Asia: BLP launches international arbitration practice in Hong Kong with local team hire

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has launched an arbitration practice in Hong Kong with the hire of a nine-strong team from local boutique Haley & Co, in a bid to ‘create a powerful international arbitration and real estate offering in the region’.

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Singapore scramble: Morgan Lewis teams up with Stamford Law to enter market

Singapore continues to be an attractive legal market for many Western law firms targeting the fast growing Asia-Pacific region with Morgan Lewis & Bockius being the latest to combine with a local outfit – teaming up with Stamford Law Corporation.

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A $4bn fund in Asia: Debevoise & Plimpton advises Baring Private Equity Asia on weighty fund raise

The Hong Kong office of Debevoise & Plimpton has secured a heavyweight instruction advising Baring Private Equity Asia on the formation of Fund VI, a $4bn fund believed to be the largest private equity fund ever raised by an Asia-based manager and one of the largest targeting the region. Offshore firm Maples and Calder also provided Cayman Islands counsel on the deal.

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Withers targets Asia through new Australian presence

The end of 2014 saw two Legal Business 100 firms open international offices targeting new markets. Private client leader Withers launched in Australia, creating Withers SBL through an alliance with Sydney tax practice Balazs Lazanas & Welch (BLW) and Melbourne-based corporate boutique SBL Shmith, while Penningtons Manches set its sights on the US with the opening of its first overseas office in San Francisco’s financial district.

Withers has hired immigration law partner Rita Chowdhury to head up, on its side, the alliance with its Australian partners BLW, which was established in 2009 by three former Baker & McKenzie tax partners and SBL Shmith, a Melbourne boutique led by former Ashurst corporate partner Justin Shmith.

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