What we say about the firm's legal practice in Hong Kong
Banking and finance
Within Banking and finance, Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
Trevor Clark runs Linklaters’ practice, focusing on structured lending, trade finance, leveraged acquisition finance and syndicated facilities. David Irvine acted for Korea Development Bank in restructuring and refinancing a $400m bridge facility regarding the acquisition of a US cable manufacturer, while the practice also advised Hong Kong Telecommunications on HK$23.8bn loan facilities. John Maxwell is a key figure, though practice stalwart Patrick Fontaine has retired.
Capital markets (debt and equity)
Within Capital markets (debt and equity), Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
The ‘standout practice’ at Linklaters is ‘an excellent one-stop shop’ for Hong Kong, UK and US law and is equally adept in debt and equity capital markets (DCM and ECM respectively). Andrew Malcolm and Jeremy Webb have ‘the number one convertible bond practice’, while Celia Lam is ‘much better than anyone else at IPOs’. The transfer of David Ludwick and Jon Gray help offset the loss of Patrick Sheil to the London office and William Liu to Shanghai. The practice is ‘the best in terms of consistent delivery of service and strength of bench’ and clients compliment ‘the breadth of their practice - they work on anything from medium term note (MTN) programme updates to complex convertible bonds’. Nigel Pridmore advised Morgan Stanley and UBS as underwriters to Soho China’s HK$2.8bn convertible bond, and the Bank of New York Mellon as trustee to the bondholders.
Corporate (including M&A)
Within Corporate (including M&A), Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
Linklaters has seemingly been involved in all the best deals recently, such as acting for Lehman Brothers in the fast-moving $225m sale of its Asian operations to Nomura. Similarly high-profile representations include Rio Tinto on its $19.5bn partnership with Chinalco, and RBS Asia on the proposed privatisation of PCCW. Clients praise Keith Johnson for ‘excellent technical knowledge and ability to manage complex analysis’, and newly promoted Samantha Thompson as ‘thorough, responsive and bright’. The team offers ‘good calibre advice’ and is ‘very user-friendly’; Teresa Ma and Chris Kelly are also recommended.
Dispute resolution
Within Dispute resolution , Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
Linklaters continues to see a steady stream of work, with the ‘talented’ Marc Harvey singled out as possessing ‘very good judgement on strategy in litigious matters’. The specialised team is known for regulatory work and advising financial institutions, where it regularly secures high profile cases such as acting for Ernst & Young, defending a multi-hundred million dollar audit negligence case. Partner Tom Lidstrom joined in January 2009, adding experience in cross-border litigation and international arbitration. ‘You really cannot go wrong with them’, says one client.
Employment
Within Employment , Linklaters LLP is a second tier firm,
Linklaters has developed a special focus in advising financial clients on their employment related issues, where the team has seen several downsizing matters in the M&A and insolvency context. Counsel Rowan McKenzie heads the team that advised Lehman Brothers on the employment aspects of the $225m sale of Lehman Brothers’ Asian business to Nomura.
Hong Kong overview
Investment funds
Within Investment funds, Linklaters LLP is a third tier firm,
Linklaters’ practice is led by counsel Michael Guilday, who displays ‘very good technical knowledge with a strong commercial view’. The practice is ‘prompt and professional both in terms of quality of service and of advice’, advising Alibaba Investment on its $200m acquisition of a Hong Kong and Singapore-based hedge fund business.
Private equity
Within Private equity, Linklaters LLP is a second tier firm,
The ‘very helpful team’ at Linklaters is headed by Chris Kelly, with Betty Yap and John Maxwell also recommended. Clients say ‘the team’s response times are very quick and their advice is very good with a strong commercial edge’. The practice represented Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia as part of a consortium in the acquisition of Norske Skog Korea for $835m, completed in September 2008. Other high profile clients include Affinity Equity Partners, Blackstone and Carlyle.
Projects and energy
Within Projects and energy, Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
Linklaters’ top-notch finance practice works closely with the energy and infrastructure group, focusing on power-related matters. The practice is ‘client-focused and responsive’ as well as ‘helpful and business-oriented’. The practice is strong regionally, having advised the lenders on the potential $3-4bn acquisition financing of Seraya Power Generation in Singapore, and acting for lenders in restructuring the debt facilities of the $2bn Pusan Newport Project in Korea. John Maxwell leads the team, though Patrick Fontaine has retired.
Real estate
Within Real estate , Linklaters LLP is a second tier firm,
Linklaters is active in the real estate financing arena, where Jeremy Webb advised HSBC on the establishment of the first medium term note programme established by a REIT in Hong Kong. Edward Smith moved to Hong Kong from the London office to lead the investment management group, focusing on private real estate fund formations.
Regulatory
Within Regulatory, Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
Linklaters ‘considers all the business aspects of a transaction’ and ‘has the ability to apply the law to actual working issues’. Carl Fernandes and Marc Harvey focus on non-contentious and contentious work respectively. Other significant individuals include recent partner Umesh Kumar and Melvin Sng. The practice advised Merrill Lynch on non-US regulatory aspects of its merger with Bank of America, and handled the restructuring and disposal of Lehman Brothers Asia. Additional clients include HSBC, RBS, Standard Chartered Bank and BlackRock.
Restructuring and insolvency
Within Restructuring and insolvency, Linklaters LLP is a third tier firm,
Linklaters advised on the largest matter of the year, estimated at $225m, acting for Lehman Brothers and liquidators KPMG on the restructuring and disposal of the company’s operations in Asia and transfer of assets to Nomura. Melvin Sng led this transaction, and Trevor Clark is the other key partner. The team is also advising a syndicate of lenders on the $2bn debt restructuring of Pusan Newport in Korea.
Structured finance and securitisation
Within Structured finance and securitisation, Linklaters LLP is a first tier firm,
Linklaters has, according to clients, a ‘dedicated structured finance team’ which is ‘strong in OTC derivatives’ and offers ‘good coverage of the international structured finance area’. The ‘market-leading derivatives lawyer’ Chin Chong Liew led the team advising JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank and Bank of East Asia on the acquisition of shares in SCMP Group in order to restore the public float of the company, with a total value of HK$382.5m. The team also worked with the firm’s restructuring team on close-out issues relating to the liquidation of Lehman Brothers. Key individuals include Andrew Malcolm and counsel Mary Matson. The practice is ‘technically strong across a broad range of financial products’ and ‘appreciates the commercial realities of our business’.
TMT
Within TMT
What we say worldwide
Please choose another Linklaters LLP office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.
United Arab Emirates
Offices in Dubai
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Projects and energy : Projects and energy
Belgium
Offices in Brussels and Antwerp
- Banking, finance and capital markets : Banking, finance and capital markets
- Competition : Competition
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- Environment : Environment
- Fraud and white-collar crime : Fraud and white-collar crime
- Information technology : Information technology
- Intellectual property : Intellectual property
- Labour and employment : Labour and employment
- Real estate : Real estate
- Tax : Tax
- Legal market : Legal market
China
Offices in Shanghai and Beijing
- Foreign firms : Banking and finance
- Foreign firms : Capital markets
- Foreign firms : Corporate & M&A
- Foreign firms : Dispute resolution
- Foreign firms : Private equity/venture capital
- Foreign firms : Projects and energy
- China overview : Legal market overview
Germany
Offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, and Dusseldorf
- Antitrust : Antitrust
- Banking and finance Bank lending : Banking and finance Bank lending
- Banking and finance Project finance : Banking and finance Project finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A Large deals : Corporate and M&A Large deals
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- Employment : Employment
- Information technology and outsourcing : Information technology and outsourcing
- Insolvency and restructuring Restructuring : Insolvency and restructuring Restructuring
- Investment funds : Investment funds
- Private equity : Private equity
- Public sector : Public sector
- Real estate and construction Real estate : Real estate and construction Real estate
- Structured finance and securitisation : Structured finance and securitisation
- Tax : Tax
Algeria
Spain
Offices in Madrid
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Capital markets (US law) : Capital markets (US law)
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- EU and competition : EU and competition
- Project finance : Project finance
- Tax : Tax
- Legal market : Legal market
France
Offices in Paris
- Administrative and public law : Administrative and public law
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation : Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation
- Dispute resolution: Stock market litigation : Dispute resolution: Stock market litigation
- Dispute resolution: White-collar crime : Dispute resolution: White-collar crime
- EU competition and distribution : EU competition and distribution
- Insolvency : Insolvency
- Intellectual property: Full-service firms : Intellectual property: Full-service firms
- Mergers and acquisitions : Mergers and acquisitions
- Private equity : Private equity
- Project finance and energy Project finance : Project finance and energy Project finance
- Real estate : Real estate
- Tax : Tax
- Legal market : Legal market
Hong Kong
Offices in Hong Kong
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets (debt and equity) : Capital markets (debt and equity)
- Corporate (including M&A) : Corporate (including M&A)
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- Employment : Employment
- Investment funds : Investment funds
- Private equity : Private equity
- Projects and energy : Projects and energy
- Real estate : Real estate
- Regulatory : Regulatory
- Restructuring and insolvency : Restructuring and insolvency
- Structured finance and securitisation : Structured finance and securitisation
Indonesia
India
Italy
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets Debt : Capital markets Debt
- Capital markets Equity : Capital markets Equity
- Corporate and M&A Milan and Rome : Corporate and M&A Milan and Rome
Japan
Offices in Tokyo
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance - International firms and joint ventures
- Capital markets : Capital markets - International firms and joint ventures
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A - International firms and joint ventures
- Structured finance/securitisation : Structured finance/securitisation - International firms and joint ventures
Jordan
Cayman Islands
Lebanon
London
- Corporate and commercial : Overview
- Corporate and commercial : Corporate tax
- Corporate and commercial : EU and competition
- Corporate and commercial : Equity capital markets -UK capability
- Corporate and commercial : Equity capital markets -US capability
- Corporate and commercial : Financial services
- Corporate and commercial : M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+
- Corporate and commercial : M&A - US law capability
- Corporate and commercial : Outsourcing and procurement
- Corporate and commercial : Private equity
- Corporate and commercial : VAT and indirect tax
- Crime, fraud and licensing : Fraud - commercial and regulatory investigations
- Dispute resolution : Overview
- Dispute resolution : Banking litigation
- Dispute resolution : Commercial litigation
- Dispute resolution : International arbitration
- Dispute resolution : Public international law
- Dispute resolution : Tax litigation
- Finance : Overview
- Finance : Acquisition finance
- Finance : Asset finance and leasing
- Finance : Bank lending - investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Finance : Corporate restructuring and insolvency
- Finance : Debt capital markets
- Finance : Derivatives and structured products
- Finance : Emerging markets
- Finance : Hedge funds
- Finance : High yield
- Finance : Investment funds
- Finance : Islamic finance
- Finance : Securitisation
- Finance : Trade finance
- Human resources : Employee share schemes
- Human resources : Employment
- Human resources : Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution)
- Insurance : Insurance - corporate and regulatory
- Insurance : Professional negligence
- Private client : Charities and not-for-profit
- Private client : Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Overview
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Infrastructure
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Mining and minerals
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Private finance initiative(PFI)
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Water
- Real estate : Overview
- Real estate : Commercial property
- Real estate : Construction
- Real estate : Environment
- Real estate : Planning
- Real estate : Property finance
- Real estate : Property litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) : Overview
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) : IT and telecoms
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) : Intellectual property
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) : Media and entertainment
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) : Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
- Transport : Rail
Luxembourg
Offices in Luxembourg
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- Employment : Employment
- IP and IT : IP and IT
- Insurance : Insurance
- Investment funds : Investment funds
- Tax : Tax
- Legal market : Legal market
Libya
Morocco
Netherlands
Offices in Amsterdam
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Private equity : Private equity
- Tax : Tax
Oman
UK Overview
Philippines
Poland
Offices in Warsaw
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Competition/antitrust : Competition/antitrust
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property : Intellectual property
- Projects, energy and natural resources : Projects, energy and natural resources
- Real estate : Real estate
- Tax : Tax
- Legal market : Legal market
Portugal
Offices in Lisbon
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- EU and competition : EU and competition
- Employment : Employment
- Intellectual property : Intellectual property
- Project finance : Project finance
- Public law : Public law
- Real estate : Real estate
- Tax : Tax
Qatar
Russia
Offices in Moscow
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A Moscow : Corporate and M&A Moscow
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- Employment : Employment
- Energy and natural resources : Energy and natural resources
- Real estate : Real estate
- TMT : TMT
- Tax : Tax
Scotland
Sweden
Offices in Stockholm
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Corporate and commercial : Corporate and commercial
- Dispute resolution : Dispute resolution
- EU and competition : EU and competition
- Employment : Employment
- IT and telecoms : IT and telecoms
- Insurance : Insurance
- Intellectual property and media : Intellectual property and media
- Mergers and acquisitions : Mergers and acquisitions
- Real estate : Real estate
- Tax : Tax
- Legal market : Legal market
Singapore
Offices in Singapore
- Joint law ventures : Joint law ventures
- Offshore market : Offshore market
- Local firms : International arbitration
- Foreign firms : Banking and finance - Foreign firms
- Foreign firms : Capital markets - Foreign firms
- Foreign firms : Corporate and M&A - Foreign firms
- Foreign firms : Projects and energy - Foreign firms
- Foreign firms : Restructuring and insolvency - Foreign firms
South Korea
Thailand
Offices in Bangkok
- Banking and finance : Banking and finance
- Capital markets : Capital markets
- Corporate and M&A : Corporate and M&A
- Projects and energy : Projects and energy
- Real estate and construction : Real estate and construction
- Restructuring and insolvency : Restructuring and insolvency
- TMT : TMT
Tunisia
US
Offices in New York
- Finance : Structured finance: derivatives and structured products: National
- Investment fund formation and management : Alternative/hedge funds: National
- Investment fund formation and management : Private equity funds: National
- Tax : International firms: National