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  • July 25, 2013 |

    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.

    1 minute read

  • July 17, 2013 |

    Vinson Shanghai energy partner joins Sidley after office closure announcement

    Sidley Austin has ramped up its Singapore energy practice with the hire of M&A partner Tju Liang from Vinson & Elkins in Shanghai. The hire comes just days after Vinson announced plans to close the Shanghai base later this year.

    1 minute read

  • July 9, 2013 |

    Gibson Dunn recruits Hogan Lovells energy partner in first hire since QFLP award

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired Hogan Lovells' energy head for South East Asia Brad Roach in its first move to bolster the number of partners in the region since receiving a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence in February. The Los Angeles head-quartered firm, which previously said it would look to supplement its existing M&A, energy and infrastructure practices in Singapore, as well as adding arbitration to its offering, now counts four partners in the island city-state in addition to 12 legal staff.

    1 minute read

  • July 2, 2013 |

    Jones Day grows Hong Kong team with hire of Orrick finance partner

    Jones Day has grown its Hong Kong office with the appointment of banking and finance partner Michelle Taylor from US rival Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. Taylor, who was previously the Asia managing partner for Orrick in Hong Kong before IP partner Xiang Wang took over the role in April, joins Jones Day with one associate, and boosts the total number of partners at the firm's Hong Kong office to 18.

    1 minute read

  • July 1, 2013 |

    Sidley and Jones Day post healthy autumn NQ retention rates in London

    The London office of Sidley Austin has achieved a 100% trainee retention rate for its September intake, with all nine of the firm's autumn qualifiers accepting offers in their first-choice practice areas. Several of the US firm's newly qualified (NQ) lawyers were offered places in more than one practice group in the office, and it is understood that at least one practice group was left disappointed when it did not receive any trainees. However, the firm does not have any current plans to expand its trainee intake numbers.

    1 minute read

  • June 26, 2013 |

    DLA US partner accused of false taxi expense claims totalling $69,000

    A DLA Piper Chicago partner has been accused of a raft of false expenses claims, including fabricating taxi receipts worth a total of $69,000 (£45,000) over a six-year period. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC), which investigates and prosecutes misconduct complaints against lawyers, earlier this month filed a complaint alleging that Lee Smolen submitted more than 800 requests for reimbursement for taxi rides "he knew he had not taken", while a partner at US firm Sidley Austin between 2007 and 2012.

    1 minute read

  • June 25, 2013 |

    CC recruits Latham partner to head Singapore funds practice

    Clifford Chance (CC) has recruited Latham & Watkins partner Kai Schneider to lead the firm's funds team in Singapore. Schneider, who was previously based in Dubai as head of the US firm's funds practice for the Middle East and Africa, will join CC in Singapore to lead the funds and investment practice in the office, replacing Han Ming Ho, who is due to leave CC for Sidley Austin.

    1 minute read

  • May 23, 2013 |

    BLP, Olswang and DLA Piper among firms eyeing tie-ups with Singapore outfits

    Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), King & Spalding, Olswang, DLA Piper and K&L Gates are among a group of international law firms eyeing tie-ups with local firms in Singapore after missing out on licences to launch their own local practices earlier this year. The firms have confirmed they would be open to a partnership with a Singaporean outfit, with some looking at a Joint Law Venture (JLV) and others considering a Formal Law Alliance (FLA). All were among 19 unsuccessful applicants for Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licences.

    1 minute read

  • May 23, 2013 |

    Open season – the influx of global firms making their mark in Singapore

    From the top of the world's most expensive casino building in Marina Bay, Singapore's central business district is an impressive sight. Overlooking the water, an array of glittering silver skyscrapers bear the names of banks, insurance companies and luxury hotel brands, while a mix of local landmarks, shopping malls and restaurants keep tourists happy. The scene, in all its grandeur, reflects not only the sunlight, but the commercial achievements of a city that has now become a hub for southeast Asia, with Singapore now ranked as one of the four leading financial centres in the world. Alongside Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, it is also one of the Four Asian Tigers.

    1 minute read

  • May 7, 2013 |

    Sidley Austin bulks up in Singapore with Morgan Lewis & Bockius partner

    Sidley Austin has taken further steps to ramp up its Singapore practice this week with the hire of Morgan Lewis Bockius M&A partner Gregory Salathé. The US firm was one of the four international outfits granted a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence in the Asian city-state in February this year, allowing it to advise on local law.

    1 minute read