苏利文律所近日宣布，在完成必要监管程序后将于今年下半年开始执业香港法律，成为又一个执业香港法律的美国律所。届时吴基恩（前富而德香港办公室管理合伙人 ）和黄梓筠（ 前富而德律顾问）律师将作为合伙人加入苏利文。吴律师将常驻香港分所，而黄律师将常驻北京分所。
苏利文计划执业香港法律，也意味着美国律所继续看好香港法律市场。 据了解，自美国世达于2005年最先执业香港法律之后，许多美国律所比如世达、美邦、 瑞生、 佳利、谢尔曼•思特灵、 盛信及威嘉等都先后取得执业香港法律的资格。
据介绍，此次新加入苏利文的吴律师在资本市场、并购及监管合规方面拥有丰富经验。 他曾先后参与超过25宗香港联交所上市项目。吴律师拥有香港、英格兰及威尔士和马来西亚的律师执业资格，能讲流利的普通话和粤语。
Sullivan & Cromwell is the latest US law firm to launch a Hong Kong practice, recruiting Freshfields’ Hong Kong managing partner Kay Ian Ng and counsel Gwen Wong, to the partnership. The firm plans to launch its Hong Kong law practice later this year, following the completion of the necessary regulatory approvals.
This announcement marks a continuing trend of US firms developing local legal capabilities in Hong Kong. Skadden was the first to do so in 2005, and has since been followed by many elite US firms in the SAR. Since 2005, Skadden, Davis Polk, Milbank, Latham & Watkins, Cleary Gottlieb, Shearman & Sterling, Weil Gotshal and Simpson Thacher have all launched Hong Kong practices.
American firms seeking to gain local legal expertise have typically raided UK firms in the region. Freshfields in particular has borne significant losses to its US counterparts in the past year. In 2010, the magic circle firm lost partner Anthony Dapiran to Davis Polk’s new Hong Kong practice. Earlier this year, partner Christopher Wong and Linklaters’ Celia Lam were poached by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett to spearhead the development of the firm’s new Hong Kong law practice.
Ng, who was appointed Freshfields’ Hong Kong managing partner in March 2010, will be replaced by Stephen Revel, the global co-head of international capital markets. Revel will relocate to Hong Kong from London. Wong was appointed counsel in October 2010.
Sullivan & Cromwell opened its Hong Kong office in 1992. The firm’s Hong Kong office currently has 14 lawyers, including three partners. ALB
Related stories:
- Trend alert: Simpson Thacher latest US firm to launch Hong Kong law practice (13 May 2011)
- Freshfields recruits Linklaters lawyer to Hong Kong finance practice (20 May 2011)
- Davis Polk scores another lateral from Magic Circle firm (23 November 2010)
