Mayer Brown has launched a consulting arm in Asia-Pacific with the hire of a five-strong international trade advisory team from Bryan Cave.

The operation, headquartered in Singapore, is an extension of the firm's global consulting business in the US, EU and Brazil, and has been set up in Asia in response to a growing demand among MNCs for advice on trade and customs issues.

Core practice areas will be WTO matters, international trade policies, customs, export controls and anti-dumping investigations, as well as cross border supply chain issues and government affairs.

CEO of the new unit is Cecil Leong, who was the head of the Bryan Cave operation, alongside former colleagues Flora Sun, appointed Greater China managing director, Anthony Kerr, made senior director, Wong Chian Voen now director and Zhao Jun who is working as a senior advisor.

The group are all based in Mayer Brown's Singapore office.

In the coming months the US outfit is also hoping to have a Shanghai operation, which will work alongside the Singapore base to service the Asia Pacific region.

Mayer Brown currently has lawyers in Beijing offering legal counsel on international trade, but has previously not offered the consulting service.

"We are seeing increasing demand from clients doing business in Asia who regularly need advice on a variety of trade and customs issues, and Cecil and his team have the experience and skills to satisfy that demand," said Duane Layton, who co-heads Mayer Brown's global government and global trade practice.

"They also will work on joint projects with our trade and customs teams in other parts of the world, especially Brussels, Washington, Beijing, Vietnam and Brazil, to solve our respective clients' problems and address their needs."

Mayer Brown opened its Singapore office in 2011 with the relocation of Hong Kong projects partner Kevin Owen to the city-state.

The base was its eighth in Asia following the 2008 combination with Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM), and was set up to focus on asset finance, project finance, energy and international arbitration.

At the moment the firm operates in Singapore with a Foreign Law Practice (FLP) licence, but is understood to be among those eyeing a local practice, possibly via a tie up.