Linklaters has appointed former Allen & Overy (A&O) partner David Kidd to lead its restructuring and insolvency (R&I) practice in Asia, as the firm looks to strengthen its finance and litigation teams in the region.

The magic circle firm, which is best known in Asia for its corporate, capital markets and projects work, has hired Kidd to join its Hong Kong base just weeks after recruiting Herbert Smith Freehills' former Asia disputes head, Gavin Lewis.

Kidd will join the firm in October, to work closely with the existing R&I partner in Hong Kong Melvin Sng in addition to the finance, litigation and corporate groups.

Linklaters' previous work in R&I in Hong Kong includes advising on the insolvencies of Lehman Brothers and MF Global, with Sng leading those transactions.

"Linklaters has a fantastic platform in Asia but has not really had a R&I focus," Kidd told Legal Week.

"There is a perception that the time is right with the markets showing signs of stress, which will create situations in which clients will need help dealing with difficult situations.

"We will be developing a core team of associates [for the practice] but also working with others in corporate, litigation and finance. It is very much a cross group practice.

"I expect to be quite active in a number geographical areas. The China market throws up some obvious and interesting opportunities, as does the Korean market. But equally South East Asian markets seem to be of interest, from Indonesia over to India."

Kidd is widely recognised as one of the top R&I lawyers in Asia, having moved to Hong Kong in 1998 with Cameron McKenna and joined A&O in 2001.

He left the magic circle firm – where he had worked for 10 years – last September. Other partners to depart at the time included private equity partner Jeremy Hunt, who joined Morrison & Foerster in October, litigation partner Angus Ross, who was recruited by Ashurst in September, corporate partner David Johnson, who joined K&L Gates this March, and M&A partner Chris Swift, who was hired by Jones Day in October.

Another partner, real estate expert Simon Reid-Kay, also exited the firm before the summer; setting up his own outfit Simon Reid-Kay & Associates along with a number of A&O lawyers.

Kidd has since been working as a sole proprietor in Hong Kong under the name of David Kidd & Co, but will fold his practice into that of Linklaters when he joins in October.

Linklaters currently has eight Asia offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. It also has a partnership with Australian firm Allens, giving it a significant presence in Australia.

The firm has for some time been building up its finance and litigation practices in the region, amid a dearth in capital markets work and increased client interest in regulatory, litigation and R&I expertise.

In addition to Lewis and Kidd, the UK outfit has also recently hired Baker & McKenzie antitrust lawyer Clara Ingen-Housz to join its pan-Asian antitrust practice, while the firm's global litigation head, Marc Harvey, is also based in Hong Kong and runs the firm's China practice.