Allen & Overy has relocated London partner Gary McLean to Hong Kong and has named him head of the firm’s Asia-Pacific corporate practice. The move underscores the firm’s expanded corporate presence across Asia, which includes their recent office openings in Jakarta and Australia. Mr. McLean, who has been with A&O since 1988 and a partner since 1996. He had previously worked at the firm’ Hong Kong office and focuses his practice on M&A, asset financing, outsourcing transactions, joint ventures and corporate recovery work. More recently, Mr. McLean served as US counsel to the international underwriters for the Agricultural Bank of China, the work’s largest IPO.

Sheppard Mullin has added Jenny Liu, previously with DLA Piper’s Beijing office, as Special Counsel at their Shanghai office.

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Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati will launch a new office in Hong Kong, its second in Asia after opening a Shanghai office in 2008. The new office will include Weiheng Chen, recently hired from Milbank, who has been named as the Co-head of Wilson Sonsini’s China practice. Mr. Chen will work in collaboration with the firm’s current head of China, Carmen Chang, in opening the office in the coming months. The expansion into Hong Kong is due to the volume of Chinese cross-border transactions and the move of many US client operations of China, said Wilson Sonsini CEO Steve Bochner.

Minter Ellison has officially opened its third office in Greater China, with the recent opening of its Beijing office. Minter which has had offices in Hong Kong since the early 1980s and a Shanghai office since 1999, will focus it’s Beijing practice on outbound M&A and inbound and outbound investment opportunities. The team in Beijing will include partner Sam Farrands, as well as lawyers Tim Knowles, Andrew Thomson and Kevin Zhou.

From November 30 until December 1, 2010, the Brazil Investment Summit will be held at The Conrad, Hong Kong. Hosted by FinanceAsia, there will be in-depth discussions and presentations utilizing Brazil as a case study for success during a global recession to determine successful strategies and opportunities for Asian investors. The conference is designed to bring together influential Asian financial market participants exploring investment opportunities in Brazil, including banks, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, investors in commodities and natural resources and service providers. Attendance will be beneficial to gaining insight into Brazil as an emerging market, along with identifying other investment opportunities around the world and future possibilities.

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Mid-Level Corporate Associate - Hong Kong

The Hong Kong office of this elite firm is seeking a mid-level associate with at least two years of practical post-qualification experience handling public offerings and general corporate matters. Ideal candidates possess Hong Kong qualifications and fluent Mandarin language skills. Candidates with U.S. JDs, or especially strong P.R.C.-qualified attorneys, will also be considered if they have a strong understanding of the Hong Kong Market.

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Baker & McKenzie has hired Paul Elliott as the firm’s Asia Pacific Head of Project Finance. Elliot has extensive expertise advising clients on project, structured and cross-border financings, along with debt restructuring, in the power, oil, gas & petrochemicals, telecoms, transportation and water industries. Having practiced in England, Hong Kong, Thailand and New Zealand over a thirty year career, Elliot most recently lead the firm’s Finance and Projects practice group in Singapore. The assignment Elliot is set to begin on September 1, 2010 was created in response to increasing demands for integrated advice from clients involved in significant regional infrastructure projects.

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On Tuesday, July 27, 2010 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the New York offices of Shearman & Sterling, LLP, the Chinese Business Lawyers Association (“CBLA”) is sponsoring an Asia Summer Networking  Event. The program brings together leading lawyers to converse with  CBLA members and friends in a casual, accessible setting. This program is specifically geared for individuals interested in practicing in, or related to, Asia to meet and network. The CBLA is a New York-based non-profit organization that provides a unique forum of professional and social exchanges for professionals with an interest in law and business in the U.S. and China without regard to geographic location, ethnicity and language.

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Managing Partner - Hong Kong

This global law firm is looking for a partner with substantial experience in corporate private equity or in real estate with a mainland China-focused practice for its Hong Kong office. Prefer candidates with on the ground experience, a significant book of business and outstanding reputation in the market. The firm is committed to the growth of their China practice and will match or exceed current compensation levels. Ideal candidates will have a book of business of at least 1.5 million, though the firm will consider other partners, counsel or senior associates. For senior partners, they must possess a book of business between 3m to 4m.Must have top academics and major law firm experience. Candidates must be U.S. qualified. Language skills, including Chinese, English, French, German and/or Russian, are a plus, but are not required. Read more…

Mid-Level Corporate Finance Lawyer - Hong Kong

Top-tier international firm seeks a mid-level lawyer with substantial experience in corporate finance for its Hong Kong office. Candidates must have three to four years of post-qualification experience handling general corporate finance matters. Must also have strong Hong Kong IPO experience, along with Mandarin language skills.  Read More…

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According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global foreign investment dropped 39% to around $1 trillion in 2009, against a high of $1.97 trillion in 2007.  During this time, China had foreign exchange reserves amounting to $2.4 trillion, accounting for 30.7 percent of the world total.  Amidst this backdrop, Chinese companies increased their overseas direct investments (ODI’s) and many of these investments were backed by the Chinese Government.

A particularly prominent ODI was Aluminum Corporation of China’s (Chinalco) acquistion of 12% of Rio Tinto in February 2008.  This purchase was featured in international headlines but its termination in 2009 inspired China to consider a broad overhaul of its rules governing how Chinese companies invest abroad.

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Although thousands of attorneys will work with a recruiter this year, most will spend less time evaluating recruiters than they do researching airfares on the Internet.  A recruiter should play a much larger role in the job-search process than simply relaying information about opportunities, especially when it comes to Asia based assignments.  Unlike the practice of law, the legal-recruiting profession is not regulated and does not require any type of license. Yet using a recruiter involves temporarily entrusting the course of your career to another person. As many recruiters turn their attention to the Asia legal markets with the domestic economic downturn, we thought it timely to suggest the following questions when interviewing a potential recruiter to determine their experience and expertise in the Asia legal markets.  There are many excellent legal recruiters out there, but not all recruiters are created equal and, most importantly, only a handful of recruiters have yet to gain the experience and the knowledge that the Asia legal recruiting field demands.

How long has the recruiter been working in the country of your choice? Cypress was launched in 2001, long before the Asian markets stepped into the world’s economic spotlight and became the focus of the world’s attention. As the first and only US-based legal recruiting firm to specialize exclusively on law firm and in-house placements in the China, India, Japan, Singapore and South Korea legal markets, Cypress has built unparalleled relationships with the Hiring and Managing Partners of top-tier US and UK law firms as well as domestic and international corporations. With our narrow focus and profound understanding of the market, Cypress is uniquely positioned to provide accurate and up-to-date information regarding job opportunities as well as logistical, cultural and practical advice organic to the region.

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Cypress is proud to announce its partnership with the Chinese Business and Legal Association (CBLA).  Check out their website (www.cblalaw.org) for information on CBLA, upcoming events and their CBLA Summer 2010 Newsletter.