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International Edition

Davis Polk rejects $1.4m headhunter claim over Hong Kong hires

Davis Polk & Wardwell has dismissed a $1.4m lawsuit filed against it by Asian legal recruiter Alan Metz in New York on the grounds that his claims are "entirely without merit" and "fail as a matter of law". The US firm, which is being represented by disputes attorney William Gyves from Epstein Becker & Green, said it never accepted Metz's offer of recruiting services for the hire of former Clifford Chance Hong Kong litigators Martin Rogers and James Wadham last year, and is therefore under no legal obligation to pay him.
4 minute read

International Edition

SJ Berwin-King & Wood Mallesons merger gets green light creating $1bn global giant

SJ Berwin has sealed its merger with Asia-Pacific giant King & Wood Mallesons (KWM), creating a $1bn (£657m) firm, with the SJ Berwin name set to disappear after a transitional period. The tie-up, which marks the first major merger between a UK and an Asia-Pacific firm, will go live from November this year after partner voting closed today (31 July).
7 minute read

International Edition

US firm Blank Rome closes Hong Kong office as partners depart

Blank Rome has closed its Hong Kong office, making it the latest international outfit to downsize in Asia. The US firm, which made its regional debut in Hong Kong in October 2006, said it was realigning its resources in response to client demand and had shut the base on July 27.
2 minute read

International Edition

KWM-SJB merger nears decision time with Australia, HK partner vote

King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) partners will vote tomorrow (31 July) on its keenly anticipated tie-up with UK outfit SJ Berwin. The firm's Hong Kong and Australia partnerships will hold two separate meetings tomorrow - for which two hours have been allotted - starting simultaneously at 1pm Hong Kong time and 3pm Sydney time, at which they will cast their votes.
3 minute read

International Edition

Indian outfit set for four international launches in NY, London and Asia

Indian law firm Singh & Associates is to launch four international offices in New York, Singapore, London and Hong Kong by the end of 2014 to tap an anticipated surge in inbound investment deals into the subcontinent. The New Delhi headquartered outfit, whose international footprint is currently limited to an alliance with China's Guangda Law Firm in Beijing and a small satellite office in New York, wants to have a fully functional base in each of the jurisdictions by the end of next year, with a minimum of two lawyers located at each.
3 minute read

International Edition

Davis Polk and Sidley act on China search engine giant's $1.9bn app store purchase

Davis Polk & Wardwell and Sidley Austin have taken the lead roles on China search engine giant Baidu's $1.9bn (£1.2bn) buyout of app store 91 Wireless. Baidu is set to purchase the entire share capital of the Chinese app distributor as it seeks to boost its profile in the mobile internet market. Under the terms of the transaction, Baidu will buy a 57.41% stake in the company from parent and online game developer Netdragon and the remaining equity interest from other shareholders.
2 minute read

International Edition

Simmons overhauls Asia parental leave policy as firm looks to gain edge over rivals

Simmons & Simmons has revamped its Asia parental leave policies, offering all new mothers up to 20 weeks' leave across its offices in the region. The UK top 20 firm now offers all lawyers and support staff across its five Asian offices – located in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore – 16 weeks' maternity leave on full pay, followed by an optional additional four weeks' unpaid leave after the birth of a child. The scheme was voted through earlier this month, and applies with immediate effect to all new mothers who have been employed at the firm for at least a year.
3 minute read

International Edition

Legal Week Law – quarterly peer review

Social media and contractual obligations are the top topics as we look back at the best briefings from the past three months
1 minute read

International Edition

Global H1 2013 M&A overview

An overview of the biggest deals from the past six months, with mandates for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Cravath Swaine & Moore and Hogan Lovells.
1 minute read

International Edition

King & Wood Mallesons partners to vote on SJ Berwin merger this month

Partners at King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) are set to vote on the proposed merger with SJ Berwin this month, as their counterparts at the UK firm gear up to begin their own vote this week. Partners across KWM's offices in China, Hong Kong and Australia are set to vote on the potential tie-up before the end of July, with 75% approval required in order for the merger to progress.
2 minute read

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