Clyde & Co has bolstered its Asia-Pacific offering via an association with Malaysian firm Shaikh David & Co.

The Kuala Lumpur-based firm has two partners, Shaikh Abdul Saleem and James David, alongside five other associates, according to its website.

David previously spent seven years at Clydes between 1995 and 2002. He then moved to DLA Piper before co-founding Shaikh David & Co in 2005.

Shaikh David focuses on insurance and reinsurance, banking, insolvency, shipping and general litigation. The association will see Clydes refer Malaysia work to the firm, which will in turn gain access to Clydes' lawyers around the world.

Clydes Asia managing director Ik Wei Chong said: "The association will provide us with the opportunity to grow our Malaysian client base and work, and allows us to extend our global client relationships."

David added: "Through this formal association, we are focused on bringing enhanced legal support to clients in Malaysia and abroad."

The deal marks the latest international expansion for Clydes. In July, the firm opened its ninth US office with a launch in Los Angeles, after merging with Mexico's Garza Tello & Asociados in May.

Clydes has 10 Asia-Pacific offices, including four in China and four in Australia. Malaysia marks the firm's fifth associated office in the region, with outposts already established in Mongolia, India and Indonesia.

The launch came after HSF was granted a qualified foreign law firm (QFLF) licence by the Malaysian Bar Council. The QFLF licence allows law firms to hire Malaysian lawyers who can practise local law in selected areas, so long as the Malaysian professionals make up at least 30% of the office's fee earners.