Ashurst is set to boost its Hong Kong office with the hire of a four-lawyer team from DLA Piper, including the head of its Asia financial regulatory practice.

Structured finance partner Peter Kwon will join Ashurst in January along with three associates to launch a Hong Kong securities and structured finance practice.

Kwon advises on structured finance transactions and securitisations as well as capital markets, funds and banking work generally.

Ashurst Asia head Geoffrey Green (pictured) told Legal Week: "We are very pleased and excited to welcome this group. They are a very good, solid team with a strong client base and workflow. Their practice dovetails very nicely with our structured finance practice in Europe and the US."

Erica Handling, head of Ashurst's securities and structured finance practice, added: "Given the extent and variety of structured finance work that will be generated as the Asian financial markets continue to grow, for us to match [our European and US] offering in Asia, it was essential to find someone who is not only experienced and highly regarded by the market, but also versatile."

The team hire comes as Ashurst prepares to further boost its Hong Kong office with the relocation of a partner from Tokyo. Banking partner Matthias Schemuth – who joined Ashurst in Tokyo last year from the Hong Kong office of White & Case – will move back to Hong Kong next month (2 January).

Following the hires and the relocation, Ashurst Hong Kong will have around 25 lawyers, including seven partners.

Green launched the Hong Kong office in January this year, after taking on the Asia head role last year when he stepped down as firmwide senior partner.