Watson Farley & Williams law firm news

Watson Farley & Williams has promoted senior associate Andrew Nimmo to be the 10th partner of its Singapore office.

A wave of new maritime companies locating their head offices on Singapore’s shores – in addition to the republic’s growing reputation as the “go-to” destination for arbitrations – has raised expectations of significant growth in the shipping sector for 2011.

K&L Gates has appointed Raja Bose to head its international arbitration practice in Asia. Bose’s appointment is a strategic move to establish a new arbitration practice in the Singapore office, launched in March this year, and build up the Asian arbitration team, which has only two other lawyers who are based in Hong Kong and Beijing.

Watson Farley & Williams is looking to raise its numbers in Singapore to 33 by the end of the year.

Project finance work for Asia-based law firms may be affected by a lack of private sector financiers this year, as the financial crisis impedes funding of new projects unveiled in government stimulus packages across the Asia-Pacific region.

Hong Kong has a reputation as the place to be for maritime law experts. But now there’s a growing body of opinion that work is shifting towards Singapore.

The Singapore office of UK firm Watson Farley & Williams has advised Norwegian gas-carrier owner IM Skaugen's Singapore subsidiary IM Skaugen Marine Services on a 'multigas' joint venture with GATX.

The Singapore office of UK firm Watson Farley & Williams has advised Norwegian gas-carrier owner IM Skaugen's Singapore subsidiary IM Skaugen Marine Services on a 'multigas' joint venture with GATX.

The London head office of Hong Kong firm Stephenson Harwood & Lo has appointed the former managing director of the UK lease arranging arm of Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ as a consultant in its banking and asset finance group.

Still in its fledgling years. Asia's in-house legal profession, still in its fledging years, is facing a period of rapid growth and change. An ALB survey of private law firms across Asia has unearthed the names of the best and brightest in-house minds in the region, and sought their perspectives as they grapple with the profession's teething problems

As wet work drops off for shipping lawyers, ALB reports on how firms are repositioning themselves to win commercial and financing instructions

Following Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's decision to exit the Thai legal market, fellow UK firm Watson Farley & Williams has announced the recent additions of three associates to its Bangkok office.

ALB's inaugural ALB Deals of the Year Awards SE Asia will be held at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore on 17 March

Watson Farley & Williams has advised AT Biopower Co. Ltd on the equity arrangements and project financing of the first of four rice husk-fuelled power plants in Thailand.

As part of its ongoing series of Roundtables, ALB has brought together leaders of Asia's securitisation industry to discuss the stalled development and 'cautious optimism' for the future

US firm O'Melveny & Myers has strengthened its China team over the last few months with four senior appointments across its offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

UK firm Watson Farley & Williams is losing a two-lawyer team in Singapore to Norwegian firm Wikborg Rein & Co.

An uncertain future
When law firms first began pouring into Thailand nearly a decade ago, they had no idea the financial crisis of 1997 would make it one of the most lucrative markets in the region.

Given the unfortunate tag of ‘sunset industry’, the shipping and maritime area is undergoing change. But as ALB discovers, there are many who remain optimistic over its future.

Described as an English badge, the select few UK firms considered part of the so-called ‘magic circle’, have the found that the term isn’t quite the stamp of approval in Hong Kong as it is in London. Stephen Mulrenan finds out why.