An exclusive tie up was sealed between Malaysian firm Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong and China’s largest law firm, Dacheng Law Alliance.
Five days ago, a strategic cooperation agreement was inked. “A strategic cooperation relationship with Dacheng was signed last week. The subject was broached in November 2010 by Dacheng when we worked together on a number of China IPOs and mining resources deals and in December 2010, we made a trip to China for further talks,” Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong managing partner Jeff Leong told ALB exclusively in an interview.
The Malaysian firm introduced the Chinese juggernaut to a number of Indonesian and Sri Lankan firms in the past month – a move that is in line with Dacheng’s strategy to grow its ASEAN and South Asian network, according to Leong.
The firm is also currently exploring options of tapping the Chinese market for Islamic financing deals – through the launch of an Islamic finance practice with Dacheng. As Mainland Chinese enterprises are fast venturing abroad, the strategic alliance partners are cooperating on outbound China IPOs, M&As and infrastructure projects.
Additionally, Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong has also appointed Michael Lim, ex-senior partner of Malaysian heavyweight firm Shearn Delamore as a consultant this month. Lim is a senior corporate law specialist with more than 30 years of experience and a strong focus on takeovers; mergers and acquisitions; company reconstructions; IPOs; securities industries and foreign investments. Lim commenced his new role at the firm on 1 March 2011.
The firm has also been approached by a number of parties for a merger in recent months and is currently engaged in talks.
According to Leong, headcount growth is targeted to double from 35 to 75 in the next three to five years via a series of mergers, lateral hires and organic growth.ALB
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