Baker McKenzie Bolsters Hong Kong With TMT Lawyer Hire

Baker McKenzie has hired a senior lawyer in Hong Kong specializing in entertainment and media matters.

Lex Kuo, who is U.S.-qualified, rejoins the firm as a foreign registered lawyer in Hong Kong and will be the equivalent of a partner at the firm. He was most recently counsel at Latham & Watkins' Shanghai office. Kuo advises producers, distributors and financiers of media content on transactions, licensing agreements, and regulatory matters such as data privacy. He has a particular focus on gaming and e-sports.

Kuo joined Latham in 2016 after a brief stint with Covington & Burling in Beijing. Before that, he worked as an in-house counsel with Walt Disney Co. in the Chinese capital. Earlier in his career, he practiced for three years with Baker McKenzie in Shanghai.

Kuo will work closely with other lawyers in Baker McKenzie's technology, media and telecommunications group in Greater China, including Shanghai partners Howard Wu and Jay Ruan and Hong Kong partner Paolo Sbuttoni, the firm said.

"The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the increased spending power of Generation Z, has accelerated the boom for online entertainment, media apps and video games," said Raffaele Giarda, Baker McKenzie's Rome-based global TMT head.

Kuo's experiences and knowledge of the Chinese market will help the firm better position itself as clients recover from the pandemic, Giarda added.

In addition to Kuo, Baker McKenzie, through its Malaysian member firm Wong & Partners, also recently hired intellectual property and technology partner Sonia Ong, a former associate with the firm.

And in Australia, the firm hired Helen Macpherson, an experienced and highly respected intellectual property and technology partner, from Norton Rose Fulbright.