White & Case has brought in Francis Zou from Allen & Overy’s US China group to rebuild its global banking practice. The firm has also promoted five lawyers internally following the loss of 13 partners across its UK, US and Middle East offices earlier this year.

Zou, who joined Allen & Overy’s New York office in 2007, takes up the partnership position working under global banking head Eric Berg. The firm is counting on Zou’s experience with Chinese clients for new work: “He has significant background working with top Chinese commercial banks and corporations that will greatly increase our cross-border opportunities for serving these companies, especially as they ramp up their activities in the US and other key markets, including Asia and Latin America,” said Berg.

Zou’s appointment is also expected to help bridge together the firm’s US and Asia banking practices: “With Chinese banks and corporations increasingly looking at overseas acquisitions, Francis will help cement the connections between our Asia and Americas bank finance practices …” said head of Asia, Barrye Wall.

In addition, the firm has promoted three banking & finance lawyers to partner in its London, Moscow and Prague offices respectively, and two M&A lawyers to partner in the Middle East.

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