Merrill Lynch news

Targeting growth overseas has helped boost US firms' turnover during a difficult economic period. Deciding how best to tackle Hong Kong remains open for debate. Stephen Mulrenan re

Described as an English badge, the select few UK firms considered part of the so-called ‘magic circle’, have the found that the term isn’t quite the stamp of approval in Hong Kong as it is in London. Stephen Mulrenan finds out why.

Allen & Overy is adding four capital markets lawyers to its Tokyo operations as it targets an increasing number of structured products coming to the market in Japan.

By defying the worldwide destruction of private wealth, Asia's super-rich are flying in the face of a global trend. Jeremy Torr reports.

* M&As, IPOs, securitizations and other financing firsts * Worth over US$50bn in value * Involving more than 10 different jurisdictions * And more than 30 of Asia’s most reputable law firms

Allen & Overy in Tokyo advised Merrill Lynch Japan Securities and UFJ Tsubasa Securites as arrangers of a jumbo synthetic collateralised loan obligation (CLO) transaction, structured to manage credit risk and obtain capital relief for UFJ Bank Limited, one of the Japanese "mega-banks".

The management committee at US firm Dewey Ballantine has been doing its best in recent weeks to contain a PR faux pas that has threatened at times to escalate out of control.

Though it operates on a longer timeline than a Tolstoy novel, tax and trust work isn't immune to market forces. How has the practice fared in these lean economic times for Hong Kong and Singapore lawyers? Dave Major reports

After tough times, more optimism is pervading the capital markets scene. While firms focus more on debt than equity, more complex structures are expected

Linklaters has bolstered its practice in Japan with the hiring of David Deck, the managing partner of Shearman & Sterling's Tokyo office.

This year has not lived up to expectations. As part of its ongoing series of Roundtables, ALB has brought together leaders of Asia's securitisation industry to discuss the stalled development and 'cautious optimism' for the future

The final quarter of 2003 proved a lucrative one for the securitisation team at Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker.

What were the top deals of 2003? ALB set itself the difficult task of singling out the 10 most innovative, groundbreaking and significant deals of the year in the Asia-Pacific region. And here's what we came up with ...

Australian Legal Business takes a look at the top deals of 2003 - and the lawyers who helped to make them happen

Allen & Overy has strengthened its international capital markets (ICM) practice in Singapore with the hire of White & Case associate Jeremy Stoupas from London.

Sullivan & Cromwell is targeting further mandates in China with the appointment of Calvin Lai as special counsel and head of its Beijing office.

Allen & Overy and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have been kept busy of late acting on a series of 'firsts' in Bangkok.

Hwang Mok Park counsel Joshua Margolis has left the Korean firm to join Merrill Lynch in Seoul.

Allen & Overy and Davis Polk & Wardwell have both advised on the US$785m equity offering by ICICI Bank Limited.

Clifford Chance has continued to help the Hong Kong government raise funds in an effort to cut its budget deficit by advising on its inaugural global bond offering.