Latham & Watkins LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Firm Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Singapore > Capital markets: equity and debt: foreign firms Tier 1

Latham & Watkins LLP acts for corporate issuers, underwriters, placement agents, and initial purchasers on the full range of debt and equity offerings, with demonstrable capability advising on cross-border mandates, spanning South and Southeast Asia. Sharon Lau leads the team and is noted for her expertise in IPOs, REIT offerings and high-yield debt offerings, while Rajiv Gupta spearheads the firm’s India practice group and advises on high-profile capital markets transactions in this region. Timothy Hia counts corporate borrows, private equity investors, underwriters, and financial advisers among his key roster of clients, and Jeremy Wang handles the full spectrum of securities offerings. Stacey Wong, who advises on US-registered and cross-border Southeast Asia capital markets deals, was promoted to partner in October 2022.

Singapore > Corporate and M&A: foreign firms Tier 1

Noted for its capabilities in US, English and Singapore law advice, Latham & Watkins LLP handles the full spectrum of mandates, including public M&A, private takeovers, joint ventures, corporate restructuring and disposals. Amy Beckingham, who splits her time between the firm’s offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, advises on public and private M&A and joint ventures, while Sidharth Bhasin acts for private equity, sovereign wealth, and pension funds, as well as Asian and international corporates, on cross-border transactions. James Clayton-Payne focuses on multi-jurisdictional M&A and joint ventures, and Sharon Lau has experience in acquisitions and corporate finance transactions. Other key contacts in the group include Marcus Lee and Farhana Sharmeen.

Singapore > Banking and finance: foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP has maintained a steady pipeline of leveraged finance, acquisition financings and bank/bond deals. It has worked on a series of high-value acquisition financings across the Southeast Asia and South Asia regions. Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia are amongst its primary markets, and the team is a growing force in India, where it has advised on a number of headline acquisition financings. The finance team frequently works alongside colleagues in the capital markets, M&A, and private equity practices. Timothy Hia is an experienced banking and finance partner with an excellent record in headline and high-value financings, particularly in the acquisition finance segment. Chair of the Asia finance group, Andrew Bishop splits his time between Hong Kong and Singapore.

Singapore > Energy: foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP has a considerable presence in energy sector M&A and investment, along with bulge-bracket financings. With a background in conventional energy it has made a further impact in energy transition and renewables, covering oil and gas, LNG, traditional power and renewables such as wind, geothermal, and solar. Sidharth Bhasin and James Clayton-Payne are experienced figures in M&A, private equity investments, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions. Don Stokes is a seasoned name in project development and finance in the region and is particularly known for Vietnam LNG-to-power and renewable energy matters.

Singapore > Projects: foreign firms Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP is especially active in the offshore, infrastructure, and renewable energy spaces, often acting on LNG, oil and gas, and petrochemicals projects. The team acts as counsel to a wide roster of clients, including financial institutions, credit agencies, and investment banks, in relation to complex project financings and refinancings, restructurings, acquisitions, and joint ventures. The group's instructions have strong cross-border elements, with the firm drawing on resources from its practices in Hong Kong and Tokyo, to name a couple of jurisdictions. Practice head Stephen McWilliams operates from the firm's offices in Singapore and Tokyo. Don Stokes is noted for his expertise in infrastructure and energy projects, and is well known for his track record in handling work within Vietnam's energy sector.

Singapore > Start-up and venture capital – Foreign firms Tier 2

With an even mix of company and investor side representation, Latham & Watkins LLP has accumulated significant experience at all stages of the start-up life-cycle, from financing needs and M&A to crypto payments, data and technology advice. Ji Liu heads the firm’s corporate offering in Asia and is a leading figure. James Clayton-Payne is also a key presence; having advised a broad range of start-ups, venture capital investors and corporate venture capital vehicles in all rounds of fundraising, beginning with seed and continuing to Series F+ and exit.

India > Foreign firms Tier 2

With notable expertise in handling transactions covered by US and English law, the India practice at Latham & Watkins LLP acts for local, regional, and international clients on the full range of high-value capital markets, M&A, private equity, and finance matters. Leveraged financing transactions are a key focus for the team, as are public offerings and foreign investments. Rajiv Gupta heads the team from Singapore and is a seasoned commercial transactions, spin-offs, and joint ventures expert. Another key name on the corporate side is Sidharth Bhasin, also in Singapore, as well as London-based Sam Newhouse, global vice chair of the firm’s M&A practice.

Malaysia > Foreign firms Tier 2

The practice at Latham & Watkins LLP acts for its roster of domestic and international clients on an array of corporate and finance transactions in Malaysia, from capital markets, M&A and private equity to venture capital, project developments and Islamic finance structures. Based in the Singapore office, Sharon Lau leads the team and is noted for her expertise in capital markets, M&A and private equity-related matters. Key sectors of expertise include food and beverage, technology, traditional and renewable energy, oil and gas, telecoms and real estate.

Vietnam > Foreign desks Tier 2

Latham & Watkins LLP’s Vietnam practice, led by Hong Kong and Singapore-based Amy Beckingham alongside Sharon Lau based in Singapore, continues to assist major Vietnamese companies, financial institutions, private equity firms, and fintech startups. Global corporate vice chair Beckingham specialises in M&A, joint venture, and equity capital markets deals throughout Asia. She has considerable experience advising international investors in relation to their investments into Vietnam. Lau, a member of the firm’s global executive committee, regularly represents issuers and underwriters in connection with IPOs and securities offerings in Vietnam or with Vietnamese elements. She has recently led a team representing electric-vehicle producer VinFast in relation to its US IPO, the first Vietnamese company to publicly file for an IPO in the US.

Japan > Projects and energy: International firms and joint ventures

Philippines > Foreign firms

Latham & Watkins LLP has an excellent reputation in the market for its work on some of the country’s biggest deals. It is skilled at handling inbound and outbound transactions, and has a strong capital markets practice, while the group is also often called upon to advise on major project financing matters, as well as on arbitrations and disputes. Practice head Benjamin Carale , is qualified in New York, the Philippines, and in Hong Kong, and leads on many of the firm’s most significant transactions, which often have substantial cross-border elements. Diana Dizon plays a pivotal role in various Philippine debt and equity capital markets transactions.

China > Fintech: foreign firms

Emerging fintech companies, traditional financial institutions, venture capitalists and web3 ecosystem participants trust Latham & Watkins LLP to handle mandates ranging from NFT platform launches, to payments service agreements, to global cybersecurity compliance programmes. Simon Hawkins, who leads both the firm’s Asia and global fintech industry groups, frequently advises on regulatory implications of blockchain and distributed ledger technology. Farhana Sharmeen, who operates from the firm’s Singapore office, is another key contact. Kieran Donovan has since left the practice.

South Korea > Projects and energy: foreign firms

With considerable experience in major project development and energy infrastructure-related advisory work, Stephen McWilliams works out of both the Singapore and Tokyo offices, leading the project development and finance team at Latham & Watkins LLP. The group represents Korean and international sponsors, lenders and investors, in a number of high-profile renewable energy, mining and petrochemicals, and LNG deals. Richard Chul Kim operates from the Tokyo office, while associate David Shin advises on various project finance transactions, particularly involving Korean clients.