Sidley Austin has ramped up its Singapore energy practice with the hire of M&A partner Tju Liang from Vinson & Elkins in Shanghai.

The hire comes just days after Vinson announced plans to close the Shanghai base later this year.

Liang, who is set to join Sidley firm in the coming weeks, is one of three partners in Vinson's Shanghai office, alongside top ranked corporate energy partner David Blumental and the firm's China managing partner Jay Kolb, both of who spend half their time in Beijing.

His principal area of practice is cross-border M&A in the energy sector, with his biggest deals including Sinopec's C$10.3bn (£6.5bn) acquisition of Addax Petroleum in 2009, and its $7.1bn (£4.6bn) investment in Repsol Brasil in 2010.

Prior to relocating to Shanghai with Vinson in 2006, Liang worked for Singapore outfit Drew & Napier. He is New York and Singapore qualified.

Sidley is among a number of international outfits looking to grow their presence in Singapore as the city-state grows increasingly important as a hub for Southeast Asian energy dealings and arbitrations.

In February, the US firm was awarded its Qualifying Foreign Law Practice Licence alongside Linklaters, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Jones Day, allowing it to practise local law in most areas except litigation and conveyancing.

Liang's appointment follows the hire of Morgan Lewis & Bockius M&A partner Gregory Salathe in May, and as well as funds partner Han Ming Ho from Clifford Chance in March.

In Hong Kong, the firm also appointed energy partner Tom Deegan from Simmons and Simmons in April, who is expected to work closely with Liang.

Sidley's Singapore office now has a total of seven partners. Tom Albrecht, the firm's managing partner for Asia, told Legal Week in May he expected the practice to reach 10-12 partners in the near future, with plans to strengthen in life sciences, infrastructure and disputes.