Category: Asia Legal Market
A World of Difference: Cambridge Global Conversations
A Conversation with DVC’s Daniel Fung SC, QC, GBS, JP, FCIArb By Aparna Bundro, Practice Development Director, Des Voeux Chambers Many of today’s most fundamental conversations about global problems take place in an echo-chamber where only existing perceptions are reinforced. CGC, the newly set up education […]
Funding boost and award win for Australian legal tech company
Brisbane-based legal technology company Lawcadia announces that it has recently raised $1.3 million in a pre-Series A round from a number of private investors and Artesian, a leading Australian alternative investments and venture capital firm.
New Anti-Corruption Regime for Commercial Organisations in Malaysia
The MACC Amendment Act introduces a new Section 17A, which provides that a commercial organisation is deemed to commit an offence if any person associated with the commercial organisation corruptly gives, agrees to give, promises or offers to any person any gratification to obtain or retain business or advantage for the organisation. Subsection 17A(6) stipulates that a ‘person associated’ with a ‘commercial organisation’ may include directors, partners, and employees of the commercial organisation, as well as any person ‘who performs services for or on behalf of the commercial organisation’.
Strategic Alliance on Corporate Advisory and Services between Haeme Hashim & Co, Kuala Lumpur and Loggerhead Partners, Dubai.
In July 2019, Haeme Hashim & Co. has entered into a strategic alliance with Loggerhead Partners (“Loggerhead”), a corporate advisory and management consulting services firm based in Dubai, UAE. Currently, Loggerhead also has two other operating offices in Cyprus and Switzerland.
India economic slowdown: Stimulus to Slow the Slowdown
The Government finally took some recourse to revise the slowing India economy by introducing a stimulus economic package. The foreign direct investment limits were further liberalized to add possibly as part of the stimulus. The slowdown was now reported by Moody’s as well. The Personal Data […]
Will discretion abide as long as the rules provide?
What you need to know about reopening a receiver’s fees after assessmentas confirmed in the novel case of Ho Chor Ming & Ors v Hong Kong ChiuChow Po Hing Buddhism Association Ltd [2018] 3 HKLRD 270 Introduction Shareholder disputes are commonplace. When a membership dispute arises, […]
ASEAN Insiders Series 2019 – Personal Data Protection
DATA PROTECTION IN ASEAN Technology and the rise of the digital economy has transformed our lives for the better in many ways. However, data breaches and data security threats loom over us. The incident involving Cambridge Analytica in 2018 where millions of Facebook users’ data were […]
Asia and Europe are now each other’s leading trade partners
Asia and Europe are now each other’s leading trade partners, with $1.5 trillion in merchandise trade , overtaking their respective trade relationships with the United States, according to a study produced at the initiative of the European Union, as the World Economic Forum (WEF) reported. The […]
Helping law firms create intuitive knowledge platforms: The story of Singapore’s INTELLLEX
INTELLLEX was founded in 2015 in Singapore with the aim of helping law firms create intuitive knowledge platforms. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, INTELLLEX Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer Ellery Sutanto explains how the company began, it’s vision for the future of legal […]
Bend and Stretch: Make the most of your flexibility
So, you might have secured more flexibility in your working life, but what should you do with it? The benefits of a better work life balance have been espoused by many as the way to not only improve an individual’s life by allowing them more time […]
Asia’s economy remains the world’s growth engine, accounting for 62% of global GDP growth
According to a recent interview with BNP Paribas Economist Christine Peltier, “although confronting new challenges, Asia’s economy is still the world’s growth engine, accounting for 62% of global GDP growth.” Peltier highlighted the following developments: Emerging Asia (excluding Japan) grew by 6.2% in 2018, unchanged from the previous […]
Going Public in the ASEAN-5: Snapshot of IPO and Listing Requirements
The key economic purpose of the capital markets is to give companies access to different sources of financing to grow their businesses. An initial public offering (IPO) is one of the main ways for a company to raise equity capital by using the primary public equity […]
Legal Technology: The General Counsels (GC) Conundrum
The General Counsel (GC) is changing from a legal expert and risk mitigator to a business enabler. The best of this new breed of GCs are agile, on the ground, close to the business, and engaged up-front with their organization’s design and technology teams, enabling them […]
Bringing It All Back Home – Asia and The City of London – A legal and business conference – at The Law Society, 3 June, 2019
The legal and business conference “Bringing It All Back Home – Asia and The City of London”, will take place 3 June, 2019, at The Law Society of England & Wales Head Quarters in the City of London. “Bringing It All Back Home”, supported by the Law […]
Blockchain – Legal implications, questions, opportunities and risks
Blockchain is increasingly in the news, but still primarily as the underlying software used for cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Many businesses have yet to realize its potential and the extensive ways in which blockchain can be used to make processes more efficient or to develop new […]
Interview with New Law pioneer Kirsty Dougan, Vario’s Asia MD
Dougan is NewLaw’s pioneer in Asia Kirsty Dougan co-founded NewLaw in Asia in late 2009 and last month, after almost a decade in the sector, she joined Pinsent Masons flexible NewLaw unit Vario as Managing Director for Asia. Dougan will be based in a new office […]
Mixed Forecast for India’s Economic Growth
There were mixed forecasts for India’s growth in reports issued by Fitch and Moody’s. While one showed a continuous decline the other one appeared stable. There is a proposal to liberalise foreign direct investment in foreign portfolio investments. India and South Korea came together to create […]
Dip in India’s FDI While It Climbs Highest in IP Index
India reported reduction in its foreign direct investments. The draft national e-commerce policy has been introduced and currently available for submission of comments by stakeholders. The news to cheer was India’s climb in global intellectual property index. The RBI’s forecast on India’s GDP growth was announced […]
Your Business Personality – and why it matters
When people think of personality types in relation to business, many think of the Myers-Briggs test – a self-report questionnaire which was developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers during World War II, primarily to help women entering the workforce for the […]
Interview with AIIB GC on Asian Infrastructure and Legal Services
Gerard Sanders, General Counsel of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), is working to deepen ties between AIIB and Asia-Pacific regional arbitral hubs and other legal institutions to help facilitate coordination to promote infrastructure development. In anticipation of his upcoming visit to the Hong Kong International […]
Lawyers are from Mars: Marketing People are from Mercury OR the importance of cognitive diversity in law firms
“We always did feel the same we just saw it from a different point of view. Tangled up in blue.” Bob Dylan In preparation for taking on a new marketing and business development role at an international law firm (this was after I accepted the position […]
Seyfarth Shaw promotes first Australian partner
We are excited to announce that Erin Hawthorne has been promote to partner. Although we have grown through lateral partner appointments over the past few years, Erin is the first promotion to partner from within the team since the Australian offices of Seyfarth Shaw opened in […]
30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2019
The Asia-Pacific legal markets in 2018 were characterized by trends including the exponential growth of technology deployment and innovation; the growing efforts of elite regional and local firms to adapt, innovate and compete; the potential limitations (and growth) in market access for foreign law firms; the […]
Axiom Appoints Yolanda Chan as General Manager of Asia Pacific
Axiom, a leading global alternative legal services provider, announced today a strategic hire to its Asia leadership team. Yolanda Chan joins as General Manager of the Asia Pacific region. Chan will play a critical role in Axiom’s ability to transform the legal industry through talent and technology […]
The 2019 US landscape for Japan’s corporate investors: An interview with Frank Aquila, Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell
“Japanese companies have embarked on the biggest overseas acquisition spree in more than 20 years, echoing the deal boom of the 1980s,” as Lina Saigol detailed in the Financial News yesterday. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, Frank Aquila, Partner with Sullivan & Cromwell, explains what […]
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and the Asia-Pacific Legal Industry
The Financial Times Innovative Lawyers report for the Asia-Pacific region substantiates a “sense of growing maturity among the region’s law firms”. It goes without saying that major projects in the corporate world, particularly projects including parties external to the Asia-Pacific, call for legal expertise. As a […]
India Jumps in Doing Business Ranking
India shot up in the World Bank’s Doing Business ranking this year, marking a consistent rise in its performance in the last 4 years. The Government introduced a new initiative to keep the momentum going. India was also recognized as the second fastest innovator among major […]
30 People to Watch in Business Law Asia 2019: Nominations Open
In January of 2015 Asia Law Portal published the inaugural annual: 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2015 and in 2016 published: 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2016. In 2017: business of law in Asia in 2017. In […]
Promoting women’s progress in law from the UK to Singapore
Next year the UK will celebrate 100 years since women were allowed to become solicitors. In 1919 the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act was enforced meaning women were no longer prevented from training for and joining professions such as veterinary and accountancy, as well as law. Amongst […]
The significance of Artificial Intelligence in unlocking innovation for legal practice
Almost all over the world, scholars believe that future business growth will happen only if data is used intelligently. The handling of significant volumes of data, the requirement of extra resources and the need for speed to conduct business have all helped increased the demand for […]
Implications of Syariah Laws in Brunei Darussalam
The term, “Syariah law” is often associated with harsh lashings and other similarly dated modes of punishment. In reality, however, the harsh punishment associated with Syariah law is often hugely exaggerated and has little impact on businesses in a Syariah-based State like Brunei. Mohamad Rozaiman Abdul […]
Law, Technology and Access to Justice in Asia-Pacific and the USA
There is a growing conversation within the legal profession globally about how technology can help people access justice. Legal assistance is often seen as too costly for many people, and the legal system can be difficult to navigate for people who try to represent themselves. […]
NewLaw reaches the Asian legal market – out of the Startup Nation
The Alternate Legal Services Provider (ALSP) sector, more colourfully known as ‘NewLaw’, has in the space of a few short years emerged from relative obscurity to become a leading force in the global legal market by challenging well-entrenched norms. The ALSP sector, despite having roots stretching […]
Energy Security and Climate Change in East Asia-Trilateral Cooperation towards a Sustainable Future
China, Japan and South Korea are undergoing rapid and comprehensive transformations in developing the intelligent and sustainable use of energy and other natural resources. These changes are driven by new strategies towards energy security and climate change mitigation. Given that future China-Japan-South Korea energy cooperation will […]
Why Legal Practices Should Embrace Technology
Technology has changed virtually every industry, including the legal profession. New technology, cutting-edge apps and software, and automation have all helped reduce expenses and drastically increased productivity. However many people are still hesitant to completely embrace technology, including legal professionals. Here are a few reasons why […]
India Attracts Largest E-Commerce Deal
India’s potential for high growth in retail came to the forefront with the acquisition of its biggest homegrown online retail company. The high economic growth prospects were reaffirmed by the IMF. There will be a new system for monitoring foreign investment in listed entities. The current […]
China announces plans to further liberalize its’ legal market
China Daily reports today that China “will further open up its services sector by expanding a pilot program for innovative development of trade in services.” The decision was taken yesterday at an executive meeting of China’s State Council, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. As a result […]
India receives high economic growth forecasts
The global discussions around India’s economic growth continue to gather focus as we enter into the fifth and final fiscal year for the current Government. There was a mixed response from various international agencies, which we have captured below. Asian Development Bank. Asian Development Bank (ADB) […]
India virtually closes the door to the entry of foreign law firms
The much awaited verdict of the Supreme Court of India was pronounced recently which virtually closed the door for the entry of foreign law firms. The Government has drafted an updated defence policy which seeks to increase foreign direct investment in the sector. India and Canada […]
Asian law firms prominent at Israel’s 4th Foreign Law Firms conference
Israel’s 4th annual foreign law firms conference took place on February 26 in Tel Aviv. Organized by Robus Legal Marketing in association with the Tel-Aviv District of the Israel Bar Association, the conference brought together over 400 attorneys, with over 130 representatives from law firms around […]
Global Corruption Index Dampens India’s Governance
The Central Government’s financial budget was announced wherein some foreign investment-related policies were mentioned. There were changes proposed for foreign portfolio investors. The Indian Prime Minister declared India to be one of the most open economies in the world. However, the dampener was India’s downward movement […]
Sweeping Changes to India’s FDI Policy
2018 began with a bang for foreign investors as India made multi-fold changes to its FDI Policy. The IMF also forecast India would become the fastest-growing economy in 2018 and 2019. The Bar Council of India denounced the changes suggested by the Law Commission of India. […]
Asia-Pacific Investors: How to Avoid Legal Risks When Investing In California
What Legal Risks Do Foreign Investors Take When Expanding into an Overseas Market? If you’re running your own business and it’s been doing great in your own country, you might have looked into expanding its current reach to a foreign country so that you can share […]
The New Year’s Resolutions lawyers should make for 2018
Go to the gym more, eat less chocolate, save more money – all common New Year’s resolutions and ones which, by February, will inevitably be broken. But, there is one resolution all lawyers should make and commit to for 2018 – creating more time for their […]
India’s Indigenous Progress
As 2017 draws to a close, the Indian Government’s initiatives on ‘Make in India’ seems to have made significant progress in one industry. The labour law reforms undertaken by the Government in the last three years have been summarized recently in the Parliament. A Harvard Law […]
30 People to Watch in the Business of Law in Asia in 2018
As we approach the beginning of 2018 — Asia Law Portal continues its’ tradition begun in 2015 and followed up in 2016 and 2017 — of naming 30 people to watch in the business of law in the coming year. In retrospect — if 2017 were […]
What makes Sports Law unique? An interview with Richard Wee
Richard Wee joined Kuala Lumpur-based MahWengKwai & Associates in 2016, where he established the firms Sports Law Practice Group. Now head of Richard Wee Chambers, Wee is recognized locally and regionally for pioneering this niche, in this Q&A with Asia Law Portal he describes what makes […]
India’s All-round Improvement & Crowning Glory
There were landmark achievements by India this month. The most prominent being the phenomenal jump in its World Bank Ease of Doing Business Rankings. India’s credit rating improved. Internally, the GST rates of a large number of items were rationalized. Further, there was progress on the […]
The Great Legal Reformation: Notes from the Field
The beginning of the Great Legal Reformation lacks the precision of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church, but upheaval in legal services delivery most certainly accelerated and gained strength with the financial crisis of 2008. Since that time, legal […]
Will India Move Up in the World Bank Rankings?
The Government of India continues to take steps to improve ease of doing business in India. Various reports have been published by the media recently reflecting an expected improvement in the World Bank’s ranking for India, due to be published shortly. There are other areas and […]
Nominations now open for 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2018
In January of 2015 Asia Law Portal published the inaugural annual: 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2015 and in 2016 published: 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2016. In 2017: 30 people to watch in the business […]
What opportunities exist for foreign investors in the Maldives?
As the Maldives Mission to the European Union details on its’ website: “Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) has always played a crucial role in the economic development of the Maldives. The Government acknowledges the importance of foreign investment and continues to recognize its importance for economic development […]
Lawyers: 5 Steps to Overcome Procrastination
Many lawyers admit that procrastination is a problem. If one can begin by admitting that it is difficult to manage time — this is a good beginning. Read More: India: FDI Policy Boosts Start-ups Ben confessed. “Sure, I admit that I procrastinate in my law practice. […]
India: FDI Policy Boosts Start-ups
India’s consolidated foreign direct investment policy was finally issued recently. The real estate sector is attracting significant foreign investment. Following up on last month’s activities, there was a further development relating to entry of foreign law firms in India. And a very important decision relating to […]
Second Regional Law Firm Management Forum set for Singapore, Nov 3, 2017
The Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA), along with the Law Council’s Australian Law Management Group, held its inaugural Regional Law Firm Management Forum in Singapore late last year. The Second Regional Law Firm Management Forum is now set to take place Friday November 3, 2017, […]
US law firms face possible roll-back of South Korean legal market access
As the Washington Post reported last week, U.S. President Donald Trump is contemplating withdrawing the United States from the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS). As the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) details on its website, KORUS entered into force on March 15, 2012, with […]
International Bar Association (IBA) now offering Executive LLM on global legal issues
The International Bar Association (IBA) and King’s College London are now collaborating to offer an Executive LLM focused on preparing students to confront some of today’s most challenging global legal Read More: US law firms face possible roll-back of South Korean legal market access In-house and […]
Why is Africa becoming so important for Asian law firms?
Are you considering Africa? Asia? The opportunities for law firms are abundant
Indian Prime Minister Pushes For Entry of Foreign Law Firms
The activities relating to entry of foreign law firms in India gathered pace this month as the Government actively took initiatives. The biggest impetus to keep the momentum going was the Prime Minister’s views and directives to enable the Government machinery to expedite. Some major changes […]
LexisNexis continues to help advance the rule of law in Asia-Pacific
Looking across the global landscape today, it’s not hard to see the serious and often severe challenges facing society, particularly for the four billion people living outside the umbrella protection of the rule of law. As a company, the LexisNexis core mission to advance the rule […]
In-house Associations HKCCA and ACC Form Alliance to Better Serve Hong Kong Legal Community
Though in-house lawyers may work across dozens of industries and for hundreds of different companies, their concerns, challenges, and goals share more similarities than differences. Peer-to-peer networking opportunities, education focused specifically on the needs of working in-house, and resources tailored to corporate practice are invaluable in […]
Chief Justice of India Inclined Toward Entry of Foreign Law Firms
India’s fast track regime for FDI approvals has become a reality now with the publication of the standard operating procedures in this regard. An additional condition has been proposed in Mauritius which will add to the compliance for companies routing their FDI into India through the […]
India: Fast Tracking FDI approvals
India is moving towards a fast track regime for FDI approvals. The Government has initiated the process for creating standard operating procedures in this regard. FDI, being a critical factor, has contributed to improving India’s balance of payment. The growing importance of India can be gauged […]
The Impact of third party funding on Hong Kong as a centre for International Arbitration
As recently as 14th June 2017, Hong Kong became the latest jurisdiction to permit third-party funding in international arbitration by passing legislation to amend the Arbitration Ordinance (Cap. 609). The amendment is likely to take effect later this year, giving time for a code of conduct […]
Modi’s Third Anniversary Achievement – India Retains Top FDI Recipient Rank
India was able to retain its top position in greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) by beating China and the United States for the second year in a row. The Government’s continuous efforts to improve the FDI climate in the last year have achieved desired outcomes. As […]
India’s Law Commission Frames Rules to Recognise Foreign Lawyers
The Supreme Court has expressed its concern over unsatisfactory regulatory mechanism governing the advocates and observed in a case that there was an urgent need to review the provisions of the Advocates Act, 1961. The Law Commission of India, a body which looks into legal reforms, […]
Asia’s NewLaw leaders explain their strategies for a more competitive 2017 market
International law firm Pinsent Masons is expanding its NewLaw secondment business Vario into Australia later this year, as The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland reported last month. As the article detailed, Vario has a pool of 300 professionals and revenue growth was more than […]
Legal services disruption in India: Risks and opportunities
For those lawyers and legal services sector professionals about to gather in Mumbai for IDEX Legal’s Asia Law Firm Management Congress (ALFMC) April 20th – thoughts of legal market liberalization and change hastened by technology are taking center-stage. But what do these things mean? And what […]
India Beats Demonitisation to Remain Fastest Growing Economy
India remains the fastest growing economy notwithstanding the predicted contraction due to demonitisation last November. This fact was also recognized in the recent elections in five states, where BJP was a winner in four states. The party at the centre, BJP was able to secure the […]
India: Budget Boost for Foreign Investment
Foreign Investment got a fillip in the Union Budget presented by the Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley earlier this month. It marked the best budget-day gain for Indian stocks in 12 years, with the Bombay Stock Exchange’s (BSE’s) benchmark Sensex gaining 1.74% to close at a three-month […]