The Legal 500

Within Capital markets (equity), tier 4

O’Melveny & Myers LLP is a leader in SEC-registered offerings by PRC corporates. It is principally focused on the mid-market, and largely represents issuers. It is particularly strong in the natural resources and healthcare sectors. In 2011, the firm represented China Polymetallic Mining on its HK$1.5bn IPO. Gordon Ng is the lead partner, though the arrival of capital markets specialist Gigi Woo from Standard Chartered is a big boost.

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Within Corporate (including M&A), tier 5

O’Melveny & Myers LLP’s strong focus on China has led it to work on a number of pre-IPO investments. It has a notable financial investor client base that includes a series of Chinese banks. Gordon Ng is the lead partner.

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Within Dispute resolution, tier 5

Though principally focused on arbitration, O’Melveny & Myers LLP handles a significant flow of court litigation, as well as regulatory investigations. The firm has a natural foothold with major US clients, while PRC clients are a growing portion of its portfolio. Friven Yeoh has a fine reputation.

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Within Dispute resolution: international arbitration, O’Melveny & Myers LLP is a second tier firm,

O’Melveny & Myers LLP’s ’rapid’, ’thorough’, ’experienced’, and ’practical’ practice includes the experienced Friven Yeoh. Much of the practice relates to the PRC, India and South-East Asia, with foreign direct investment, shareholder and M&A disputes accounting for a significant portion of the work.

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Within Investment funds, O’Melveny & Myers LLP is a third tier firm,

O’Melveny & Myers LLP is best known for private equity fund formation, and has strong experience and knowledge of the Indonesian and Chinese markets. James Ford is the main contact in Hong Kong, and works closely with Dean Collins in Singapore, and Larry Sussman in Beijing.

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Within Private equity, O’Melveny & Myers LLP is a third tier firm,

Despite the recent departure of Douglas Freeman to Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, O’Melveny & Myers LLP continues to represent a number of major financial investors in Asia, including large sovereign wealth funds. The firm also has a particularly strong record in the secondary market thanks to the efforts of key partner James Ford. Mount Kellett and FountainVest are key clients.

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Within Restructuring and insolvency, O’Melveny & Myers LLP is a third tier firm,

O’Melveny & Myers LLP is ’definitely the place to go to for high-end restructuring advice’, and acts for clients such as Deutsche Bank, KPMG and Standard Chartered Bank. Recent work highlights included advising FTI Consulting (Asia), the provisional liquidators of Grande Holdings, on its relief under Chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code. Mark Fairbairn, who ’is "the" restructuring expert in Asia’, leads the team, which recently lost James Wood to Lipman Karas.

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Within Structured finance and securitisation, tier 4

O’Melveny & Myers LLP no longer handles securitisation following the recent departure of Neil Campbell to K&L Gates, but counsel Bronwen May continues to work on derivative and structured product transactions. Clients include KPMG, Credit Suisse and CLSA.

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