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  • September 28, 2011 |

    Cracking China – has Mandarin become de rigueur for modern Asian counsel?

    For would-be new hires at several international law firms in China and Hong Kong, speaking Mandarin has come to be a strict and unyielding prerequisite. "Certainly from our point of view, hiring someone in Hong Kong without Chinese language speaking skills is a waste of time," says Antony Dapiran, a fluent Mandarin speaker and capital markets partner with Davis Polk & Wardwell in Hong Kong. "I honestly do not see how they can function, especially if they are dealing with capital markets work."

    1 minute read

  • September 15, 2011 |

    How the top international law firms stack up in Asia

    Clifford Chance: 366 lawyers across eight offices. Hong Kong - 138 lawyers including 32 partners, Singapore - 72 lawyers including 15 partners, Tokyo - 51 lawyers including nine partners, Shanghai - 22 lawyers including five partners, Beijing - 29 lawyers including six partners, Bangkok - 16 lawyers including two partners Sydney - 21 lawyers including seven partners Perth - 17 lawyers including seven partners Key deals include: • advising the underwriters on Prada's Hong Kong listing; • advising the underwriters on Glencore's dual listing in Hong Kong and London; and • advising the managers on Volkswagen's dim sum bond - the first by a German company.

    1 minute read

  • September 14, 2011 |

    Battle royale - the tussle for global dominance shifts eastward

    With elite Wall Street firms finally breaking into Hong Kong law, the stage is set for a high-stakes struggle across Asia between the world's top law firms. Georgina Stanley and Simon Petersen report

    1 minute read

  • August 22, 2011 |

    Cleary opens new LatAm base with partner relocations to Sao Paulo

    Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has opened for business in Sao Paulo after receiving approval to launch from the Brazilian authorities. Capital markets partner Juan Giraldez and corporate finance partner Francisco Cestero have relocated from New York and Rome respectively to head up the new base.

    1 minute read

  • August 9, 2011 |

    Kirkland adds eight partners in Hong Kong with Skadden, Latham and A&O hires

    Kirkland & Ellis has significantly bulked up its Asia arm with the hire of seven partners from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins and Allen & Overy (A&O). Skadden Asia corporate co-heads Nicholas Norris and Dominic Tsun resigned from Skadden last Friday (5 August) to join Kirkland alongside corporate partner Li-Chien Wong. Norris has been at Skadden since 2005, when he joined from Simmons & Simmons, where he was the UK firm's Asia corporate head.

    1 minute read

  • August 3, 2011 |

    The great game – can British firms retain their upper hand in Hong Kong?

    Though Hong Kong formally reverted to Chinese rule 14 years ago, it often feels as if the British are still in charge. Place names like Victoria Peak and Queen's Road remain unchanged and expatriates from Essex and Kent continue to throng the bars of Lan Kwai Fong. Pub favourites are as easily available as dim sum.

    1 minute read

  • August 1, 2011 |

    Herbert Smith Asia managing partner leaving to join Hong Kong regulator

    Herbert Smith's Asia managing partner is resigning to become chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), reports The Asian Lawyer. Ashley Alder is set to leave Herbert Smith - where he has been Asia head since 2005 - on 30 September, when he will take up the top job at the Hong Kong regulator.

    1 minute read

  • August 1, 2011 |

    Uria, Linklaters and Davis Polk advise on €3bn Spanish bank IPO

    Uria Menendez has taken the lead role for Spanish banking conglomerate Bankia on its €3bn (£2.6bn) initial public offering (IPO). The IPO, reportedly Spain's third-largest of all time, saw 824 million new shares made available at €3.75 per share, with trading on the Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia stock exchanges kicking off on 20 July.

    1 minute read

  • July 11, 2011 |

    Davis Polk signs up Mayer Brown partner duo for Brazil launch

    Davis Polk & Wardwell has hired two partners from Mayer Brown, as the New York firm gears up to launch in Brazil. Banking and finance partners James Vickers and Stephen Hood are set to join Davis Polk in the coming months to help launch the firm's Sao Paulo office, with the departures leaving Mayer Brown with just one partner in Brazil, securities lawyer Ricardo Gonzalez.

    1 minute read

  • July 1, 2011 |

    Elite US trio added to Barclays panel after review of bank's advisers

    Barclays has added three US firms to its general advisory panel, following a comprehensive panel review intended to increase value for money from the bank's regular advisers. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Shearman & Sterling and Sullivan & Cromwell have been added to the bank's main general advisory panel after Barclays decided to include the creation of a US sub-division for the first time.

    1 minute read