The U.K. firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain has hired Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe's former Hong Kong commercial litigation and international arbitration head Charles Allen as a partner.

Allen has a broad practice, advising on business disputes as well as regulatory investigations and employment law issues. He left Orrick in February after almost three years with the firm.

Allen joined Orrick as a partner in 2016 just months before a seven-partner team, led by global capital markets head Edwin Luk and global private equity co-head Maurice Hoo, left to launch Morgan, Lewis & Bockius's Hong Kong office in early 2017.

Previously, Allen was a partner and led the Hong Kong commercial litigation practice at Sidley Austin. He joined Sidley in 2002 as counsel and made partner in 2007. Before that, he was an associate at Simmons & Simmons for five years and practised at Clifford Chance in Hong Kong and London for six years.

Orrick has 12 lawyers, including four partners, based in Hong Kong. In addition, mergers and acquisitions partner Mark Weeks and energy and infrastructure of counsel Jae-Hyon Ahn split their time between Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Reynolds Porter has 23 lawyers, including seven partners, in Hong Kong. The firm has lost about 18 lawyers, including three partners, in the past 12 months. Hong Kong-based insurance partner Antony Sassi, who was appointed Asia managing partner in November, said commercial disputes is a key area the firm is looking to expand.

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