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International Edition

Mayer Brown in Johnson Stokes Asia merger

Mayer Brown is to merge with leading Hong Kong firm Johnson Stokes & Master. The deal, which will complete on 28 January, will dramatically increase the Anglo US firm's presence in Asia, handing it a seven-office network with more than 260 lawyers and a turnover of $160m (£80.5m).Talks between the two firms began four months ago after Johnson Stokes approached Mayer Brown. Johnson Stokes' 41 equity partners voted through the merger unanimously two days ago (26 January).Under the terms of the deal, Mayer Brown will practise as Mayer Brown JSM in Asia.
2 minute read

International Edition

UK firms cool on 'disappointing' Singapore plan

Plans to move forward with the long-awaited liberalisation of the Singapore legal market have been met with a lukewarm reaction from international firms operating in the jurisdiction, who say the new recommendations do not go far enough to open up the restrictive Asian market. The Singapore Government announced yesterday (6 December) that it will accept proposals made by a special committee to liberalise its legal sector, including a scheme to offer five foreign firms a license to practise local law by employing Singapore-qualified lawyers.
2 minute read

International Edition

Lovells becomes second City firm to target Asia IP with China trademark agency launch

Lovells has launched a domestic trademark agency in China making it the second UK firm to operate such a service.
2 minute read

International Edition

Halliwells and LG bag $400m Chinese AIM deal

Halliwells and LG have advised on one of the largest Alternative Investment Market (AIM) deals to come to market in recent months after property fund Pacific Alliance China Land raised $400m (£194m) for investment in China.
2 minute read

International Edition

Manx leader Cains set for '08 Singapore launch

Offshore heavyweight Cains is to launch a new office in Asia, it was announced today (14 November), in a move that marks an international debut for the offshore heavyweight. The Isle of Man-based commercial firm plans to launch a branch in Singapore by July 2008, with the new office serving as a hub for the whole Asia-Pacific region.
2 minute read

International Edition

Red alert

In the autumn of 2003, executives from Californian tech company UTStarcom stopped at a countryside restaurant in Vietnam to celebrate securing $30m (£14.4m) worth of telecoms contracts. A cobra was slaughtered and its heart presented to Tim Donovan, then head of global marketing. "It was still beating," recalled a former UTStarcom employee who was there. "It was probably the size, of a golf ball. He just ate it."
8 minute read

International Edition

Fears grow in push to open Asian markets

The liberalisation drives in both the India and Singapore legal markets are in danger of running out of steam, with new obstacles emerging in both jurisdictions. In Singapore international firms are braced for a disappointing outcome to the Government's long-awaited review of its joint venture (JV) model, which forces foreign firms to link up with Singapore outfits to practise local law.
2 minute read

International Edition

Sheppard Mullin hires two for Shanghai launch

US firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton has opened in Shanghai with the hire of new partners Joel Lutzker and Len Sorgi. In addition, senior M&A attorney Will Chuchawat is transferring to Shanghai from the US. Lutzker and Sorgi previously practised together at Schulte Roth & Zabel in New York. The new office will be headed by David Huebner, head of the firm's China practice and international disputes chief.
1 minute read

International Edition

Links heads off Herbies for ICBC Africa deal

Linklaters and South African firm Bowman Gilfillan have bagged lead roles on the acquisition by Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) of a R36.7bn (£2.7bn) stake in South African group Standard Bank. Linklaters' team was led in Beijing by M&A partners Celia Lam and Thomas Ng, with senior City corporate partner Charlie Jacobs heading up the team in London.
2 minute read

International Edition

Reed Smith to reap rewards of high-earning HK platform

Expansive US national law firm Reed Smith has secured a major platform for Asian growth after last Thursday (18 October) brokering its long-planned merger with Richards Butler's profitable Hong Kong arm.
5 minute read

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