Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has appointed its Tokyo managing partner Peter Godwin as its new head of disputes in Asia.

Godwin, who has been based in Tokyo for over a decade, replaces the firm's former Asia disputes head Gavin Lewis, who was appointed the role in 2011 but announced in August he was leaving firm to join Linklaters.

Godwin was initially based in Herbert Smith Freehills' Hong Kong office, but relocated to Tokyo in 2000 to establish the firm's disputes practice in Japan.

He was made managing partner of that office in 2010, but has since continued to sit as an arbitrator and act as counsel on contentious matters across all industries, advising major Japanese trading houses, other leading Japanese corporates and multinational conglomerates.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: "We are seeing a growing number of high value disputes across the entire Asia-Pacific region. This includes litigation in Hong Kong arising from international companies doing business in China, and disputes from deals between China and Australia and Japan and Indonesia, to name just a few examples.

"Competition for this work is also increasing, with a growing number of domestic and international firms targeting these opportunities."

Lewis' departure followed a string of exits in HSF's global litigation practice in the last year, including Kevin Lloyd who moved to Debevoise & Plimpton in London last December and Ted Greeno who moved to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in the city in May.

In Asia, Hong Kong financial services regulatory partner Tim Mak left to join Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in April, whilst Australia litigation partners Michael Mills and Michelle Fox joined Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan a month later.

But the firm has since stressed that its disputes practice remains strong in spite of the departures, and that its global practice head Sonya Leydecker is drawing up a new three-year strategy with plans for international expansion.

In the first quarter, the firm also promoted Hong Kong arbitration partner Justin D'Agostino – top ranked by Chambers & Partners – as its new Greater China head, replacing projects partner Andrew Tortoishell, who retired from the partnership in June.