Although Latham & Watkins’ announcement that the firm was shuttering their Shanghai office was maybe less earth-shattering that first appeared (the office has a single resident partner in Shanghai and the firm has stated it will consolidate operations in Beijing, relocating people as required) it is yet another episode in the unfolding narrative that westernContinue reading “China loses its lustre for Western firms”
Category Archives: Insights
Tips on how to finish 2022 strongly
2023 is coming soon! Here are our suggested ways for lawyers to have a strong year-end finish. Make the most of the holiday season When many practices are slowing down, and partners and clients are traveling during the holidays, the last few weeks of 2022 are a useful time for lawyers to prepare and tryContinue reading “Tips on how to finish 2022 strongly”
The Lion City awakens
Greater China, traditionally a major Asian powerhouse of lateral hires, witnessed a quiet 2022. On the other hand, Singapore had a strong Q3 and moved ahead of Hong Kong, China, and India as the joint busiest hiring market in Asian Pacific, alongside Australia. The lateral hiring markets in Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia grew stably inContinue reading “The Lion City awakens“
Preparing for your lateral move
Making a lateral move is arguably the most significant part of a private practitioner’s career after making partner, so making this decision is contingent on a number of important factors including timing, cultural fit, business compatibility and long-term planning. Let us help you take the first step in your lateral move. Why a lateral move?Continue reading “Preparing for your lateral move”
Tech Unicorns continue to lure big names from Private Practice in Asia
The news that US IPO doyenne Julie Gao was leaving Skadden Arps to join TikTok owner ByteDance as Chief Financial Officer was initially greeted with shock and surprise by the market but, given a brief cooling off period, it seems like the move makes a lot of sense and is indeed part of an increasingContinue reading “Tech Unicorns continue to lure big names from Private Practice in Asia”
Celebrating IWD 2022 with the first Chairwoman in Vietnam of an international law firm
Dr. Nguyen Thi Lang, the first chairwoman in Vietnam of a global law firm, is also one of the first two J.D. graduates from HCMC University of Law and is therefore an ideal role model to discuss this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Breaking the Bias. In this interview with Sam Kenworthy, Dr. Lang NguyenContinue reading “Celebrating IWD 2022 with the first Chairwoman in Vietnam of an international law firm”
Asia In-house Legal Market Outlook 2022
2021 is generally touted as a year of recovery. Although the economic growth for Asia-Pacific remains the fastest moving region in the world[1], there were twists and turns along the way. As the highly transmissible Omicron variant lingers, we expect the Covid-19 crisis to continue to present challenges that shape the business outlook for theContinue reading “Asia In-house Legal Market Outlook 2022”
Despite ongoing Covid-19 issues, legal markets are picking up across Asia Pacific
The Covid-19 challenge has been unprecedented and persists throughout 2021. However, we are happy to see legal markets across Asia Pacific are picking up so far this year. Compared to 2020, we witnessed growth of recruitment activities in India and Singapore. Both the Australian and Hong Kong legal markets remained relatively stable. After China’s strongContinue reading “Despite ongoing Covid-19 issues, legal markets are picking up across Asia Pacific”
Advancements in attitudes still being tested by ongoing Covid-19 crisis
10 October 2021 is World Mental Health Day, which seems particularly timely as we continue to confront Covid-19. The legal industry, both law firms and in-house departments, are increasingly seeking to promote the importance of an emotionally and mentally healthy workplace and at the same time demonstrate their respect for the rights, diversity, and individualContinue reading “Advancements in attitudes still being tested by ongoing Covid-19 crisis”
The Age of the Chief Legal Officer
By Sherry Xu The role of Chief Legal Officer (CLO) has been growing in importance as C-suite and board leaders become more aware of the elevated risk conditions they are working in and the long-term cost of those risks. This heightened awareness has correspondingly caused high-functioning legal teams to expand their priorities and capabilities toContinue reading “The Age of the Chief Legal Officer”
The right time for lawyers to return to the office?
Morgan Stanley’s Chief Legal Officer, Eric Grossman, has demanded their outside law firms return their lawyers to the office en masse. However most law firms who act for Morgan Stanley have already incorporated some remote working into their return plans after the pandemic. The request immediately delivers a real headache for firms trying to placateContinue reading “The right time for lawyers to return to the office?”
Legal markets improve, but the shadow of Covid-19 lingers
New and more contagious Covid-19 variants continue to penetrate the world’s major economies, but overall the Asia Pacific legal market continues to grow. We have seen a good level of hiring activity in the first quarter, particularly in January. The massive disruptions of 2020 uncovered both challenges and opportunities for all legal practitioners. It isContinue reading “Legal markets improve, but the shadow of Covid-19 lingers”
How to ace your partner interview
Partner recruiting in general is a complex and lengthy process. It can take anywhere from a couple of months to over a year. At the core of the process are the interviews with prospective colleagues and leaders at other firms. In preparing a partner-level interview, you have to be able to present a compelling appraisalContinue reading “How to ace your partner interview”
How your firm can stand out and hire the “right” lawyers in the post-Covid-19 period?
The competition for legal talent remains fierce, even with the pandemic still hampering the economy globally. While approaching the post-pandemic period, law firms, alongside companies across all industries and sectors, in need of new talent will have to hire externally to support their anticipated quick recovery. Therefore, finding the “right” talent is a core driverContinue reading “How your firm can stand out and hire the “right” lawyers in the post-Covid-19 period?”
Tips To Take You To The Top
For many law students and attorneys, becoming a top law firm partner is the ultimate career milestone. What does it take to make partner? Certain things you can learn in law school, but the path to partnership is forged in the workplace. Nowadays, delivering very high-quality legal work and being a rainmaker may no longerContinue reading “Tips To Take You To The Top”
Asia LegalTech Overview, Singapore
Singapore has a thriving LegalTech industry more advanced than most of its Asian neighbors, as LegalTech startups and programs have received substantial government backing in the past few years. We believe nowhere else in Asia has the same level of sovereign investment in LegalTech and innovation as Singapore. LegalTech initiatives are supported as part ofContinue reading “Asia LegalTech Overview, Singapore”
India In-house Legal Market Overview – 2020
India has one of the largest legal profession set-ups in the world, fittingly sitting alongside the world’s largest democracy. Which means disruption, doubts, and delays caused by Covid-19 were exacerbated in this market more than most others. Hiring activity remained busy throughout, however, and it will be fascinating to see whether such activity continues inContinue reading “India In-house Legal Market Overview – 2020”
Are you ready? Legal hiring trends to look out for in 2021
Markets expect the world’s economy will bounce back once vaccination programs are underway. Once economic activity increases in the post-vaccine period, we believe that hiring activities will go back to the pre-Covid-19 level. We have continued to see good levels of recruitment activity in Asia since Q4 2020. Both recruiters and jobseekers should be well-preparedContinue reading “Are you ready? Legal hiring trends to look out for in 2021”
2020 Review: Asia Legal In-House Commerce
2020 has been the most challenging year in decades, the Covid-19 virus has wreaked chaos across the globe and all industries, and the Asian legal services sector is not immune. To combat Covid-19 with resilience, many companies were trying hard to adjust their operations to react to the fast-changing circumstances – revenue, budget, headcount, andContinue reading “2020 Review: Asia Legal In-House Commerce”
Is it time for law firms to support working from home as a general policy?
It is likely that the Covid-19 pandemic will change how we work forever. Technology giants such as Twitter and Facebook have been taking the lead on a permanent shift towards working from home. Siemens, the German conglomerate, has announced a policy of letting its employees work from where they are most productive, whether that beContinue reading “Is it time for law firms to support working from home as a general policy?”