Freshfields has bolstered its China practice by elevating senior associate, Richard Wang, to counsel. Beijing-based Wang, who joined Freshfields from Linklaters in 2005, has significant experience advising on capital markets transactions ranging from IPOs and secondary offerings to compliance matters. Wang's follows the promotion of Hong Kong-based Charles Ching to the same position earlier this year.

Commenting on the promotions, Freshfields managing partner Ted Burke said counsel appointments were a way to recognise the talents of highly-experienced senior lawyers and displayed the firm’s commitment to developing talent across its international network.

Freshfields is not the only Magic Circle firm to have elevated one of its senior lawyers to counsel. Earlier this year, Allen & Overy promoted corporate lawyer Susan Ng to counsel while Linklaters elevated corporate duo Peggy Wang (Hong Kong) and Sophie Mathur (Singapore) to counsel status in April.