Firm to Add Nine New Partners in Asia
NEW YORK, Dec. 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver &
Jacobson LLP announced today the launch of its office in Hong Kong, in
association with local Hong Kong law firm Huen Wong & Co. Fried Frank’s
office in Hong Kong will provide clients with access to the firm’s US,
European and international expertise in M&A, private equity, capital markets,
finance, real estate and litigation, working in combination with Huen Wong &
Co.’s M&A, capital markets, real estate and litigation practices.
The firm is also pleased to announce that Huen Wong, Michael M. Hickman,
Raymond Kwok, Victoria Lloyd, and Liang Tsui have joined Fried Frank as
partners, and that Stephen Mok, Philip T. Nunn, Joseph Lee and Gilbert Ho
will be joining as partners in early 2007.
"Asia is very important for the firm’s international growth plans and
Fried Frank’s strength and depth of expertise across a range of practices
will provide a strong platform in the region," said Valerie Ford Jacob, Fried
Frank’s Chairperson.
"Fried Frank is very effective at combining well-configured international
expertise together with local law capability. The addition of this team,
with strong relationships in China, provides us with an opportunity to
capitalize on the growing demands from our existing clients as well as forge
new relationships throughout Asia," said Justin Spendlove, the firm’s
Managing Partner.
"I am looking forward to working with Fried Frank, a market leader both
in the US and Europe. As someone who has observed Fried Frank’s impressive
growth in the international arena over the past several years, I am pleased
to partner with a firm with such momentum behind it. I am excited by the
prospect of extending that leadership position to Hong Kong as well as
throughout Asia," said Huen Wong.
Fried Frank has had an international presence since 1970 when it became
one of the first US firms to open an office in London. Over the past 18
months Fried Frank has doubled the size of its European practice in London,
Paris and Frankfurt. With the addition of the new lawyers in Asia, Fried
Frank will have approximately 120 lawyers in its offices outside of the US.
In 2006, the firm advised on some of the most noteworthy matters of the year
including the $67 billion ATT/BellSouth merger, the largest M&A transaction
of 2006; the largest restructuring in France this year, advising Silver Point
on its acquisition of CF Gomma Barre Thomas; and the formation of the largest
European private equity fund, Permira IV.
About the new partners:
Huen Wong has extensive knowledge of PRC law and practice. His
particular experience covers a broad range of fields such as joint ventures,
securities, licensing, building and construction projects and arbitration
both in Hong Kong and the region, particularly in China. Mr. Wong is a China-
appointed Attesting Officer and is on the panel of foreign arbitrators for
CIETAC and the Arbitration Commissions in Beijing, Shanghai and Dalian. He
is admitted as a solicitor in England, Wales, Hong Kong, Singapore and
Australian Capital Territory. He joins Fried Frank from Simmons & Simmons
where he was managing partner for the China region with responsibility for
both the Hong Kong and Shanghai offices.
Michael M. Hickman has a wealth of experience in joint ventures,
corporate reorganization, and mergers and acquisitions, including assisting
major US-based private equity investors with investments in a range of
targeted industry sectors. He also has extensive experience in
privatizations and commercial and corporate finance transactions. Fluent in
Mandarin and English, he has lived and worked in Asia for over 20 years and
is admitted to practice law in New York. He joins Fried Frank from Simmons &
Simmons where he was resident partner of the Simmons & Simmons Shanghai
office.
Raymond Kwok is one of Asia’s leading real estate practitioners, and has
extensive expertise across a broad range of property and property-related
matters in Hong Kong and China. He focuses his practice in real estate and
infrastructure development, acquisitions and disposals, property litigation,
property financing, planning and project conveyancing. He has been advising
on China-related matters for 17 years and is a China-Appointed Attesting
Officer. Mr. Kwok is admitted to practice law in England, Wales and Hong
Kong. He joins Fried Frank from Simmons & Simmons.
Victoria Lloyd advises corporations and investment banks on a wide range
of corporate and commercial, corporate finance and merger and acquisition
matters, including funding raising activities, international securities
offerings and joint ventures. She is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and
English. She is qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong, England and Wales.
She joins Fried Frank from Simmons & Simmons.
Liang Tsui has extensive experience in advising multi-nationals on
foreign direct investment and M&A transactions in China. He has worked with
a number of global clients who are active in the Chinese market in the
chemical, automotive, financial services, insurance, manufacturing and
construction sectors and has acted for a number of US, UK, Swiss and French
companies on major corporate restructuring, investment and joint venture
projects. He speaks fluent Mandarin and English. He is qualified to
practice law in the US. He joins Fried Frank from Simmons & Simmons.
Stephen Mok focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions and
corporate finance, and has extensive experience with initial public offerings
on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. His experience also encompasses PRC
securities transactions, joint ventures, cross-border mergers and
acquisitions and general commercial work. He is admitted to practice as a
solicitor in New South Wales, Australia, in England, Wales and Hong Kong. He
joins Fried Frank from Simmons & Simmons where he was head of the China
corporate group.
Philip T. Nunn has 30 years’ experience in development and construction
matters. Over this period, he has handled a large number of major
construction litigation and arbitration cases and has significant experience
as an arbitrator. He is a member of the HKIAC Panel of Arbitrators, a member
of the CIETAC Panel of Arbitrators and the Korean Commercial Arbitration
Board Panel of Arbitrators, Chairman of the ICC Arbitration Committee in Hong
Kong, a member of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, a member of the Strategic
Planning Committee of the Housing Authority, Chairman of the Building
Committee of the Housing Authority, a member of the Property Committee of the
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, and Co-chairman of the Appeal Tribunal
(Buildings). He is admitted to practice law in England, Wales and Hong
Kong. He joins Fried Frank from Simmons & Simmons.
Joseph Lee focuses his practice on corporate finance and securities
transactions, with a special emphasis on initial public offerings relating to
Hong Kong and Chinese companies and mergers and acquisitions of listed and
private companies. He speaks fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin. He is
admitted to practice as a solicitor in Hong Kong and as a barrister and
solicitor in British Columbia, Canada. He joins Fried Frank from Simmons &
Simmons.
Gilbert Ho focuses his practice on corporate finance, equity capital
markets in Hong Kong and China, mergers and acquisitions and general
commercial transactions. He speaks fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
He is admitted to practice as a solicitor in England and Wales and as a
barrister and solicitor in New South Wales, Australia. He joins Fried Frank
from Simmons & Simmons.
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a leading international
law firm with more than 600 attorneys in offices in New York, Washington,
D.C., London, Paris, Frankfurt and Hong Kong. Fried Frank lawyers regularly
represent major investment banking firms, private equity houses and hedge
funds, as well as many of the largest companies in the world. The firm
offers legal counsel on M&A and corporate finance matters, white-collar
criminal defense and civil litigation, securities regulation, compliance and
enforcement, government contracts, real estate, tax, bankruptcy, antitrust,
benefits and compensation, intellectual property and technology,
international trade, and trusts and estates. The firm has an association with
Huen Wong & Co. in Hong Kong. More information on Fried Frank can be found
at http://www.friedfrank.com .