U.S. law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton closed its Beijing office in late March, ending a nearly eight-year run. Shanghai will now be the firm’s only office in China. The other office in Asia is located in Seoul.

Akin Gump nabs energy partner from V&E in Hong Kong, Sheppard Mullin boosts its Korea practice with partner hire, Cleary Gottlieb adds capital markets partner in Hong Kong, and more in this week’s Asia Appointments table.