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“
Category Archives: Special Feature
Baker Botts Redraws Asia Strategy Map With Singapore Opening
At the end of 2021 Baker Botts announced it was closing its Hong Kong office, just over a year after shuttering its Beijing premises, bringing to an end a 16-year physical presence in Greater China, and Asia as a whole. Not only was this the latest in a number of law firm withdrawals from theContinue reading “Baker Botts Redraws Asia Strategy Map With Singapore Opening”
Building a network in a post-pandemic world
If you are a junior associate or in-house counsel, networking in the legal profession is vital in making connections, finding clients, creating collegial collaborations, and building referral relationships. However, networking for lawyers poses a few challenges in the wake of the pandemic. For more than a year, lawyers have not been able to attend industryContinue reading “Building a network in a post-pandemic world”
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”
IWD 2022: Work together to break the bias
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #BreakTheBias. Women are encouraged to take action to interrupt biases that may prevent us from realizing our gender-equal goals. In striving to achieve these goals, we must work together to fight against the bias, stereotypes, and discrimination towards female lawyers and women in all walks ofContinue reading “IWD 2022: Work together to break the bias”
Career Paths for China-based Lawyers with Doreen Jaeger-Soong (Part 1)
Doreen Jaeger-Soong, Managing Director at Hughes-Castell, one of Asia’s leading executive search firms, has been an authority on the legal market in China for over 30 years. In this interview with Art Dicker from China Business Law Podcast, she discusses the different possible paths for lawyers and the choices they must make as they progressContinue reading “Career Paths for China-based Lawyers with Doreen Jaeger-Soong (Part 1)”
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 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?”
Leaders in Law: Interview with Yang Guang
It is rare for high-profile lawyers to rise to a senior non-legal position of their organization. Yang Guang is one of the few hybrid lawyer-CEOs, Vice President & General Counsel of Johnson Controls Asia Pacific, and formerly President-Asia Pacific at Westport Fuel Systems, General Counsel at TRW Automotive, and Vice President & General Counsel atContinue reading “Leaders in Law: Interview with Yang Guang”
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”
Leaders in Law: Interview with Sarah Wang
When the AstraZeneca vaccine was first introduced, it was hailed as a milestone in turning the tide on the coronavirus and now is a global gamechanger. In this interview, Sherry talks with Sarah Wang, Deputy General Counsel, International & Japan for AstraZeneca, about her secrets to success in this UK-headquartered pharmaceutical giant. Highly respected inContinue reading “Leaders in Law: Interview with Sarah Wang”
Conversation with Natalie Kernisant, Chief D&I Officer, Morrison & Foerster
Diverse and inclusive workplaces have proven to earn deeper trust and more commitment from their employees and clients. With research showing the many benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace (including higher revenue growth, greater readiness to innovate, increased ability to attract talent, higher employee retention), law firms now more than ever are prioritizing diversityContinue reading “Conversation with Natalie Kernisant, Chief D&I Officer, Morrison & Foerster”
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”
Leaders in Law: Interview with Lian Lian
Lian Lian is the Managing Director, APAC at Kobre & Kim, an international law firm specializing in cross-border disputes and investigations. She started out as an associate at international law firms focusing on cross-border transactions and corporate practice, then worked her way up as in-house counsel at Honeywell through various APAC General Counsel roles untilContinue reading “Leaders in Law: Interview with Lian Lian”
Leaders in Law: Interview with Xiangjun Kong
Today, we are happy to have Xiangjun Kong, a former Head of Legal for Sanofi China, to join us to share his legal healthcare/pharmaceutical experience and tips for young lawyers as well as his thought on the fast-changing healthcare law landscapes in China. Kong has extensive experience in the field of healthcare and life science and servesContinue reading “Leaders in Law: Interview with Xiangjun Kong”
Consultant Spotlight: Sherry Xu
Consultant Spotlight: Sherry Xu Hughes-Castell is heavily focused on international legal recruitment and has a diverse cultural mix, possessing strong roots in China. Sherry is a Director at Hughes-Castell, based in our Shanghai office, and has eight years’ legal compliance recruitment experience partnering with in-house departments at Fortune 500, major Chinese multinational corporations, and top-tierContinue reading “Consultant Spotlight: Sherry Xu”
Leaders in Law: Interview with Joseph Chan
Joseph Chan, Group Chief Legal Officer at Yum China, was the founding partner of the Shanghai office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and previously a partner of Sidley Austin, based in its Shanghai office. In June 2019, with an impressive law firm background, Joseph took up the top legal role at Yum China, a USContinue reading “Leaders in Law: Interview with Joseph Chan”
HK Capital Markets resilient in challenging market
According to Reuters, a recent flurry of IPOs and secondary listings worth at least $4.5 billion due to launch in Hong Kong will put 2020 on track to be the second-busiest year for equity capital markets in the city. Against the backdrop of the turmoil created by the protests earlier in the year which ranContinue reading “HK Capital Markets resilient in challenging market”
Dummy Subjects for Dummies
Our world has no shortage of dummies. And they can be cute and amusing – think McDull or the Three Stooges. But you don’t want to be a dummy, and neither does the subject of your sentence. So what is a “dummy subject” anyway? As with many features of English, this is best explained byContinue reading “Dummy Subjects for Dummies”
Leaders in Law: Interview with Ronnie Luo
Today, we are happy to have Ronnie Luo, Senior VP/General Counsel, Government Affairs & Sustainability of Covestro, to join us to share with us her rocky career path and tips for young lawyers, as well as her insights about the changing legal landscape in China. As Bayer’s former Head of Corporate Legal, Ronnie was theContinue reading “Leaders in Law: Interview with Ronnie Luo”