Weil, Gotshal & Manges is eagerly boosting its Asia corporate practice and has hired Henry Ong, partner, and Jasson Han, partner-level senior consultant, from the Hong Kong office of Simmons & Simmons.
Ong is not just a new partner to the firm: he holds the key which will unlock new opportunities for Weil Gotshal in Hong Kong. Ong is the sole principal of Henry Ong & Co – a Hong Kong firm which will form an association with Weil Gotshal upon approval from the Hong Kong Law Society.
It is a requirement of the Society that a law firm must be present in Hong Kong for three years before it can practise Hong Kong law. Weil Gotshal has only been in Hong Kong for two years and this association with Henry Ong & Co provides it with a channel through which it can offer clients local law advice. “I’ve joined Weil Gotshal as a partner, but from a Hong Kong law perspective [legal advice] will be provided under the association which is Henry Ong & Co and Weil Gotshal… Once it is an association you share premises, you share everything,” said Ong.
Ong will also be based in Weil Gotshal’s Hong Kong office and brings with him his expertise on transactions involving public companies in Hong Kong, including matters relating to listing, takeovers and securities rules and regulations.
Han is a PRC-qualified lawyer and will also spend time in Weil Gotshal’s Beijing office. He has experience advising state-owned enterprises in the PRC as well as clients like Datang Power, China Mobile, China Telecom and Swire Beverages. Han’s capital markets experience includes advising on the IPOs of PRC companies like Sinopec, AviChina and Centron Telecom.
The addition of Ong and Han will assist with Weil Gotshal’s strategic expansion in Asia and their expertise will bring depth to Asia-related cross-border M&A and private equity transactions. Clients of Weil Gotshal should also benefit from the duo’s experience with securities offerings in both China and Hong Kong.
Weil Gotshal appears to be confident in its expansion in Asia – Ong revealed that the Hong Kong office is also on the lookout for new associates. At least two associates are being hired but Weil Gotshal may snatch up more if it encounters strong candidates.
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