Distinguishing your law firm among clients in global M&A
In April of 2013, global law firm Baker & McKenzie, in conjunction with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) published a study outlining current trends in the cross-border M&A market. The results of that study, entitled Opportunities Across High-Growth Markets: Trends in Cross-Border M&A, provide insight into […]
Mayer Brown launches Asia trade consulting arm in Singapore
International law firm Mayer Brown, the world’s 22nd largest law firm, has launched an Asia trade consulting arm in Singapore, according to a media release issued by the firm last week. Richard Smith (RWS_01), Australian business development professional, also noted the event on Twitter. The new […]
New research outlines Asia-Pacific regional opportunities for international law firms
Eric Chin (@EricJYChin), Senior Analyst to the professions on strategy, structure, capital, acquisitions and disposals at Beaton Capital in Melbourne has just published new research outlining opportunities for international law firms in the Asia Pacific region. As Chin outlines: “The Asian Century is upon us and […]
The state of free-trade in Asia-Pacific: An interview with Eric Emerson, Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Free trade in the Asia-Pacific region has received much attention in recent years. Two major proposed trade agreements are currently center-stage in the region, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). “The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed expansion of the […]
Trademark law takes center stage in Asia
As Paul Kossof, author of Chinese Trademark Law: The New Chinese Trademark Law of 2014 recently outlined in a series of exclusive articles in Asia Law Portal: “On May 1, 2014, China’s new trademark law will come into effect. This law will usher in substantial changes […]
India, Philippines legal process outsourcing (LPO’s) to experience rapid growth to 2020
The global market of Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) was estimated to be USD 1,085 million in 2012 — and is expected to reach USD 8,568.5 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 29.6% from 2014 to 2020, according to a report published this month by […]
Asia business opportunities outlined at Los Angeles conference
US business leaders are gathered this week at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business for the Asia/Pacific Business Outlook Conference (APBO) The conference, co-presented with the United States Department of Commerce, is aimed at helping US exporters and investors target Asian markets. The […]
Asia-Pacific region foreign investment rules relaxed
A liberalization of foreign investment regulation is taking place across the Asia-Pacific region, according to a recent study conducted by international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. The study, entitled Asia-Pacific M&A Review, “considers performance in 2013 and looks forward to prospects for 2014 across Australia, China, Hong Kong, […]
India to lift restrictions on law firm websites
“The Bar Council of India has responded to widespread demands by announcing it is to lift restrictions on law firm websites”, according to a recent report by Melissa Lesh in The Global Legal Post. As Lesh outlined: “The bar is planning to amend the regulation dealing […]
Japanese law firms continue Asia expansion drive
Japan’s top law firms are continuing an Asia expansion drive in an effort to assist Japanese companies in their expansion drive in the region – as well as to capture market share from high growth economies in China and the ASEAN region. In January, The Global […]
Five critical strategies for US law firms to succeed in Asia
Professional services providers around the world have much opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region – should they approach the market with 5 critical strategies, according to a new report by Eric Chin, Senior Analyst at Beaton Capital in Australia. Chin first outlines 5 key opportunities for professional […]
Asia-Pacific legal social media pioneers of Conventus Law celebrate 2 years in business
Hong Kong-based digital legal pioneers at Conventus Law marked their second year in business with a celebratory event at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum on January 22, 2014. Conventus law is digital media platform designed to connect the Asia-Pacific legal community with businesses leaders from around the […]
US law firms likely to continue to follow clients to Asia
Anthony Lin, writing in The Asian Lawyer last week, outlined the prospects for American law firms in Asia for the foreseeable future. The bottom line of Lin’s article comes down to Lin’s prediction that the Asian marketplace will continue to grow, continue to attract US business, […]
Asia-Pacific M&A activity high, characterized by intra-regional deals
LegalWeek.com reported this week that “Dealflow and value in the Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, last year soared to its highest level since 2001, according to new data from Mergermarket. The region saw 2,577 deal announcements in 2013 compared with 2,297 in 2012, marking a year-on-year rise […]
US law firms in renewed focus on Asia market
DLA Piper and Duane Morris have in recent months both initiated new drives to capture more work out of the Asia-Pacific region. Last December, DLA Piper announced “the appointment of [a] new three-strong Asia advisory committee…designed to create more synergies between the firm’s US and Asia […]
Singapore poised to become capital-raising hub for Myanmar companies
Singapore is playing an emerging “role as a magnet for Myanmar companies eager to grow as their country emerges from decades of isolation but frustrated by its crippled banking system and barely existing financial markets. Lawyers and financial advisors who work closely with Myanmar firms say […]
61% of world’s new internet users coming from Asia-Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region is adding the most new internet users in the world — according to a new report just published by Jim Dougherty, social media analyst and commentator at Leaders West. According to the report: “Of the new connections between now and 2017, an estimated 61% […]
U.S. Law Firms Facing Competitive Challenges in China
As Yun Kriegler outlined recently in The Lawyer, after spending ten years in Asia, U.S. law firm Vinson & Elkins decided to close its Shanghai office. In July 2013, the Houston-based firm announced that it will shut down its three-partner office to consolidate its China practice […]
The state of private equity in Asia in 2013
According to Ms. Julia Leong, Hong Kong’s Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, who spoke at the 12th HKVCA China Private Equity Summit on June 11 of this year, “the private equity industry is now a key player in Asia’s evolving financing landscape.” Ms. […]
Russian nuclear power investments in Vietnam an opportunity for lawyers
As the Voice of Russia recently reported: “Vietnam’s power industry plans to build 13 nuclear power units with an overall generating capacity of 15 gigawatts by 2030″. Vietnam.net outlined: “The nuclear power market in Vietnam at present is estimated to be worth about $10 billion and is […]
Foreign law firms “flying into” Singapore
Singapore’s central location in the high-growth ASEAN region, it’s status as a safe financial hub and the increasing ease by which foreign firms can access the country, has led to a recent increase in the influx of foreign law firms. A super high-growth legal market According […]
US law firms set their sights on Asia
Phil Bolton of Global Atlanta reported yesterday that “With its acquisition of a California firm completed and the opening of a new office in Korea, the law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP will be increasingly committed to international work and focusing even more intently on […]
Will Hong Kong’s law firms adapt to new competition?
LegalWeek.com reported this week that Australia-based fixed-fee law firm AdventBalance “has brought its unconventional business model to Hong Kong with the opening of an office in the city”. The firm “seconds senior lawyers to clients’ offices for specific projects and transactions; agreeing a fixed payable amount for the […]
Myanmar’s first investment bank reflects the regions opportunity for professional services firms
The opening of the Myanmar economy to international trade and the democratization of the country have been widely reported around the world in recent months. As the New York Times reported: “After years of stagnation, change is coming to Myanmar at a rapid pace. Since taking office […]
Legal social media entrepreneurs gaining ground in Hong Kong
The Sheung Wan section of Hong Kong is an eclectic mix of the traditional and the modern – about a mile from the city’s gleaming office towers. It’s here that I met Stephen Lai, Managing Director of Hong Kong-based Conventus Law. A former Associate Publisher of Euromoney Legal Media Group(titles […]
Malaysian legal market opening to foreign firms
As the Star Online reported from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Parliament [The Dewan Rakyat] passed the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill of 2012, which will soon allow foreign lawyers to open offices and practice law in Malaysia. What practices will foreign law firms be permitted to establish? Lee Shih, Partner […]
Hong Kong, China gateway: An interview with Deacons Executive Partner, Jeremy Lam
Introduction Hong Kong’s is both a gateway into China, but also as a superb conduit for Chinese outbound foreign investment, as the China Daily reported recently, echoing a sentiment expressed earlier this year by Deacons Executive Partner Jeremy Lam in an interview in BusinessWeek. During the first half of […]
India’s legal industry growing rapidly
“India[s] legal services industry is growing at a rate of about 40% per annum”, according to a report by Daisy Khanna, of KPO Consultants, a New Delhi-based consulting company which provides business solutions exclusively to the Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) industry. While driven in large part by India’s LPO […]
Opportunities for law firms in Korea-US bilateral trade
The Inter-Pacific Bar Association Annual Meeting begins tomorrow here in Seoul – and I thought this would be a good opportunity to outline in particular what opportunities exist for lawyers in Korea and the US to capitalize upon the growing bilateral trade relationship between the US and Korea. Some background […]
Chinese law firm Yingke enters the Israeli legal market – what’s next?
The Lawyer magazine (UK) has reported that one of China’s largest law firms, Yingke – has entered the newly liberalized Israeli legal market. The Lawyer reported that Yingke “merged with Israeli boutique firm Eyal Khayat Zolty, Neiger & Co, for its first step into the jurisdiction. The local firm has rebranded itself […]
Latin America–Asia bilateral trade growth offers law firms new opportunities
The high growth and increasingly mutually engaged economies of Latin America and Asia offer significant new business development opportunities to law firms and other professional services firms – provided they put in place and execute plans to effectively secure new cross-border business. Latin America – Asia bilateral […]
South Korea’s lucrative legal market opens to foreign firms
As a result of two recent landmark free trade agreements between South Korea and the European Union and the United States, the South Korean legal market will now be open for American and European law firms. South Korea is the 4th largest market in Asia and […]
Impact of Asian legal market liberalization outlined at Seoul conference
The impact of legal market liberalization upon specific legal jurisdictions in Asia was the subject of a panel discussion last week at the Inter-Pacific Bar Association Annual Conference in Seoul, Korea. Lawyers in the midst of these changes which are bringing new competitive pressures upon regional domestic markets highlighted the […]
Asian legal market set to double by 2017
The Asian legal market is set to double by 2017, making it the world’s second largest regional market. That’s what delegates from around the world attending the Inter-Pacific Bar Association’s (IPBA) 23rd Annual Conference in Seoul were told today (Wed April 18, 2013) by Alan Hodgart, a London-based consultant to […]