DLA Piper has relocated one of its Glasgow partners to Hong Kong as the firm moves to beef up its Asian intellectual property (IP) and technology practice.

Glasgow-based technology and media partner Scott Thiel, who specialises in advising on outsourcing and technology transactions, joined the firm's Hong Kong office earlier this week (1 November).

The base now has more than 30 partners, including four in the Asian IP and technology practice.

The firm made up a trio of lawyers to partner in the office in May this year, including IP and tech lawyer Edward Chatterton.

Asia regional managing partner Lance Miller commented: "Technology and IP requirements are becoming even more important to multinational companies in China, and across Asia as a whole.

"Asian companies are increasingly going global and they need to consider the ramifications for their IT and IP as they operate across a greater number of borders."

In addition to its Hong Kong base, DLA has two offices in mainland China – in Beijing and Shanghai – as well as a wider Asia presence in Japan, Singapore and Thailand.

The news comes as the firm begins a consultation process this month that is expected to see it usher in an all-equity partnership across all its offices outside of the US. Partners are expected to vote on the plans early in 2012, with any changes likely to take place in May 2012.