At a time when international arbitration work is gaining importance, Eversheds Sutherland has recruited a former managing counsel of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) as a partner.

Wesley Pang, who starts with the firm in Hong Kong on Jan. 6, focuses his practice on international commercial and investor-state arbitrations. Pang joined the HKIAC in 2017 as managing counsel and was most recently senior legal counsel with the arbitral institution. Before that, he practised for nearly nine years with Shearman & Sterling's international arbitration practice, spending time in the firm's offices in London, New York and Paris.

Pang will be the first Greater China-based international arbitration specialist for Eversheds. Stephen Kitts, Asia managing partner, said international arbitration is a strategic priority for the firm globally, and it has been keen to fill the position in Hong Kong. In September, Eversheds hired arbitration partners Gaëlle Le Quillec and Julien Fouret in Paris; and in London, the firm brought on international arbitration specialist Claire Stockford in August. In Singapore, where the firm operates as locally licensed Eversheds Harry Elias, international arbitration lawyer Shaun Leong was promoted to partner in September.

"International arbitration is the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle," said Kitts, describing the firm's Hong Kong disputes practice, which now offers a full range of services covering high court litigation, investigations, regulatory compliance and competition law matters.

Pang is the second senior disputes hire Eversheds made in Hong Kong in recent months. Earlier this year, the firm recruited former Slaughter and May Hong Kong partner Mark Hughes, who also starts Jan. 6 and focuses on government investigations and related high-stakes litigation.

Hughes said Eversheds' Hong Kong disputes team is now well-positioned as work picks up in 2020. "Key market regulators and prosecutorial authorities in Hong Kong, including the [Securities and Futures Commission, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Independent Commission Against Corruption], continue to focus on corporate governance and good conduct," said Hughes. "This is likely to result in further investigations and proceedings."

Hughes also expects the ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions to result in more disputes. "They could come from any number of areas, including distressed assets, non-payment and insolvencies, including enforcement, together with onshore and multijurisdictional shareholder disputes," he said.

Eversheds has about 18 lawyers focusing on disputes in Hong Kong. In addition to Hughes and Pang, other partners include practice head Mark Yeadon, commercial litigator Rachael Shek, competition law partner Adam Ferguson and investigations specialist John Siu.

|

Related stories:

Eversheds Sutherland Hires Slaughter and May Hong Kong Disputes Partner