King & Wood Mallesons has hired disputes partner Jessica Fei in Beijing from Herbert Smith Freehills.

Fei, who is qualified in the U.S. and China, represents Chinese state-owned enterprises in overseas disputes and foreign companies in China-related arbitration, specialising in matters related to energy, infrastructure and construction, trade, cross-border investment, manufacturing, distribution and intellectual property. According to a statement by King & Wood Mallesons, Fei is one of the few international disputes experts fluent in both English and Mandarin.

Fei leaves Herbert Smith Freehills after almost eight years with the firm. She joined legacy Herbert Smith as a partner in 2011 and stayed through the 2012 merger with Australia's Freehills. Previously, she was counsel at legacy Fulbright & Jaworski and the China disputes head at Singaporean firm WongPartnership.

Arbitration practitioners in China and Hong Kong are expecting more work from disputes arising from projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – a Chinese government-led major economic project that aims to build infrastructure across Asia, Europe and Africa. King & Wood Mallesons' China chairman, Zhang Yi, told Law.com's The Asian Lawyer last year that the BRI is a top priority for the firm.

Fei's departure leaves Herbert Smith Freehills with three disputes partners in China, according to its website. Helen Tang and Michelle Li are based in Shanghai, while Hew Kian Heong splits his time between Shanghai and Beijing. Li and Kian Heong, who both joined Herbert Smith Freehills in 2017 from Pinsent Masons, specialise in international projects and infrastructure disputes, including court litigation, arbitration and mediation. Tang made partner last year and focuses on compliance and investigation, as well as arbitration.

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King & Wood Mallesons Snaps Up Hong Kong Disputes Lawyer From Herbert Smith Freehills