Shearman & Sterling law firm news

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is the latest in a long line of elite US firms to undergo localisation following the moves of other Hong Kong-based US firms – most recently Davis Polk and Latham & Watkins which underwent the same process in 2010.

A deal that is indicative of a turn in tide for the shipping sector, Shearman Sterling, Latham & Watkins and K&L Gates have all play a role in advising one of the biggest shipping-related private equity financing deals to date.

Bahrain’s first-ever wastewater treatment plant – also one of the first wastewater PPP deals in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – heralds the start of the government’s drive to develop infrastructure in a number of sectors, using PPPs as the key procurement model.

Freehills partner Adam Stapledon is the latest senior lawyer to defect to Allen & Overy and is set to join the firm’s Sydney office in April.

With the increasing trade between China and Latin America, Shenzhen-based Guanghe has become the first PRC firm to establish an office in Latin America. The firm has recently set up a branch in Uruguay, which is operated under the name Guanghe Sud-America.

随着中国与南美贸易的增长，深圳广和近日在南美乌拉圭成立分所--广和（南美）律师事务所，这也是目前南美的第一家中国律所。

Shearman & Sterling has elected seven counsels to the partnership across its worldwide platform. Significantly for Asia and the Middle East, new partners will be elected in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi.

Beijing-based FenXun Partners has recently hired former Skaddens associate Sue Liu as partner. Liu’s main practice areas includes advising clients on fund formation and structuring, and M&As and public listings of asset management firms.

奋迅律师事务所近日招募了基金律师柳宇华加盟该所成为合伙人。柳宇华在美国世达律师事务所纽约总部执业多年，主要从事基金设立， 资产管理机构的并购与投资，以及基金发起人和管理人上市的工作。

David Lavery, an oil & gas, LNG and mining specialist based in Minter Ellison’s Perth office, has joined King & Spalding as counsel in the firm’s Abu Dhabi office. Lavery is the second energy expert to join the firm’s Abu Dhabi office this year and 15th energy addition to King & Spalding’s global practice in the past 24 months. “The energy sector continues to be of strategic importance to the firm,” King & Spalding global energy practice co-leader Philip Weems said.

Brazil’s Vale, the world’s largest iron ore producer and second largest diversified mining company, has engaged a list of legal advisors including Norton Rose and Cleary Gottlieb to advise on its Hong Kong float.

巴西Vale矿业集团近日通过股票凭证或预托证券的方式在香港上市。

Patrick Heid has recently left Shearman & Sterling, where he was associate, to head up the German firm Graf von Westphalen 's Shanghai office.

曾任美国谢尔曼•思特灵律师事务所上海代表处律师的Patrick Heid近日加盟了德国律所Graf von Westphalen担任该所上海办事处主任。

The rise of intra-Asian trade and investment has ignited a swell of opportunities for international disputes, resulting in a growing amount of arbitration instruction hailing from emerging jurisdictions such as India and the Middle East, according to Singapore-based Clyde & Co partner Steven Lim.

Midas, a leading manufacturer of aluminium alloy extrusion products, is the first Singapore-listed company to take advantage of an additional channel for capital-raising in Hong Kong. Earlier this year, changes to the HKSE listing rules saw a relaxation of criteria for companies to secondary list on the HKSE – in particular companies from the mining and petroleum sector – an option that few companies have exercised thus far.

Milbank has poached Mallesons Stephen Jacques partner Dieter Yih (who is also the vice-president of the Law Society of Hong Kong) to capitalise on the IPO listings boom in Hong Kong and benefit from strong deal activity in mainland China.

US firm Duane Morris has secured approval from the Singapore Ministry of Law to launch a joint law venture (JLV) with local firm Arfat Selvam Alliance.

Following the hire of veteran attorney David Yang, Shin & Kim has launched a specialist team for the Latin American region – a first for Korean law firms.

Asia will undergo infrastructure and arbitration booms in the next ten years and the expanding market has room to accommodate more foreign law practices.