Singapore outfit Drew & Napier has hired Reed Smith's former Dubai office managing partner Lee Chau Ee to lead its construction and engineering practice.

He replaces the firm's previous construction head Liam Beng Tan, who left early 2014.

Lee, who worked for Drew & Napier between 1995 until 2000 as an associate, departed from US firm Reed Smith in November 2013 to return to his home base.

Specialising in construction disputes and particularly in the energy and infrastructure sectors, he is top ranked by Chambers & Partners for advising on construction and real estate matters in the United Arab Emirates, working on projects in South East Asia, China, the UK, Middle East and North Africa.

He began working for Reed Smith in 2007 where he founded the regional construction and engineering practice and Dubai office, and was appointed Dubai managing partner and a member of their global leadership team in 2011.

He previously worked at Trowers and Hamlins in London and Dubai to help set up its own Dubai-based construction group, and also did stints at Fenwick Elliott in London and the Singapore office of Baker & McKenzie.

He has been replaced at Reed Smith by the firm's Middle East head of business and finance Vincent Gordon, who has also been appointed the new Middle East managing partner having already managed the Abu Dhabi office.

Drew & Napier is one of Singapore's big four law firms, specialising in dispute resolution.

The firm currently has just one office in Singapore as does counterpart Allen & Gledhill, whilst rivals Rajah & Tann and Wong Partnership have a broader reach with satellite offices in Asia and the Middle East.

Drew & Napier previously had a joint venture with the UK's Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer which ended in April 2007 when the magic circle firm withdrew from the market to refocus its Asia efforts on China and Japan.