo. Tracy has extensive experience in energy transition, the digital economy, infrastructure funds, insurance and other rapidly emerging business areas.
Tracy joins Linklaters from Ashurst where she headed up the corporate M&A practice in Tokyo and the insurance sector in Asia. Prior to joining Ashurst in July 2016, Tracy worked at Clifford Chance for over 10 years. (from https://www.linklaters.com/)