Simmons & Simmons is looking to launch a joint law venture (JLV) in Singapore before the end of this year as a number of international firms continue to eye similar options in the city-state.

The UK firm opened in Singapore last June as part of a push to expand its Asia network and boost regional revenues. A JLV would allow it to advise on local law, focusing on a handful of key areas which would complement its existing international practice.

Other firms to have launched successful JLVs in the country include Watson Farley & Williams with Asia Practice, Clyde & Co and Clasis, Hogan Lovells with Lee & Lee, Pinsent Masons and MPillay, and Baker & McKenzie alongside Wong & Leow.

Those understood to be considering JLV or other local tie-up options include DLA Piper, Herbert Smith Freehills, Ashurst, Mayer Brown, Dentons, Oslwang and Berwin Leighton Paisner.

"Singapore's gone really well – [and now] we're looking at a JLV," said Asia managing partner Paul Li.

He added that the firm would look to launch with four partners before the end of the year.

"We're concentrating on certain areas, looking at the Simmons brand and where we can make a difference," he continued. "[For example], employment is an interesting market because it's a developing area and increasingly important [to clients]. And apart from our strong brand in that area, having looked at the market, there is no specialist employment practice. There are a couple of people who do it but it's more corporate support. So that's very attractive to us.

"[Another area] is dispute resolution. Increasingly there is investigations work, which international law firms are allowed to do, and that is what we would focus on."

He added that the firm was looking specifically at the JLV model due to administrative complexities surrounding the alternative Formal Law Alliance or FLA, which was the chosen model for a partnership between Clifford Chance and Cavenagh Law in December 2012, and has since attracted an increasing amount of market interest.

Stephenson Harwood established an FLA with Virtus Law most recently, while those listed above are also thought to be considering the model.

Simmons currently has five partners on the ground in Singapore, with core practice areas include TMT, corporate, banking and projects, in addition to energy, infrastructure and oil and gas-related work.

Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore continues to restrict the activities of international law firms by barring them from practising local law without a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence or local tie-up, and prohibiting them from offering litigation advice unless through an FLA and handled by the local partner firm.

Earlier this year, Herbert Smith Freehills' did not have its QFLP renewed, while White & Case was granted a one-year conditional local licence subject to it meeting certain unspecified criteria.

There are now just nine firms with a QFLP, seven with JLVs and four with FLAs – despite rising numbers of firms entering the country.

Prior to Simmons' opening, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Morrison Foerster also relaunched offices in the city, while those currently looking at bases on the ground include Paul Hastings, Winston & Strawn and King & Wood Mallesons.

Related: Singapore fling – the international firms eager to secure alliances in the city-state

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