The large Hong Kong firm Howse Williams has hired Kevin So as a litigation partner from Davis Polk & Wardwell, where he was counsel.

So specialises in civil and commercial disputes, including banking, insolvency, trusts and estates, and real estate matters. He also advises on regulatory matters, including criminal prosecutions and investigations by regulators and authorities such as the Securities and Futures Commission and the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

So joined Davis Polk in 2017 as an associate and was promoted to counsel the next year. Previously, he was an associate for more than seven years at Clifford Chance and trained at Mayer Brown.

In February, former litigation counsel Maria Sit also left Davis Polk and is now a partner at Dechert.

Howse Williams (Bowers) was launched in 2012 by a group of 20 lawyers from Reed Smith Richards Butler, led by former Hong Kong managing partner Chris Howse and partners Christopher Williams and Kevin Bowers. The firm dropped the 'Bowers' name in March, after Bowers left the firm in January and joined local firm Tanner De Witt as a consultant. Bowers, a litigator, was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice last year, according to local press reports.

Howse Williams is one of the largest independent local firms in Hong Kong, with more than 80 lawyers, including 27 partners.

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