Simmons & Simmons has sealed a joint law venture (JLV) with Singapore best friend firm JWS Asia Law, which will allow the UK firm to offer local law advice.

The JLV, which went live today (1 November), will operate as as Simmons & Simmons JWS, and will offer both international and Singapore law advice.

JWS is a three-partner corporate boutique focusing on asset management and investment fund work.

Commenting on the new venture, Simmons managing partner Jeremy Hoyland said: "Simmons & Simmons JWS will form an integral part of our business in Asia, alongside our offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo, and will work closely with our lawyers from right across our network."

Hoyland added that the practice, which takes the firm's partner count to eight in Singapore, fits with Simmons' sector focus on asset management, investment funds and financial institutions.

In July, Watson Farley & Williams announced plans to end its JLV in Singapore. The firm had launched the JLV in 2011, creating a combined practice of 12 partners and 44 fee earners, including five partners from local banking, corporate and litigation firm Asia Practice.

In contrast, many international firms have been gaining local capabilities in the city-state. In November last year, Herbert Smith Freehills formalised its alliance with local best friend firm Prolegis under a Formal Law Alliance (FLA), following in the footsteps of Withers, which signed an FLA with Singapore's KhattarWong in February of the same year.

However, other local partnerships have ended during past years, in part as the Singapore authorities have handed out a limited number of local practice licences, which allow international firms to practise in a number of areas, excluding matters such as domestic litigation and criminal work.

JLVs between Linklaters and Allen & Gledhill, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Drew & Napier, Clifford Chance (CC) and WongPartnership, and Allen & Overy and Shook Lin & Bok have all ended. CC subsequently entered an FLA with Cavenagh Law in 2012.