The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a third tier firm,

With the retirement of Steven Christopher, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is now principally known for its work in the DCM, structured products, derivatives and securitisation arenas. Even with Christopher’s departure, it benefits from close connections to major investment banks such as RBS, Credit Suisse, Barclays and Merrill Lynch, as well as key PRC banks including Bank of China and CICC. Paul McBride is now the key partner on general lending work.

Within Capital markets (debt), Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a second tier firm,

Mallesons Stephen Jaques’ Hong Kong office has a strong emphasis on DCM, structured finance and securitisation. Of late, RMB bonds have featured prominently within the practice, led expertly by Richard Mazzochi. Convertible bonds and MTN programmes also feature prominently.

Within Capital markets (equity), tier 4

Mallesons Stephen Jaques is noted for its prominence in mid-market deals, with particular strength in energy and resources transactions. It recently acted for Mongolian Mining Corporation on its listing. Larry Kwok and Conrad Chan are the principle partners following the departure of Dieter Yih to Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy.

Within Construction, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a first tier firm,

For some, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is ‘the top construction firm in Hong Kong, if not Asia’, where there is ‘enormous strength in depth at all levels’ and the lawyers are ‘always prepared to go the extra mile’. Continuing to act on high-profile matters both in and outside the region, the team’s client base recently extended to the Middle East where it represents a major international contractor in various disputes with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai on the construction of a major road interchange. David Bateson is an ‘excellent arbitrator’ with over 30 years of experience in Hong Kong, and Paul Starr is ‘very bright and hardworking’; ‘when Bateson or Starr is against you, you know you have a fight on your hands’.

Within Corporate (including M&A), tier 4

Mallesons Stephen Jaques has notable strength in China FDI and private and public M&A. The firm has completed a series of Asian deals on behalf of cornerstone client Telstra over the years and also has a fine record in the mining sector. Clients highlight the team’s ‘expertise’, ‘proactive approach’, ‘responsiveness’ and ability to get deals ‘cleared with the HKSE’. Stuart Valentine, Simon Milne, Larry Kwok and Conrad Chan (‘thinks ahead’, ‘outlines the issues and problems’) are all recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a third tier firm,

Mallesons Stephen Jaques substantially heightened its status in 2010, by hiring Denis Brock (‘comes up with solutions that no one else even remotely thinks about’, ‘one of the best litigators I have come across’, ‘practical’, ‘commercial’, ‘remarkable people skills’), Clifford Chance’s former Asia head of dispute resolution. The firm also hired special counsel and contentious regulatory specialist Jill Wong, the former deputy general counsel at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. With a strong contingent of arbitration experts, the firm now has a fully-rounded dispute resolution practice.

Within Dispute resolution International arbitration, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a second tier firm,

Founded on a market leading construction practice, Mallesons Stephen Jaques has successfully nurtured a strong presence in arbitration. Although construction and infrastructure cases dominate, it has a broad practice, with David Bateson and Paul Starr considered to be ‘smart lawyers’ that do ‘real arbitration work’.

Within Insurance Other recommended firms

Within Investment funds, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a second tier firm,

A ‘very decent outfit’, Mallesons Stephen Jaques handles private equity, infrastructure and real estate fund work; across these areas, the firm is described as ‘one of the best’. It recently acted for an investment manager on the establishment of a private equity fund investing in infrastructure assets in Greater China. The team also advises on ETFs and hedge funds; the ‘excellent’ Hayden Flinn, who has a ‘very good understanding of clients’ commercial needs’, led in advising State Street Global Advisors on the launch of an ETF. Richard Mazzochi is recommended. Clients include Macquarie Capital and Income Partners.

Within Projects and energy, tier 4

Featuring a team which is ‘always prepared to go the extra mile’, Mallesons Stephen Jaques’ experience spans energy, natural resources, project finance and infrastructure. Paul Starr and David Bateson are noted for their contentious construction experience in the projects arena, and advise contractors in disputes. Edmund Wan advises on Chinese outbound investment projects. Brad Galvin advises on water, power and telecoms projects, and has a focus on Southeast Asia. Galvin, together with Hayden Flinn, advised mobile network operator CSL in a contract for a Long Term Evolution network with ZTE Corporation.

Within Real estate Other recommended firms

Within Regulatory, tier 4

Providing ‘timely responses’ and ‘commercial advice’, Mallesons Stephen Jaques fields strength in both contentious and non-contentious regulatory issues and has a cross-departmental team of ‘good quality lawyers at all levels’. Special counsel Jill Wong joined in January 2011 from Credit Suisse. Edmund Wan is currently advising a company in an investigation by the Financial Reporting Council. David Bateson and Denis Brock are also active in contentious cases. Richard Mazzochi handles advisory work, and counts The Hong Kong Association of Banks as a client. Minny Siu and Hayden Flinn are recommended.

Within Restructuring and insolvency, tier 4

At Mallesons Stephen Jaques, the team advises on bankruptcy, corporate recovery, insolvent trading, receivership and liquidation. Edmund Wan made partner in January 2011, and is advising the liquidators on the winding-up of the controlling shareholder of an Asian watch manufacturer and retailer, A-One Investments. In 2010, Conrad Chan advised Shell Electric MFG on its HK$1.5bn capital reorganisation.

Within Structured finance and securitisation, Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a first tier firm,

Mallesons Stephen Jaques is highly active in the retail structured products arena, where the team has ‘inside-out knowledge of warrants and retail notes’. The team of ‘quality lawyers at all levels of seniority’ provides ‘timely responses and realistic quotes’, and advises on CDOs, equity-linked products and RMB-related transactions. Richard Mazzochi is rated for his ‘deep knowledge and commerciality’. Paul McBride acts for investment banks, and recently advised a client on a credit card securitisation for a Korean issuer. Minny Siu is recommended, and clients include RBS, Credit Suisse and Bank of China.

Within TMT Other recommended firms