Hogan Lovells and Mayer Brown have announced significant international recruitment today (9 December). Hogan Lovells has improved its disputes practice with the hire of Baker & McKenzie’s Hong Kong head of international arbitration James Kwan, while Mayer Brown has hired a three-lawyer team from Clifford Chance (CC) in Frankfurt to expand its M&A and restructuring practice.
Kwan is a high-profile arbitration practitioner whose work spans a wide range of industries including energy, infrastructure, life sciences, and technology.
Timothy Hill, head of the projects (engineering and construction) group of Hogan Lovells in Asia said: ‘With investment and trade rising in Asia as a result of globalisation, international arbitration is an increasingly important issue for companies doing business in the region.
‘James’ extensive practice across a wide range of industries will be a tremendous asset to our international arbitration team in Hong Kong and Asia, which counts some of the world’s largest companies in many sectors as its clients.’
The move follows Hogan Lovells’ hire of New York arbitration partner Samaa Haridi from Weil, Gotshal & Mange in June.
Meanwhile, Mayer Brown has hired CC partner André Schwanna, who departs the firm after seven years. With him, Schwanna brings senior associate Benjamin Büttner who joins Mayer Brown as partner, and counsel Alexander Täumer.
The team advises financial institutions and industrial companies in Germany and abroad on M&A transactions and corporate reorganisations, restructurings and crisis management, as well as tax structuring and other corporate matters.
Global corporate & securities practice co-leader Marc Sperber said the arrivals build on momentum after the firm hired Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton partner Klaus Riehmer earlier this year to head the firm’s Frankfurt and Düsseldorf corporate and securities practices.
victoria.young@legalease.co.uk
