Mayer Brown JSM has bulked up its Beijing and Hong Kong offices with the hire of two partners from Winston & Strawn and Sidley Austin.

Xiang Yang Ge joined Mayer Brown last month to head up the Beijing projects practice from Winston & Strawn's local office, where he was also office head. Prior to joining Winston & Strawn in 2009 he had spent 18 years at Baker & McKenzie.

Meanwhile, Jason Elder has joined Mayer Brown's Hong Kong capital markets practice after nine years at Sidley. He will work alongside corporate and securities partner Mark Uhrynuk, who relocated from the firm's London office to Hong Kong in January 2009.

Mayer Brown senior partner and Asia chair Elaine Lo said: "Strengthening our China capabilities continues to be a high priority for the firm.

"We are seeing an increased volume of inbound and outbound M&A transactions in China. The appointment of Xiang Yang underlines the firm's continued commitment to providing high quality legal services to our clients."

Uhrynuk said: "Jason is a commercially astute lawyer and has been recognised for his experience and capabilities in capital markets throughout the Asia-Pacific region."

Mayer Brown recently lost its head of real estate in New York, Douglas Wisner, who left to join Clifford Chance's base in the city last month.

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