Some law firms in Asia are now accepting virtual currency
As Wong Joon Ian has reported in The Business Times: “The future of money is built in Asia” — noting that in excess of $1.8 billion dollars in cryptocurrencies are traded on Asian exchanges ever day — representing almost 60% of the world’s daily crypto trade […]
The current state of legal recruitment in Hong Kong. An interview with Rob Green, CEO of GRM
Hong Kong is a key conduit of foreign direct investment into and out of mainland China, and increasingly – a vital locale for Belt and Road infrastructure related legal work. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, Rob Green, CEO of GRM, provides his in-depth insights […]
Importance of financing for Vietnam’s BOT ventures
With the Ministry of Transport recently cancelling the international bidding process and replacing it with domestic bidding for the North-South Expressway project, the feasibility for bank loans is put on the top shelf of concerns. Lawyers Le Net, Le Thanh Hieu, and Vo Phuong Thao from […]
How Reed Smith is globalizing innovation initiatives. An interview with Adam Curphey
Global law firm Reed Smith recently appointed Adam Curphey as Innovation Engagement Manager. Curphey’s focus is working “with the firm’s lawyers, Practice Innovation and IT development teams to implement ideas to drive internal efficiencies, as well as identify collaboration opportunities with Reed Smith’s clients to deliver […]
India: Doing Business Ranking the only Face-Saver
India’s improvement in the World Bank’s Doing Business ranking is the only bright spot in a lackluster economy that desperately needs reassurance of a revival. It’s akin to the Diwali sparkle which lights up India around this time but belies the darkness for the rest of […]
How Withers KhattarWong LLP is navigating Singapore’s highly competitive legal market: An interview with Managing Partner Deborah Barker
After a lengthy collaboration and formal alliance between Withers LLP and the former KhattarWong LLP, Withers KhattarWong LLP came into being in early 2019. The alliance has created the second largest law firm in Singapore, offering a full range of legal services to corporations, institutions and […]
Tricky tactics and quirky questions: how to find a lawyer that’s the right fit
Should we be adopting the mindgaming exploits of Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada”, to find out if your candidate is the best fit for your team? The menacing fashion editor’s interrogatory questions renders Anne Hathaway’s character almost speechless in the famous […]
Private equity invests in NewLaw firm Axiom: Commentary from Axiom’s CEO and APAC-region legal industry leaders
Axiom Law, one of NewLaw’s pioneering companies, both internationally and in Asia, has announced a new private equity investment from Permira, a major investor in LegalZoom. The new investment comes after a recent planned initial public offering (IPO) was cancelled. As Thomas Allen details in Legal […]
Realising Indonesia’s new national capital city: HFW to host seminar in Jakarta
Realising Indonesia’s new national capital city: opportunities and challenges
Pros of sandbox regulation for fintech
With the development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the application of digital technologies for providing financial services has become the key driver in promoting financial inclusion. However, the industry’s growth will not only depend on investments, new technologies, or smartphone penetration, but will also require a […]
India: Will Corporate Tax Cut Revive Growth or Widen Fiscal Deficit
The mounting pressure of a sagging economy and sharp economic growth forecast reductions by global institutions, the Government of India announced significant tax relief to corporates. However, while this seemed to cheer the industry and may be a stimulus in the short term, experts have warned […]
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.
Implications of the New China Foreign Investment Law
A discussion of the new China Foreign Investment Law and the creation of an Expert Committee to produce template documents for in-house counsel. By Robert Lewis of docQbot, with an introduction by Patrick Dransfield of the In-House Community.
Dispute Resolution in Thailand: An Overview
In this interview with Asia Law Portal, Pisut Rakwong and David Lawrence of Pisut & Partners explain the dispute resolution system in Thailand and how companies and foreign investors might effectively navigate it. What is the current institutional architecture for commercial arbitration in Thailand? Commercial arbitration is handled by two main organisations, […]
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, […]
Appointment of Full Service, National Law Firm KSK Expands Alliott Group’s Presence in India
Full-service Pan India law firm King Stubb & Kasiva (‘KSK’) has agreed to join Alliott Group, one of the world’s fastest-growing alliances of law and accounting firms. The appointment enables KSK to offer a comprehensive range of legal services to the clients of Alliott Group member […]
Whither private practice?
Smarter Law: Transforming Busy Lawyers into Business Leaders by Trevor Faure Book Review (Part 2) Forgive me for starting on a negative note but the chances are that many of you are unlikely to get beyond the third paragraph of this article, less likely still to pull […]
New legal tech company CodeLex aims to streamline the practice of law
Legal technology company CodeLex is a developer of legaltech projects as part of the Irbis Ventures (formerly ‘M Lab’) ecosystem. Incorporated in Mongolia and Singapore, and with a core team based in Ulaanbaatar, Singapore and Tokyo, CodeLex projects aim to streamline and add value to the […]
Melbourne to host the 2019 ALPMA Summit this September!
2019 ALPMA Summit: Road Map to Transformation – Move Forward with Confidence
Time to embrace co-working
What are the key ingredients for a great co-working space? Trendy, young hipsters making steaming coffee with cacti and succulents abound, prosecco on tap and Scandi style interior design? Maybe, yet these spaces can benefit all types of workers with a creative and comfortable place to […]
Changes to the Thai Foreign Business Act
According to Thailand Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (FBA), there are three types of business activities that govern foreign participation in Thai commerce: List 1: Business Not Permitted to Foreigners List 2: Business Permitted to Foreigners under Conditions List 3: Business Not Yet Permitted to Foreigners […]
India Renewed Interest in Entry of Foreign Law Firms
The discussion around entry of foreign law firms in India was resurrected recently. The economic slowdown is now even more glaring with ADB and IMF further lowering their respective April 2019 growth forecasts, which, together with the forecasts reported by World Bank and Fitch last month, […]
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 […]
Creating sustainable infrastructure development in Asia. An interview with Jeremy Saw, Director, General Counsel, InfraCo Asia
Jeremy Saw is Director and General Counsel of InfraCo Asia. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, he explains the organization’s work, the current state of infrastructure development in Asia, the development of his career and the unique nature of his work as an infrastructure lawyer, […]
Vietnam – Proposed Solar Feed-In-Tariffs
On 3 May 2019 the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (the “MOIT”) submitted to the Prime Minister a draft decision intended to replace Decision No. 11/2017/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on mechanisms for the encouragement of development of solar power, dated 11 April 2017 […]
Dispute Resolution a Key Theme of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) 2019 Annual Meeting in Luxembourg. An Interview with Peter Quayle, AIIB Chief Counsel, Corporate
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is currently hosting its’ first annual meeting outside Asia, in Luxembourg (July 12-13, 2019). The theme of the meeting is “Cooperation and Connectivity” – “in recognition of the economic and social benefits to be realized through better connectivity within and […]
Vietnam: Wind power barriers need removing
Vietnam’s latest and most comprehensive regulation on wind power development is expected to leave much room for improvement. Dr. Le Net (left), Le Thanh Hieu (middle), and Vo Phuong Thao (right), lawyers at LNT & Partners, provide their analysis of whether the changes will be sufficient […]
Lawyers and Accountants from Across APAC Region Gather in Shanghai to Discuss Growth and Collaboration
Lawyers and accountants from 11 countries were represented at Alliott Group’s APAC Regional Conference in Shanghai from 17-18 June 2019
Opportunities for foreign investors in India. An interview with Zia Mody, Founder and Managing Director, AZB & Partners
Zia Mody is Founder and Managing Director of AZB & Partners, one of the most prominent law firms in India. Founded less than 25 years ago with 12 lawyers, the firm has now grown to more than 450 lawyers practicing in offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, […]
Building a successful law practice in Malaysia. An interview with Grace C. G. Yeoh of Shearn Delamore & Co
Grace C. G. Yeoh is Partner and Head of Corporate/M&A and Energy, Natural Resources & Green Technology practices at Shearn Delamore & Co., one of Malaysia’s oldest and most distinguished law firms. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, she provides insight into how to build […]
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 […]
India: Economic Growth Slows Amidst Data Localisation Concerns
The Indian economy is heading for a slowdown as growth forecasts are flat or lowered. The laws pending for approval before the general elections are now in focus. Data localization concerns are rising with the data protection related proposed legislations due to be passed law soon. […]
You can’t have your cake and eat it: the progressive case of Dickson Valora Group (Holdings) Co Ltd and another v Fan Ji Qian [2019] HKCFI 482
This case involved 6 members of DVC By Rachel Lam, Terrence Tai and Jasmine Cheung In the recent innovative case of Dickson Valora Group (Holdings) Co Ltd and another v Fan Ji Qian [2019] HKCFI 482, the Court was faced with a groundbreaking application for an anti-suit injunction, whereby the Hong […]
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 […]
ASEAN Insiders Series 2019 – Foreign Direct Investment
ASEAN – Open for business Since its formation in 1967, ASEAN has grown from an underdeveloped region into one of the globe’s most diverse and dynamic economic drivers. Located at the heart of the Asia-Pacific region and strategically nested across several major trade routes, ASEAN is […]
Myanmar Legal Alert: New Gambling Law Permits Casinos to Operate in Myanmar
Following several discussions on significant changes being proposed in Myanmar in relation to the gambling landscape, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Myanmar parliament) finally enacted The Gambling Law (“GL”) on 7 May 2019. The enactment of the GL heralds positive news for investors looking to invest in the “casino” […]
Vietnam Legal Update: Draft Decision 3 and Vietnam’s Solar Future from July 2019
On 12 April 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (“MOIT”) released a new draft Decision (the “Draft Decision 3”) that will replace Decision No. 11/2017/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister of Vietnam dated 11 April 2017 (“Decision 11”) on mechanisms to encourage the […]
Modi Returns While India’s FDI Falls
The people of India voted the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi back to power with a thumping mandate in the general elections which concluded this month. The reforms and other initiatives of the current Government are expected to continue and pending legislations such as data privacy […]
View your sabbatical as a career booster and not a career break
It can be a scary prospect – the thought of stepping away from your deskbound duties and taking a sabbatical. You may question what your colleagues or management think or fear about this break in proceedings and how this will impact your career development. But having […]
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 […]
Competition Bid-rigging in Hong Kong: tip of the iceberg?
What is the Hong Kong Competition Tribunal’s Approach in Dealing with Enforcement Actions Concerning Bid-Rigging and Market Sharing and Price Fixing? Find out in two landmark decisions handed down on 17.5.2019 under the new competition regime featuring 3 members from DVC including Catrina Lam, Connie Lee […]
Fast-Growing International Alliance of Law and Accounting Firms to Host Regional Conference in Shanghai
Themed ‘Together Towards Tomorrow’, Alliott Group’s APAC Regional Conference takes place from 17-18 June in Shanghai and will bring together senior and managing partners from some of the Asia Pacific region’s leading local law and accounting firms. Over two days, leaders from Alliott Group’s independent member […]
The Business of Law in India in 2019: Marketing, Innovation, Technology and Market Liberalization. An interview with Aman Abbas of Commwiser
Aman Abbas is Co-Founder & CEO, Commwiser, a Delhi-based consultancy focused on public relations and law firm marketing. His two decades of experience in public relations and communications in professional services includes work with Amarchand Mangaldas, India’s largest Law firm and Big4 acccounting firm KPMG, as […]
Competitive Threats & Opportunities for Law Firms – Innovim Group Analysis
Australia-based John Chisholm is a widely recognized strategic advisor to law firms on pricing and strategy – based on his decades of experience as managing partner for both law and accounting firms. A Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and a Distinguished Fellow of the […]
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) London bond issue solidifies the UK’s role in Asia’s development
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) raised 2.5 Billion (USD) from 90 bidders in 27 countries on a bond issue this week at the London Stock Exchange (LSE). As Global Capital described it: “The AIIB placed itself among the very top supranational names in the capital […]
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 Transformation
In 2016, Deloitte conducted a global study of 243 major legal services purchasers from global multinational corporations. It revealed that clients expect their legal services providers to use technology better and more broadly around knowledge sharing and contract management and shared platforms.
Solutions to mitigate M&A pitfalls
Recently Vietnam has become a favourite merger and acquisition (M&A) destination among foreign investors, particularly from Japan, Korea and Singapore. Popular sectors include real estate, food and beverages, retail, and to a lesser degree, manufacturing. However, one problem at present is that negotiations are often lengthy and […]
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 […]
Legal Update: New Amendment to Thailand’s Labor Protection Act Taking Effect on May 6, 2019
The Thai National Legislative Assembly approved a resolution to amend the existing Labor Protection Act (the “LPA”) on December 13, 2018. This amendment to the LPA has been published in the Government Gazette on April 5, 2019, and will come into effect on May 6, 2019. […]
Asia’s changing legal market and the strategies to adapt: An interview with Eric Chin of Alpha Creates
Asia’s legal market is changing and who better to know what strategies firms might deploy to adapt to these changes than Melbourne-based Eric Chin, who helped co-found Alpha Creates in January of 2019. A long-time strategic advisor to the legal services sector, Eric also coined the […]
Legal Entity Management – Beyond Compliance
Introduction Recently corporations, regulators and the public have been embroiled in fierce debates about CO² emissions, money laundering, and the OECD’s BEPS initiatives. All of these have involved risk to the reputations of hitherto highly respected organizations. Now entity management compliance is coming into the public […]
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 […]
Australia’s raised bar in Whistle-Blower Protection – New Time-sensitive Requirement for Employers
Australia’s whistle-blowing laws and program launches on July 1st 2019. The expanded corporate whistle-blowing program provides Australian employees with potentially the highest level of disclosure protection globally. Likewise, Australian employers will likely be setting a new standard. While companies will have until January 1st, 2020 to […]
Slowdown Forecast for India’s Economic Growth
The five year term of the current Indian Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming to an end as the electoral process commenced in the world’s largest democracy. The elections are being carried out phase-wise across the country and results are scheduled to be […]
Does your Ethics Line comply with the PRC Cyber-Security Law?
If your company employs in China, your ethics line should also be hosted and managed locally. Deloitte Legal 勤理recently launched a China based ethics hotline, helping our clients in China to uphold a culture of ethics and integrity as well as best practices in risk management, […]
UK Chancellor cites the importance of British law firms to Belt and Road’s development
Speaking in Beijing at The Second Belt and Road Forum For International Cooperation on April 26, 2019, UK Chancellor Phillip Hammond re-committed the UK to “to helping to realise the potential of the BRI – and to doing so in a way that works for all whose lives […]
Top 12 aspects to implement for an Effective Whistle-blower Hotline
A whistle-blower hotline is often a key component of an effective corporate compliance and ethics program. Research reveals that internal employee hotlines facilitate the detection of unethical or unlawful conduct, as tips are the most common detection method for suspected wrongdoing in companies with or without […]
In-House Community Awards HK: Charity – Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute.
The official charity for the In-House Community Awards is the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute (cc-TDI). The mission of the cc-TDI is to translate scientific discovery into clinical trials by understanding and proving new disease-specific treatment options for children with cancer. Based in Portland, Oregon, but providing cures […]
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 […]
Law business structures – challenges in ASEAN
In 2014, the IBA commissioned a mammoth report on Global Cross Border Legal Services that comprehensively covers information about over 90 countries and 160 jurisdictions on the regulation of the domestic and cross-border legal practice. What the report confirms is the transformation of legal practice, and […]
Interview with HFW Shanghai Head on China’s Legal Market
International law firm HFW maintains one of the most significant Asia-Pacific presences for a foreign-headquartered firm – with a total of 7 offices in the region. And not long ago, the firm launched a transactional practice in Shanghai. In this Q&A interview with Asia Law Portal, […]
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 […]
Hong Kong and Mainland authorities sign new arrangement on interim measures in aid of arbitration
This article was co-authored by José-Antonio Maurellet SC and Ellen Pang of Des Voeux Chambers and Yanhua Lin of Fangda Partners On 2 April 2019, the Hong Kong Government and the Supreme People’s Court of China signed the Arrangement Concerning Mutual Assistance in Court-ordered Interim Measures in Aid of Arbitral Proceedings by the […]
Vietnam: Proposed New Solar Feed-In-Tariff
The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam publicized a draft Decision that will replace Decision No. 11/2017/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister of Vietnam dated 11 April 2017 on mechanisms to encourage the development of solar power projects in Vietnam. The Draft Decision is expected […]