Eversheds Sutherland has hired Slaughter and May disputes partner Mark Hughes in Hong Kong – a rare departure from the Magic Circle firm.

Hughes, who will start at Eversheds in January next year, advises on a broad range of disputes matters, including complex, cross-border litigation, international arbitration and regulatory investigations. He has advised Hong Kong-listed entities on inquiries and investigations by the Securities and Futures Commission, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and in related criminal prosecutions.

He has been based in Slaughter and May's Hong Kong office since 2010, having first joined the firm in London in 2001 as a trainee. He made partner in 2012.

Eversheds' Asia disputes practice is led by Hong Kong partner Mark Yeadon, who also joined from Slaughter and May in 2010, after spending more than two decades with the Magic Circle firm. In addition to Yeadon, the disputes team in Hong Kong includes three more partners – commercial litigator Rachael Shek, competition law partner Adam Ferguson and investigations specialist John Siu. They are supported by more than 15 associates and of counsel.

"Hughes' arrival sends a clear message to the market of our determination to build one of the leading disputes practices in Asia," said Stephen Kitts, Eversheds' Hong Kong-based Asia managing partner.

Kitts said Hughes' hire represents the firm's commitment to Hong Kong, its regional headquarters for Asia. He added that the Hong Kong office has more than doubled in size during the past three years. In July, the firm moved into a 22,000-square-foot new office in Hong Kong's Quarry Bay district.

"We have successfully established the key practice groups and now the focus moves towards strength in depth as we build out some of those teams," he said, noting that the firm has added new practice areas including competition, funds, private equity and M&A, intellectual property and financial services regulatory.

In addition to Hughes, former Securities and Futures Commission trial lawyer Siu joined Eversheds last year and Shek joined in 2017. Both joined from Herbert Smith Freehills.

Slaughter and May Hong Kong litigation partner Wynne Mok will lead the firm's Asia disputes practice. Mok joined the firm in 2018 from the Securities and Futures Commission, where she was a director of enforcement.

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