The firm
Stephenson Harwood is a full-service international law firm, with over 100 partners and 700 staff worldwide. The firm has seven offices across Europe and Asia: Guangzhou, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Piraeus, Shanghai and Singapore.
Stephenson Harwood remains one of the first international law firms to enter China. Since the establishment of the Hong Kong office in 1979, Stephenson Harwood started its operation in Shanghai in 1993 and subsequently in Guangzhou in 1994. With over 25 per cent of their people now operating out of Asia, their business scope and experience has expanded, facilitating closer collaboration with domestic law firms and clients alike.
The China team assists well-known regional and international companies in the areas of corporate (including establishing new business in China, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, IPOs in the overseas capital markets), international trade, international marine matters (including ship finance, marine disputes), real estate and international disputes in relation to overseas investment by Chinese companies.
Stephenson Harwood was named ‘Chinese Law Firm of the Year-2010’ at the ILO Client Choice Awards, ‘Corporate Law Firm of the Year’ at the Corporate INTL Legal Awards 2010 and ‘Law Firm of the Year’ at the British Legal Awards 2009.
Areas of practice
Corporate: the corporate department services a broad range of matters including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and capital markets, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital and takeovers.
Finance: the finance group handles lending/borrowing, security, capital markets, debt/project/trade/ship/asset/structured finance transactions, debt issues, financial derivatives, finance asset sales, bank mergers and insolvency/restructuring and regulatory work.
Financial services: the financial services group acts for financial and investment institutions and intermediaries, investment funds and managers, issuers and investors.
Litigation: the firm has a substantial and wide ranging litigation practice with a high reputation in the region. Its litigation knowledge complements other areas of the firm’s practice in the fields of corporate and commercial work, banking, property, insurance and insolvency.
Wealth management: the wealth management team provides a specialist service to the global needs of private clients. The team is experienced in a variety of fields, from international tax planning for the high-net-worth individuals to the probate of estates and trust litigation.
Marine and international trade: the firm has one of the world’s leading marine law practices, offering a breath of services to clients in the shipping, offshore and commodity sectors that few other firms can match.
Investment funds and private equity: the firm has expertise in advising hedge funds, venture capital and private equity funds on fund formation and on regulatory and compliance matters.
Employment: the firm has expertise in advising hedge funds, venture capital and private equity funds on fund formation and on regulatory and compliance matters.
Real estate: the dedicated team provides expert advice on all types of property developments and infrastructure projects, from the inception state through to completion.
Contact Voon Keat LAI
Languages
Cantonese
English
French
German
Malay
Mandarin
Shanghainese
Other offices
Athens*
Bucharest*
Guangzhou
Kuwait*
London
Paris
Piraeus
Shanghai
Singapore
Number of lawyers at this office 80
Above material supplied by Stephenson Harwood.