Midshore jurisdictions like Singapore, Hong Kong and Ireland, which incorporate elements of both onshore and offshore jurisdictions, are becoming increasingly popular among investors. Structured products are at risk of being caught by Europe’s AIFMD, which is designed for hedge funds. And Hong Kong’s new trust law is expected to enhance the SAR’s image as an international asset management centre. By Ranajit Dam, with additional reporting by Owen Sanderson of IFR

Freshfields appoints a new China antitrust practice co-head, McDermott Will & Emery promotes international tax lawyer to partner in Shanghai, and Withers grows its Hong Kong family law offering in our weekly Asia appointments spotlight.

Latham & Watkins has hired capital markets expert Ji Liu from Norton Rose Fulbright as a partner in its corporate department.

The deadline for the ALB 2013 Top 50 Largest Law Firms Rankings is approaching. The deadline for submission has been extended to Oct. 9, 2013.

Paul Weiss seals JV between Microsoft and BesTV New Media, Skadden advises Country Garden Holdings on its notes offering, HSF and Sidley Austin feature in CT Environmental Group’s HK IPO, and much more in this week’s North Asia deals roundup.

New guidelines on electronic discovery could be issued in Hong Kong in the first quarter of 2014, with a draft expected to be released soon, a lawyer familiar with the matter has said.

Thousands of law firm employees across Asia, ranging from managing partners to support staff, were surveyed for two months and asked to rate their employers on the basis of job satisfaction, remuneration, work-life balance, career prospects, mentorship, job security and other aspects. These are the firms they helped pick as Asia’s best employers.

Mining titans and movie moguls: Macau’s junket operators are now branching out as they actively seek diversification. Meanwhile, a series of tax incentives proposed by the Hong Kong government look set to seriously bolster the city’s potential to become a regional private equity centre.

Malaysia wants to become “a regional oil and gas hub in the Asia-Pacific region” in four years’ time. We look into its prospects, and what the government is doing to achieve this goal.

We rank the region’s best law firms for M&A work on volume, complexity and size of work, the firm’s visibility and profile in the marketplace, presence in Asia and key existing clients and new client Wins. These are the firms that made the top tiers in each of the major jurisdictions.