Ashurst has recruited a corporate partner in Hong Kong from DLA Piper—part of an effort to expand its transactions capabilities and develop its brand in North Asia.

Melody He-Chen, dual-qualified in Hong Kong and the U.S., advises on capital markets transactions and mergers and acquisitions, especially Chinese companies' Hong Kong listings. Last year, she represented Guotai Junan Capital Ltd. and other underwriters on Chinese mobile game developer FriendTimes Inc.'s $58 million initial public offering in Hong Kong.

Chen joined DLA Piper in 2015 from Morrison & Foerster, where she was also a partner in Hong Kong. Before joining the U.S. firm in 2012, Chen practiced with Herbert Smith in Hong Kong for six years, making partner in 2011.

Chen's hire is part of the firm's effort to bolster a Hong Kong-based equity capital markets practice. U.S. securities partner Stuart Rubin recently relocated to London. In 2018, Ashurst hired former Slaughter and May counsel Frank Bi as a corporate partner in Hong Kong.

Sydney partner Mark Stanbridge, who took over from Rubin as Asia head of corporate transactions, said Chen's arrival will help broaden and deepen the firm's transactions capabilities and develop its brand in the North Asian markets.

Ashurst lost a pair of equity capital markets and corporate partners Lina Lee and Jonathan Hsui to Allen & Overy in 2016. In 2017, the firm briefly had former Linklaters capital markets partner Chik Pui Hong; Chik left in 2018.

Hong Kong topped world's IPO markets in 2019 with $40.3 billion in total funds raised, despite a significant drop in deal counts.

|

Related stories:

Ashurst recruits Linklaters China partner in trio of Asia-Pac hires