April 3 – International law firms continue to increase their presence in Singapore, with Squire Patton Boggs, Norton Rose Fulbright, Milbank and K&L Gates becoming the latest to add new partners in the country on Monday.
Cleveland, Ohio-headquartered Squire Patton Boggs said it is hiring its first privacy lawyer in Singapore, Charmian Aw from Reed Smith, to set up and lead a data privacy, cybersecurity and digital assets practice in the island nation.
“Our data-related work has been growing in the Asia Pacific region generally, and in Singapore in particular,” Squire Patton Boggs’ global practice chair Alan Friedel said in a statement.
Aw specializes in multijurisdictional projects involving regulatory compliance, data governance, cybersecurity measures and incident response, and cross-border data transfers, Squire Patton Boggs said in a statement.
Aw’s technology, media and telecom sector experience fits the firm’s data practice strategy for the Asia-Pacific region, Friel said.
A spokesperson for Reed Smith thanked Aw and wished her well.
London-headquartered Norton Rose said it is setting up a restructuring base in Singapore, adding partner Meiyan Tan to lead it. Tan previously established and headed the same practice at local law firm Oon & Bazul.
“Singapore is fast becoming an important restructuring hub and Meiyen is well regarded in the restructuring market,” Norton Rose’s global restructuring co-head Howard Seife said in a statement.
Norton Rose’s Singapore office leader Yu-En Ong said there is an increased client demand in southeast Asia for advice on restructuring and insolvency, especially on cross-border cases.
Tan will also be a director at Norton Rose’s Singapore alliance firm, Ascendant Legal, the firm said in a statement.
An Oon & Bazul spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-founded law firm K&L Gates said Monday it is adding project finance partner Sarah Park to its Singapore office. Park was previously a local partner at White & Case’s outpost in Seoul, South Korea.
A White & Case spokesperson wished Park well for her new role.
New York-headquartered Milbank on Monday said it hired its first dedicated Asian restructuring partner in Singapore, adding Nicholas Dunstone from Hong-Kong based investment firm Asia Research & Capital Management.
A spokesperson for the investment firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Global law firm Linklaters last week hired an India-focused partner to its Singapore office, following India opening its doors to foreign law firms earlier last month.
Herbert Smith Freehills launched a Singapore-based disputes team last week, with the addition of a four-attorney group from U.S. law firm Morgan Lewis.
(NOTE: This story was updated to include a partner hire by Milbank.)
Reporting by Nimitt Dixit
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
More Stories
The Hague to Probe Cyberwarfare Under Existing International Law
The Global 200: The Richest Law Firms In The World (2023)
On UNGA margins, world leaders bolster bedrock of international law