Tag: featured

Barriers to funding arbitration in Hong Kong dismantled
Hong Kong’s lawmakers kicked off the process of permitting the third-party funding of arbitration as far back as 2013, even then recognising the anachronistic nature of the prohibition. It has taken nearly six years for us to reach this point, but from February 1st the funding […]

High Growth Forecast for India Amidst Some Concerns
India continued to receive high economic growth forecast, as per reports issued by the International Monetary Fund and United Nations (UN). However, the UN reported highlighted some concerns and worrisome factors. Government of India recently amended the external commercial borrowings rules to further enable ease of […]

A Year of Big Changes: Latest Employment Trends in Singapore and Japan
2018 saw the biggest changes in the employment law regimes of both Singapore and Japan. Both jurisdictions have recently gone through a fundamental change to the key legislation concerning employees’ rights. This includes a wider coverage of employees who are entitled to statutory benefits, and the […]

Elevate Acquires Cognatio Law, Launching Operations in Hong Kong
Flexible lawyering provider Cognatio extends Elevate’s global capabilities in Asia Pacific market. Law company Elevate today announced it has acquired Cognatio Law, a Hong Kong-based flexible lawyering and legal consulting business serving in-house legal and compliance teams as well as law firms across the Asia Pacific. […]

Yangon – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Services Professionals
Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, is the largest city as well as the cultural and commercial centre of Myanmar. With the recent reforms, there has been a massive influx of foreign investment in the city. The city is still developing and has huge potential. A […]

Latest Employment Trends in Hong Kong: More Burden for Employers?
2018 witnessed the proposed introduction of a number of changes to the employment law regime in Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong Government taking the charge of implementing changes to gradually improve employee protections and employee benefits. This article shall revisit some of the key events […]

Assegaf Hamzah & Partners Participated in the Pre-Series A Funding of Justika.com
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners (AHP), one of the biggest law firms in Indonesia, recently participated in the Pre-Series A funding of Justika.com (Justika), the pioneer of legal services marketplace start-up in Indonesia. AHP’s Managing Partner, Bono Daru Adji, remarked that AHP’s participation in Justika is part […]

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 […]

Ho Chi Minh City – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Ho Chi Minh City, commonly known as Saigon, is a city with a rich culture and history. War relics from the devastating Vietnam War that lasted 20 years, and left a profound impact on the country’s economy, can still be found in the city. From a […]

M&A: Three easily mitigated but commonly overlooked pitfalls
New Delhi lawyers LexCounsel explore three of the most common mistakes made when it comes to Mergers & Acquisitions and their straight-forward solutions. Author Dimpy Mohanty Firm LexCounsel Thanks to Alliott Global Alliance for sponsoring this post. Mergers and Acquisitions (“M&A”) are an incredibly popular way to grow business inorganically. However, […]

ASEAN Employment Legal Update 2018 Q.4
DFDL’s Employment Practice Group is dedicated to advising clients on employment and labour issues and preparing human resources documentation that is compliant with local laws. Our employment team’s in-depth knowledge of the law and practices in the countries where we operate allows us to provide specialized, […]

India Changes E-commerce FDI Rules
Government of India recently amended the FDI rules in the e-commerce sector. The amendment, though mentioned as a clarification, has made substantial changes to the regulations. Foreign portfolio investors’ registration has increased sharply during the year. The data protection bill appears to have been finalize. Fitch […]

Shanghai – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Shanghai, China’s largest and most populated city is also its largest commercial and financial hub. Also known as as the New York of the east, this dynamic and cosmopolitan city is a bustling hive of activity. The city has had phenomenal growth and development in past […]

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 […]

Mumbai – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Mumbai is the financial and commercial capital of India and home to the largest entertainment industry activity in the country. Originally a group of seven islands, Mumbai has grown into a dynamic and cosmopolitan city that never sleeps. Also known as a city of extremes, Mumbai […]

The Competition Tribunal Exercising Firm Grip On Case Management Powers
The Competition Tribunal in the recent case of Competition Commission v. W. Hing Construction Company Limited & Ors [2018] HKCT 6 exercised robust case management power. It dismissed the 4th Respondent’s last-minute application at the PTR for what was “virtually a wholesale substitution” of the original plead […]

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 […]

Regulating E-Hailing In Malaysia. Is There Over-Regulation?
Since the launch of Uber, the e-hailing industry continued to grow and has become an undeniable force to be reckoned with. This has triggered major disruptions in the transportation industry, especially in the ride-hailing market which was traditionally monopolised by the taxi industry. Thank you to […]

Thailand Tax Alert: New Law on Transfer Pricing
On 22 November 2018, the Thai Revenue Department (TRD) took another significant step towards tightening its transfer pricing compliance and enforcement regime with the release of “the Additional Revision of the Thai Revenue Code No.47 (TRC47)”. Over the past five years, based on the Base Erosion […]

Jakarta – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Jakarta, the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia is a major commercial and financial hub of the country. Once a seaport district, Jakarta is now a vibrant and fast-growing metropolis. This bustling multicultural city is home to over 10 million people and the number increases […]

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 […]

Technology, NewLaw and Careers in the General Counsel’s Office: A View From Indonesia
Ario Rachman is Legal Counsel of deugro Indonesia, a highly specialized freight forwarder with a strong focus on turnkey logistics solutions for industrial projects. In this Q&A interview with Asia Law Portal, Ario provides his perspective on NewLaw and Legal Technology and their impact on the […]

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 […]

Bangkok – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Bangkok, the capital and commercial hub of Thailand is an enigmatic city. From ancient temples, palaces, a floating market, a unique cultural experience to huge shopping malls, skyscrapers and a bustling nightlife — this city of contrasts has something to offer everyone. It also is the […]

Opportunities for Foreign Investors in Indonesia: An interview with Denny Rahmansyah, Managing Partner of SSEK Legal Consultants in Jakarta
As the Gulf Times reported this week, Indonesia is set to open more sectors to foreign investors. In this Q&A interview with Asia Law Portal, Denny Rahmansyah, Managing Partner of SSEK Legal Consultants in Jakarta, provides a detailed analysis of current opportunities and challenges for foreign […]

Competition Conduct Rules: Key Findings from Teaching Petroleum v. Meyer Aluminium (2018)
By Richard Leung JP, John Hui and Jonathan Chan The recent case of Taching Petroleum Co Ltd v. Meyer Aluminium Ltd creates a new precedent. This decision is at the vanguard of raising contravention of conduct rules as a defence in civil proceedings. A shield not […]

International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference set for Seoul, September 22-27, 2019
The 2019 International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference will be held in Seoul, South Korea, a thriving metropolis that mixes the traditional with the modern – from skyscrapers, high-tech subways, K-pop culture and K-beauty to Buddhist temples, palaces and street markets and a history going back […]

Hong Kong – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Hong Kong is a beautiful city of islands and skyscrapers that can only be experienced and not described in words. This thriving metropolis is a unique fusion of eastern and western culture, stunning harbour, mountains, sandy beaches, rural getaways, endless skyscrapers and buzzing nightlife. This vibrant […]

The Thai Government Announces New International Business Center Incentives and the Cancellation of the IHQ Program
On 10 October 2018, the Thai government announced the cessation of the International Headquarters (“IHQs”) program (which also included Regional Operating Headquarters or “ROHs” and International Trading Centers or “ITCs”) and the creation of a replacement initiative; International Business Centers (“IBCs”). The move is part the OECD […]

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 […]

Cross-Border Scheme of Arrangement for Secured Noteholders: Re Mongolian Mining Corporation
Re Mongolian Mining Corporation [2018] HKCFI 2035 – the latest case on restructuring foreign companies’ foreign law-governed debts involving DVC’s José-Antonio Maurellet SC, Yang-Wahn Hew and Jason Yu. Read on to find out whether there was a sufficient connection between the Scheme and Hong Kong. In Re Mongolian Mining Corporation [2018] HKCFI 2035, […]

India’s Growth Forecast High Amidst Dollar Woes
India’s economic growth forecast remained stable with Moody’s predicting growth of 7.5%. This was close to the forecast of 7.6% by Reuters. The Government is aiming for a further jump in India’s ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report. Finally, the demonetisation report […]

Tax Issues & Strategies For Successful Investments in Cambodia
VAT Refund process? Audits? Tax incentives? Profit repatriation? Transfer Pricing? Cambodia/China double tax agreement? You want to understand more about these terms? Watch our latest video where our tax expert, Clint O’Connell, discusses tax issues and strategies for successful investments in Cambodia. DFDL, in collaboration with […]

ASEAN workplace: Addressing diversity and intersectionality.
In this column, I highlight issues and solutions that arise within the legal context of ASEAN and which impact the diversity of the region’s social, economic, cultural and political life. Human rights are a contentious subject for many, presenting a number of challenges to companies and […]