Only days after the defection of its tax head, Stephen Nelson, to DLA Piper, King & Wood has lost a further two partners from its Hong Kong office. John Lo and Kenneth Y Choy have both departed for the Hong Kong office of US firm Edwards Angel Palmer & Dodge (EAPD).

Lo is a corporate specialist with a focus on emerging companies, venture capital, private equity, M&A and outbound Chinese investment. Choy on the other hand, is an experienced IP practitioner whose practice encompasses both the contentious and non-contentious aspects of the area. Prior to his time at King & Wood, Choy worked in-house as the chief legal officer of an international technology group in China.

The firm’s Hong Kong office, which operates in association with local Hong Kong outfit Lister Swartz, now boasts five partners: Lo and Choy join principals Martin Lister and Kristi Swartz as well as Andrew Lui, the former Asia managing partner of Salans, who was recruited in mid-2010.