Dechert gains Singapore licence after eight-month wait as PwC completes local tie-up

Dechert and PwC step into Singapore as global players sustain push into key Asian hub

This summer saw continued interest by advisers in the Asian legal market, as top-50 US firm Dechert finally received the green light to open an office in Singapore eight months after applying for a Foreign Legal Practice licence. Meanwhile, Big Four accountancy giant PwC made a move to enhance its legal offering in the Asia-Pacific region, having entered into a tie-up in Singapore with local firm Camford Law.

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CC on Singapore’s naughty step as Asia markets keep playing the tactical liberalisation game

Back in the boom years, international law firms talked confidently regarding how liberalisation would soon be coming to major legal markets in the Asia Pacific region. This week provides another reminder that in reality such emerging jurisdictions have been rather more tactical – and protectionist – than starry-eyed managing partners believed back in the go-go days.

The incident in question has seen Clifford Chance (CC) publicly criticised by the Singapore justice minister for having the temerity to announce that it was offering litigation services via a formal association set up last year with the boutique Cavenagh Law.

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King & Spalding recruits high-profile arbitrator in Singapore

King & Spalding has recruited King & Wood Mallesons Melbourne co-head of arbitration Peter Megens as a partner in its Singapore office.

Megens, a senior construction partner, is King & Spalding’s third Singapore lateral hire in under a year. Clifford Chance oil and gas partner Merrick White joined the firm in October of last year, shortly followed by project finance partner Kelly Malone from Norwegian firm Wikborg Rein in December.Malone was previously head of his firm’s global projects team.

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Pinsent Masons launches Singapore TMT practice with key local hire

Pinsent Masons has launched a technology media and telecoms (TMT) practice in its Singapore office through the hire of local specialist Bryan Tan. Tan is moving from

Keystone Law Corporation, a boutique law firm in Singapore specialising in TMT, where he was founding partner and director.

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Wealth management – Filling big shoes

The global diversification of wealth continues to drive the efforts of law firms’ private client teams as the world’s population of affluent individuals continues to climb. LB tracks the latest developments.

The international private client teams at major law firms are thriving. The practice area, for decades regarded as the black sheep of the family, has now been warmly accepted into the fold. In some cases private client has become more than a much-loved practice area.

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