Tag: Asia-Pacific legal news and analysis
Reflections on over two decades in the business of law in Asia: An interview with Patrick Dransfield, Co-Director, In-House Community
Patrick Dransfield first came to Asia in 1986 where he lived in Beijing. He later went on to a career working in the business of law beginning in Hong Kong in 1996. Educated in Art History and East Asia Studies, Dransfield has worked in legal publishing […]
India: Economic Growth Dips to Slowest in 26 Quarters
The Indian economy recorded its slowest growth in 26 quarters knocking in fears of a recession. While the Government denied this, the dipping growth rate continues to be the focus of global financial institutions. Foreign investment inflows increased compared to last year providing some hope and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Book Review: “SMARTER Law: Transforming busy lawyers into business leaders” – by Trevor Faure
“I cannot say this too strongly: Do not compare yourself to others. Be true to who you are, and continue to learn with all your might.” Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhist Philosopher, as quoted by Trevor Faure. Trevor Faure, self-defined as ‘part-translator-part-interlocutor’ between the legal and performance improvement […]
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 […]
Manila – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Known as the “pearl of the orient” during Spanish rule, the City of Manila withstood many natural disasters, colonial occupations and war, is now a thriving metropolis. While it may still be a stopover for most tourists before heading to the islands, Manila has become a […]
Latest Employment Law Trends in Australia
2018 was a busy time period for proposed reform to the employment law regime in Australia, as multiple bills are currently being discussed at both federal and state parliaments. This article will summarise the progress made in the reform process over the past year in Australia. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Law As A Process: How Process Design Defines Value, Delivers Efficiency, and Drives Business Strategy
KorumLegal’s proprietary Korum Process Methodology (KPM) focuses on helping law departments “do more with less” by applying the best practices of Lean, Six Sigma, and Agile methods to the delivery of legal services in the APAC region. Legal process management approach in North America vs APAC […]
India Recovers Slightly in Global Competitiveness Rankings
India climbed five places to reach rank 58 in the Global Competitive Index recovering from the huge dip last year, after stellar performances in 2015 and 2016. India’s economic growth forecast by the IMF remained slightly lower that its April forecast. The current royalty norms for […]
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 […]
The Future of the Sun Continues to Shine in Malaysia: Outlook and Prospects on the Solar Photovoltaic Industry
The new Government is committed to push forward sustainable and economic growth by promoting green technology developments and renewable energy. Wong Kee Hooi, who heads our Projects, Infrastructure & Utilities Practice Group at Zaid Ibrahim & Co. (a member of ZICO Law) in Malaysia, shares her […]
Seoul – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Home to large international companies like Samsung, LG and Hyundai, the South Korean capital city of Seoul has transformed economically in just a few years. Indeed, South Korea has risen rapidly to become one of Asia’s most advanced economies. Seoul is a fashion-forward city with cutting-edge […]
Litigation Funding in Asia – Where are we now?
Last year saw a swathe of reforms and proposed reforms in Asia in relation to litigation and arbitration funding. In January 2017, Singapore’s parliament passed the Civil Law Amendment Act and the Civil Law (Third Party Funding) Regulations 2017. Hot on Singapore’s heels, in June 2017, […]
The legal gig economy – what’s next?
In just three taps of your finger you could have a curry or burger winging its way to your home. With the rise of technology and the growing desire for ultimate convenience, it is no surprise that food delivery companies like Uber Eats and Deliveroo have […]
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 […]
Tokyo – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Tokyo, the capital of Japan is one of the largest, busiest and most populated metropolises in the world. This vibrant city is also called city of cities. You may think of it as several cities interlinked through an excellent public transport system. It also is a […]
Kuala Lumpur – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Kuala Lumpur has a remarkable history of rising to become a major ASEAN region commercial hub, attracting investors from all over the world. It has been ranked one of the top 10 city destinations in the world according to Euromonitor International for over 5 years now. […]
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 […]
Work life balance across Asia – and how things are changing
South Korea is well-known across Asia for its long hours and ‘workaholic’ culture. According to statistics from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, South Korean employees worked for an average of 2,024 hours in 2017 – meaning the country places third in the world rankings […]
Privacy is Dead
But we never wanted it anyway, muses Adrian Tan
Driving innovation in the legal industry
Introduction Emerging technologies are creating significant waves of disruption impacting economies, industries and societies across the globe. Companies are struggling to keep pace with technological developments, whether maintaining agile business environments to leverage advanced technologies or creating the right risk and compliance strategies to plan and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
What is Driving Change in Asia’s Legal Profession?
The famous American jurist Clarence Darrow once said, “The trouble with law is lawyers.” And, when it comes to changing the way lawyers and law firms operate, some of the speakers and panellists at the Legal Inno’ Tech Forum, which took place in Hong Kong in […]
Hong Kong is emerging as a Belt and Road legal and dealmaking hub
Hong Kong is emerging as a Belt and Road legal and dealmaking hub, as a series of recent reports reflects. ABS-CBN News, for example, has reported that Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, speaking last week at the Wharton Global Forum, outlined how the special […]
Law for Startups: A Guide to Fundamental Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs
The book “Law for Startups” is being released in the Malaysian market this month. Authored by experienced corporate lawyer Marcus van Geyzel (who was named as one of Asia Law Portal’s 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2016, and is […]
India Accelerates on Global Competitiveness
For the second year in a row, India jumped 16 places on the Global Competitiveness Report giving a boost to the Government’s initiatives to improve the business environment and make India a preferred global business destination. India is also working on the weaknesses identified and the […]
Mills Oakley launches Asia-Pacific’s first legal startup accelerator
In a move that highlights the rapid expansion of the legal startup ecosystem in Asia-Pacific, Australia’s Mills Oakley has launched the region’s first legal startup accelerator. Central to this effort is Mills Oakley’s CEO John Nerurker. In our continuing coverage of the region’s legal startup scene – […]
Australian Legal Startup Jurimetrics brings statistical big-data analysis to the legal system
Australia is among the leading jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific region. In the cultivation of startups focused on the legal services space. And recently, a new Australian startup called Jurimetrics is bringing statistical big data to the legal system. Here’s our recent interview with Managing Director Conrad […]