Hong Kong law firm Howse Williams Bowers (HWB) has promoted four of its female associates to partner, one year after the firm was formed by a breakaway group of Reed Smith lawyers.

M&A specialist Katherine Chuang, healthcare expert Lisa Nabou and dispute resolution lawyers Lynn Lee and Oonagh Toner will all become partners at the firm as of  January next year.

All four were previously at Reed Smith, from which a 50-strong team broke away in January this year to join HWB, which was founded last December by a trio of Reed Smith partners.

Prior to joining Reed Smith, Chuang (pictured) held an in-house position at an international investment bank. She specialises in corporate finance, M&A, direct investment and restructuring.

Nabou previously worked for a boutique firm in London, before being seconded to Allen & Gledhill in Singapore and joining Reed Smith legacy firm Richards Butler in 2008. In recent years, she has worked extensively with the Medical Protection Society in London and Asia, advising on negligence claims, disciplinary tribunals and inquests.

Lee started her career at legacy firm Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM) in Hong Kong (now Mayer Brown JSM), and in 2006 moved to Richards Butler. Her primary area of practice is multi-jurisdictional commercial litigation and dispute resolution, with a focus on insurance, property and insolvency.

Toner previously worked for Hays Solicitors in Ireland before joining Richards Butler in 2005. She also handles clinical negligence claims and acts on a range of contractual, regulatory and criminal matters.

HWB was formed at the beginning of this year, when a trio of partners at Reed Smith decided to set up their own Hong Kong practice.  Founding partners of HWB include former Reed Smith professional indemnity co-head Chris Howse, insurance litigation partner Kevin Bowers and corporate partner Chris Williams. 

The newly promoted female partners were among the 15 lawyers and 35 support staff who followed the partners to HWB shortly after its launch.