Howard Lam > Latham & Watkins LLP > Hong Kong, Hong Kong > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP‘s finance department in Asia is led by Hong Kong and Singapore-based Andrew Bishop, whose track record includes assisting global private equity firms and financial institutions with groundbreaking financings in China, Australia, India, Japan and Singapore. Fellow partner Howard Lam routinely advises corporations, banks and financial sponsors on major finance deals.

Latham & Watkins LLP‘s Greater China restructuring and insolvency group has a strong debtor-side and creditor-side practice that is involved in matters across capital structures for borrowers, sponsors, institutional and distressed investors (individually and as ad hoc committees). The team offers local expertise in both public high-yield bonds and private bank debts. Recent mandates that the team has advised on include China Fortune Land Development and Hong Kong Airlines. The team is headed by Howard Lam , who regularly represents insolvency practitioners, bondholders, distressed funds and bank lenders. Flora Innes has vast experience in complex corporate restructures, insolvency proceedings, and cross-border disputes.

Latham & Watkins LLP’s restructuring and insolvency group covers a myriad of issues stemming from both public high-yield bonds and private bank debts, acting on both debtor and creditor side mandates. Its work frequently incorporates its American roots in order to provide US law advice, such as advising on cross-border proceedings under Chapter 11 and Chapter 15. Players from multiple sectors, including energy, real estate, finance, and aviation, often turn to the team, especially those with connections to China’s corporates. Leveraging its cross-practice and multi-jurisdictional teams, the department is well-positioned to provide clients with advice on highly complex situations for private and publicly listed companies in Hong Kong and the wider Asia region, expertise essential when advising on non-traditional mandates like restructuring work covering Hong Kong scheme arrangements and UK restructuring plans. Howard Lam leads the practice and is a key point of contact for insolvency practitioners, bondholders, distressed funds, and bank lenders on China-related and Asia-based restructuring matters. Working alongside Lam is Flora Innes, whose involvement spans complex corporate restructurings, insolvency proceedings, and cross-border disputes.

American firm Latham & Watkins LLP has operated in Hong Kong for over 25 years, developing a practice with US, English, and domestic law capabilities through its advisory work primary centered towards private equity clients, who turn to the firm for its capabilities in all the main aspects of banking and finance, including acquisition financing and leveraged lending. Practice chair Andrew Bishop is noted for his capabilities in multi-jurisdictional financing transactions on behalf of some of the world’s leading private equity firms and financial institutions, with recent engagements seeing him acting for Carlyle Asia Investment Advisors and Warburg Pincus on the financing of a number of significant transactions. Howard Lam‘s extensive knowledge makes him a key contact for clients seeking advice on China-related high-profile transactions. Other key names include Lynsey Edgar and Ruonan Duan, both elected to counsel in January 2022 and 2023 respectively.