Clifford Chance (CC) Asia head Peter Charlton has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving after being involved in a traffic accident in Hong Kong last week (9 March), it has emerged.

No-one was hurt in last week's accident, which saw Charlton (pictured) involved in a collision with one other car, and formal charges have yet to be made against Charlton, who is back at work at CC.

The accident was initially reported by Hong Kong's Chinese-language Ming Pao newspaper, which said Charlton was three times over the Hong Kong limit at the time of his arrest.

In a statement to The Asian Lawyer, the Hong Kong police said: "In the small hours on 9 March 2012, a private car driven by a 56-year-old man was travelling along uphill Magazine Gap Road. When reaching near the junction with May Road, the private car had a head-on collision with a taxi which was travelling along downhill Magazine Gap Road and driven by a 57-year-old man."

"No one was injured in this traffic accident but the driver of the private car was arrested for drink driving as the concentration of alcohol in his breath was found to have exceeded the prescribed limit. He was released on bail pending further enquiries and will report back to the Police in mid-April, 2012."

According to the Hong Kong Transport Department a drink driving conviction in Hong Kong is punishable by a maximum fine of HK$25,000 (£2,046) and a prison sentence of up to three years. If convicted Charlton could also face an investigation by the Hong Kong Law Society.

Charlton relocated to Hong Kong to lead the firm's Asia practice in 2008, having previously headed the firm's global corporate practice.