International firms

 • International law firms, with a few exceptions, experienced only modest gains on the partner and fee-earner front compared to the same period last year
• Strong emphasis on growing Asia-based talent through partner promotions
• Firms more willing to look to inorganic means for practice development including mergers and alliances
• Planning for the next downturn? More emphasis placed on growing counter-cyclical practice areas (dispute resolution, insolvency & restructuring) as well as recession-proof areas (energy & resources)

Eversheds

• Managing partners: Nick Seddon, managing director Hong Kong, Desmond Ong, managing director Singapore, Peter Corne, managing director China
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 14/32
• Asian offices: Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai

2009 will be remembered as the year in which Eversheds’ Asia strategy finally fell into place. Not only did the firm open two new offices in this period – Singapore and Hong Kong – but it also dipped into the local employment market across Asia in a big way. The firm’s hires in this period include Desmond Ong, banking partners King Tak Fung and Michael Yau, litigation partners Ivan Ng, Ronald Sum and William Leung, and corporate partner Sze Hui Goh – all from DLA Piper. On top of this the firm saw its revenues in the region increase by 59% for the period ending April 2009.

JSM

• Managing partner: Elaine Lo, Asia chair and senior partner
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 78/220
• Asian offices: Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok

Summary:

JSM's partner and fee earner growth in this period sees them again in the ALB Fast 30. In 2009 the firm’s partner headcount increased by 9% and its fee earner stocks swelled by just over 4%. In addition to the lateral hire of energy specialist Jack Su from Lovells in late 2008, the firm also relocated two of its partners: Mark Uhrynuk from London in January 2009 and Geofrey Master from Washington DC in October 2009. Elaine Lo was again crowned ‘Managing Partner of the Year’ at the ALB Hong Kong Law Awards for this year, an honour she shared with Baker & McKenzie’s Asia-Pacific Chairman Poh Lee Tan.

K&L Gates

• Managing partner: David Tang
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 21/70
• Asian offices: Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai

Summary:

The firm launched its fifth Asia office – and 32nd worldwide – earlier this year when it opened in Singapore under the guidance of former DLA Piper partner Kevin Murphy. On the lateral hire front the firm welcomed Raja Bose as partner. Bose has been charged with the task of launching the firm’s international arbitration practice in Asia. K&L Gates has said they will be looking locally, and internationally, for talent to bring this area to critical mass in 2010.

Norton Rose

• Managing partners: David Stannard, Hong Kong and Asia; Campbell Steedman, Phillip John, Bangkok; Peter Burrows, Beijing; Jim James, Shanghai; Jeff Smith, Singapore; Chris Viner, Tokyo
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 38/130
• Asian offices: Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Jakarta (associate office), Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok

One of six international law firms to be awarded a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence by the Singapore Government to advise on specific commercial Singaporean law matters, Norton Rose has registered impressive growth by all measures this year.  Not only did it bolster its partner numbers by 26%, but also increased its cache of fee earners by the same margin. The firm lured former Barlow Lyde & Gilbert Hong Kong managing partner Camille Jojo to lead its dispute resolution team as well as her team of six associates, and went ‘Down Under’ to bring on board energy specialists Chris Redden (partner; Clayton Utz) and Prasanth Sabeshan (counsel; Freehills). Add to this an impending merger with Deacons Australia, which will give the firm branch offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and Ho Chi Minh City and 700 lawyers in Asia-Pacific region alone, and Nortons already looks like a sure thing for the ALB Fast 30 2010.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

• Managing partners: Alan Schiffman – co-head, Asia; leader, Hong Kong and Singapore offices, Jon Christianson – leader, Beijing office, Gregory Miao – leader, Shanghai office, Adrian Deitz – leader, Sydney office, Audrey Sokoloff – leader, Tokyo office,
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 21/114
• Asian offices: Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo

Summary:

US giant Skadden makes its debut in the ALB Fast 30 after an impressive year of growth and expansion. The firm saw its partner numbers swell by 30% in this period, through a mix of lateral hires (a rarity for Skadden) and organic promotions. Julie Gao joined as a partner from Latham & Watkins along with a team of four associates (Will Cao, Peng Jiang, Kenneth Chase and Haiping Li); Rajeev Duggal returned to the firm from Citigroup’s retail business across Asia; while Mark Leemen (Sydney) and Michael Mies (Tokyo) were promoted to partnership in April 2009. The firm also expanded its practice area offering, after relocating Paul Mitchard QC from London to Hong Kong to launch its international arbitration practice. Skadden celebrated 20 years in Hong Kong and Sydney in 2009 which follows last year’s 20th anniversary in Tokyo.

Stephenson Harwood

• Managing partners: Martin Green, Singapore; Voon Keat Lai, Greater China
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 20/48
• Asian offices: Singapore, Hong Kong, Guangzhou , Shanghai

Summary:

Another new entrant to the ALB Fast 30, Stephenson Harwood’s partner/fee earner growth – as well as its increased revenue results – means it has well and truly earned its place on our list of Asia’s fastest-growing law firms. Not only did the firm effect significant senior lateral hires in this period but it also significantly expanded its service offering. On the recruitment side, the firm brought on board insurance and reinsurance experts Steven Dewhurst (DLA Piper Hong Kong) and Pierre-Paul Saulou, while also scoring the services of former Clifford Chance lawyer Alex Gordon in August 2009. Paul Ng, formerly of Freshfields, was also employed to lead the firm’s global aviation practice. In addition, the firm elevated Jason Toms and Yeeling Wan, both Hong Kong-based, to its partnership, and appointed nine new lawyers of varying levels of seniority.

Watson, Farley & Williams

• Managing partners: Christopher Lowe, Singapore; Steven Burkill, Bangkok
• Number of partners/other fee earners: 13/31
• Asian offices: Singapore, Bangkok

Summary:

Another international debutant in the ALB Fast 30, Watson Farley Williams (WFW) makes this list this year for financial performance that outshines most other international law firms in Asia. Globally the firm saw its taking increase by 25% and its PEP figure jump 30%. On the manpower side the firm made strategic lateral hires – Josh Clarke (Norton Rose) and Chris Muessel (Duane Morris) are two examples. There is also the promise of more growth to come. Watsons revealed to ALB earlier this year that it aims to build critical mass in its Singapore and Bangkok offices in the year ahead. In Bangkok alone, the firm expanded to 18 lawyers and support staff – which include the hire of litigation lawyer Alan Polivnick, three Thai associates and one English lawyer, making it one of the larger international law firms in the Kingdom. ALB

Related stories:

• ALB/Jun He In-house 25
• ALB Hot 100 2009
• Australasia's Largest Law Frms 2009

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