The Legal 500

Chris Moore and his ‘proactive, responsive’ team at Allen & Overy advised Khazanah Nasional Berhad on the formation of a Southeast Asia emission reduction joint venture company. The firm advised Credit Suisse on a $1.345bn share-backed loan facility for the creation of London-listed Indonesian resources giant Vallar and its $3bn acquisition of shareholdings in Bumi Resources Tbk and Berau Coal Energy Tbk. The ‘knowledgeable, experienced’ Kenny Kwan provides regulatory advice. Lock Yin Mei is recommended.

Supported by its global network, Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow’s ‘prompt, service-oriented’ team, led by Ai Ai Wong, advised Kirin Holdings Company on the S$1.336bn acquisition of a 14.7% stake in Fraser and Neave. Other prestigious clients include Archer Daniels Midland, Deutsche Bank and AXA Private Equity. Jon Worsfold, who advised PT Bank Permata Tbk on its acquisition of GE Capital’s Indonesian multi-finance and credit card business, and Andrew Martin are recommended.

Simon Clinton, who relocated from Dubai, heads the team at Clifford Chance. Sze Shing Tan also arrived in Singapore from the London office. Lee Taylor advised Mitsui on a $225m joint venture with Hyflux in China. The QFLP licence has brought the practice more local instructions, advising Istithmar on the S$155m disposal of its shares in South Beach Consortium.

Linklaters Allen & Gledhill’s Stuart Bedford and his team advised Mitsui on the MYR3.3bn acquisition of a 30% stake in Integrated Healthcare Holdings, and represented JPMorgan in Vallar’s $3bn acquisition of shares in Bumi Resources and Berau Coal Energy.

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s Jake Robson advised long-standing client, AXA SA, on it’s A$9.8bn acquisition of the Asian businesses of AXA APH. Adam Summerly led a team advising CLSA Capital Partners on an $80m investment in OSL’s shipping business. Jill Gauntlett is recommended for ‘safeguarding clients’ interests’.

Robert Clarke and his team at Allens Arthur Robinson TSMP are recommended for ‘fast turnaround, business acumen and strong advice’, assisting PartnerRe on Asian elements of its global acquisition of the reinsurance business of ParisRe. Other clients include Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Herbert Smith LLP’s team, led by Austin Sweeney and Veronica O’Shea, who ‘can hold her own under pressure’, includes four partners in Singapore and two seconded to Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung in Jakarta. O’Shea represented Rio Tinto in the acquisition of an interest in the Sulawesi Nickel Project in Indonesia by Sherritt International Corporation. Lewis McDonald led a team advising BG Group on the divestment of its Southeast Asia power assets.

Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee’s team ‘has excellent depth and ability to draw on London and US resources’. The ‘level-headed and commercially minded’ practice head Stephanie Keen advised a consortium comprising Unitas Capital, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers (in administration) on the complex sale of Metalform Group. Keen also assisted Bermudan company IRF European Finance Investments with the acquisition of shares in Greek bank Marfin Investment Group.

Mark Nelson and Michael Sturrock lead Latham & Watkins LLP ‘high-quality’ team. Sin Chei Liang advises on Singapore law-based transactions and the Singapore elements of international transactions under the firm’s QLFP licence. Together with Rajiv Gupta, Sturrock advised Vedanta Resources on the acquisition of Cairn India.

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy’s David Zemans and his team represented Northstar on the $1bn acquisition financing of its investment in Buma, and acted for Standard Bank and ANZ Banking Group on Royal Group of Cambodia’s $421m acquisition of CamGSM. James Murray wins accolades from peers and clients.

Watson, Farley & Williams LLP focuses on transport, energy and natural resources, advising Vestas Wind Systems and Conergy. Practice head Ken Cheung advised Arowana Capital on its sale of its interest in the Key Media legal publishing business to Thompson Reuters. Damian Adams’ clients include Precious Shipping. Clients appreciate Nicholas Hanna’s ‘ability to think out of the box’.

Keith McGuire’s team at Ashurst LLP was strengthened by the arrival of Ed Bennett from the London office. The team worked with colleagues in London and Tokyo to advise KOGAS on its investment in Gladstone LNG in Australia. Susan Roy advised REA Holdings on the issue of listed preference shares as part of a capital raising exercise.

Sheela Moorthy and her team at DLA Piper Singapore Pte. Ltd. handle complex private equity deals involving Asian and international parties. Highlights included advising Groupon on its equity investments in Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. The practice is supported by the firm’s Australian connections and global footprint. Biswajit Chatterjee was promoted to partner. K Minh Dang left to join YKVN.

Clients recommend Gibson Dunn for ‘responding faster and giving better advice without running up the bill’. Practice head Jai Pathak advised Spice i2i in its $175m acquisition of Affinity Pacific (Selular Group). Saptak Santra advised Pinnacle Entertainment on the acquisition of a 26% equity interest in Asian Coast Development (Canada).

Clients appreciate Jones Day’s ‘experienced, diligent and thorough’ approach. Dennis Barsky advised a subsidiary of Temasek Holdings in the acquisition of Frac Tech Holdings. David Longstaff advised US company Coherent in its acquisition of the assets of Singapore-based Hypertronics Pte and Malaysian Hypertronics Sdn Bhd.

Practice head David Makarechian at O’Melveny & Myers LLP impresses clients as an ‘excellent lead counsel in complex acquisitions’. Joel Hogarth and Siew Kam Boon represented shareholders on the divestment an Indonesian white sugar refinery to Singapore listed commodities trader Wilmar International.

Bill McCormack and his ‘sound, business-oriented’ team at Shearman & Sterling LLP advised on AES Mong Duong Holdings’ sale of its interest in the Mong Duong 2 Power Project. Clients commend Sanja Udovicic’s ‘techical and analytical skills’, and identify Shirin Tang as ‘a future star of the region’.

Sidley Austin LLP’s nine-lawyer practice provides ‘prompt service and clear, practical advice’ to financial institutions and corporations on pan-Asian and multijurisdictional transactions. The team was boosted by the arrival of Prabhat Mehta from the New York office. Gerard Hekker, who joined from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and Matthew Sheridan handle deals in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.

White & Case LLP’s Will Kirschner, recommended for his ‘exceptional focus on client service and outstanding commercial acumen’, is advising Nestlé on its S$2.1bn acquisition of Chinese confectioner Hsu Fu Chi, and worked with White & Case, S.C. in Mexico City representing long-standing client, TNK-BP in its $1.8bn acquisition of BP’s upstream and pipeline assets in Vietnam and Venezuela. The ‘responsive, clear-headed’ Charlie Wilson ‘knows the Indonesian market very well’. Jonathan Olier is singled out for praise.

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP recruited nine lawyers, including Alistair Duffield and his five-lawyer team from Holman Fenwick Willan LLP. An expanding client list includes Bakrie & Brothers Tbk, PT Bumi Resources Tbk and Olam International. Azmul Haque is ‘committed and approachable with a good knowledge of several jurisdictions’.

At Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Hong Kong-based Kirtee Kapoor, Mark Lehmkuhler and William Barron advise international banks on big-ticket transactions across Southeast Asia.

Tan Lian Yok and James Donoghue at Holman Fenwick Willan LLP advised PT Antam Tbk on its joint venture with Hangzhou Jinjiang Group of China. Alistair Duffield left to join Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.

Pieter De Ridder at Loyens & Loeff advises multinationals on cross-border and pan-Asian tax structuring.

Respondek & Fan Pte Ltd’s Andreas Respondek handles corporate and commercial matters across the region and internationally. Longstanding clients include Symrise and Qiagen. Recent work includes negotiating settlements for senior management affected by restructurings and reorganisations.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s five-partner regional practice represented Credit Suisse as financial advisor to Ascott REIT in its acquisition of a $1bn global property portfolio. Practice head Rajeev Duggal and Jonathan Stone in Hong Kong are leading names.

Stephenson Harwood’s strength in shipping and aviation brings referrals from a prestigious international client base. Matthew Gorman, recommended as ‘proactive, customer responsive and lateral thinking’, and Paul Ng advised Tiger Airways on a joint venture to establish a new low-cost carrier.

Practice head Rhonda Hare at Blake Dawson advises hotel groups across Asia and the Middle East, notably advising Qatari Diar on the $275m acquisition of the Raffles Singapore Hotel. Antitrust partner Bill Reid provides compliance advice clients including BHP Billiton. ‘Rising star’ Rhiannon Barnard specialises in tourism and gaming.

Tan Woon Tiang at Conyers Dill & Pearman advises on offshore corporate finance transactions, notably acting as Bermuda and BVI counsel to UOB regarding a S$28.2m facility to R&Y Holdings, and special Mauritius counsel to MakeMyTrip for the listing of its shares on Nasdaq.

Duane Morris & Selvam LLP is the first US-Singapore joint venture. Joint managing directors Arfat Selfam and Krishna Ramachandra specialise in corporate finance work, while managing partner Eduardo Ramos-Gómez, who divides his time between Hanoi and Singapore, handles direct foreign investment transactions in Asia.

Freehills wins praise as ‘the best Australian firm in Singapore’, according to clients. John Dick and his team advise on regional infrastructure projects working with Indonesian associate Soemadipradja & Taher, advising an Indian multinational on its $1.2bn acquisition of coal assets in Indonesia.

Edward Koehler and his team at Hunton & Williams LLP advise on M&A, joint ventures and projects.

Singapore-based Bernd Götze at Kleiner Rechtsanwälte provides corporate legal services in Asia.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH expanded its team from six to 13 lawyers advising German corportates operating within South and Southeast Asia. It also has French legal capabilities. Knut Unger is the primary contact.

Oliver Wright, Rina Lee and Andi Zulfikar at Mataram Partners represented Marriott on developments in Indonesia, and represented a UK PLC on the purchase and subsequent sale of three Indonesian mining companies.

Malaysian firm Raslan Loong’s Singapore office handles cross-border transactions.

‘Thorough, analytical and dedicated’ sole practitioner Sandor Schick at Schick & Associates LLC provides ‘commercially realistic’ advice on M&A and distressed sales, recently representing a leading Vietnamese consumer products company.

Sole practitioner Nicholas Serwer combines running The Serwer Law Firm LLC with acting as general counsel for PT Ancora International in Singapore and Jakarta.

Wikborg Rein’s corporate practice benefits from its alliance with Pan Asia Law Corporation. June Ho works closely with the firm’s Norwegian office providing corporate finance advice to shipping and offshore companies, notably advising STX OSV Holdings on its S$1.05bn IPO.

Robert Liew is Singapore partner at ZICOlaw Singapore Pte Ltd, the regional hub of Malaysian firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co’s recently established ZICO network.