Reed Smith is to lose 15 lawyers in Hong Kong as part of a 50-strong team leaving to join a trio of ex-former partners at newly formed firm Howse Williams Bowers (HWB).

The team, which includes 35 members support staff, will reunite with Reed Smith's former co-head of professional indemnity Chris Howse, insurance litigation partner Kevin Bowers and corporate partner Chris Williams, who all quit in December to form HWB.

The new firm, which will offer maritime law, dispute resolution and corporate and commercial advice, has five partners in total, with Reed Smith lawyers David Kan and Bernard Murphy, who also left in December, becoming partners.