HONG KONG, Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Squire Sanders
announced a significant step forward in implementing its strategy
to continue developing its presence in the Asia Pacific
region.
Mao Tong, Peter Chow and Ignatius Hwang have joined Squire Sanders
from Bryan Cave in Hong Kong and Singapore.
James J. Maiwurm, Squire Sanders chair and global CEO said: "We are
very pleased to welcome Mao Tong, Peter and Ignatius to the firm.
They are highly regarded in the local market, and their
appointments, together with our recent expansion into Western
Australia, are important steps forward in our Asia Pacific growth
strategy that builds on a 125-lawyer base in the region. Mao Tong
and Peter join our very busy and thriving office in Hong Kong, and
Ignatius is the foundation we will build upon with a new presence
in Singapore, a commercial center of growing importance. Consistent
with our global strategies, these additions strengthen our energy
and natural resources, international arbitration, and
infrastructure and transactional capabilities."
Mao Tong was formerly the managing partner of the Hong Kong office
of Bryan Cave. He is an accomplished corporate transactional
lawyer, having been involved in a number of cross-border merger and
acquisition and joint venture transactions. His experience includes
work in the energy and mining sectors, private equity transactions
and foreign direct investment into China. Prior to joining Bryan
Cave in 2008, Mao Tong was a partner at Hogan & Hartson and a
partner of Squire Sanders in Hong Kong for eight years. He was also
General Counsel, Greater China, for General Electric Company.
Peter Chow was also a partner in Bryan Cave's Hong Kong office,
where he led the firm's International Arbitration and Dispute
Resolution practice in Asia. Peter handles disputes related to
energy and resources, infrastructure and construction projects,
international trade, maritime and general commercial matters. He
has advised major US, European and Asian corporations, including
Chinese state-owned enterprises. Peter is a chartered arbitrator
and listed to practice in the UK, Australia and Hong Kong. Apart
from extensive arbitration experience in Asia, he has experience in
matters involving Africa, the Middle East and Russia. Prior to
joining Bryan Cave, Peter practiced with Baker & McKenzie in
Hong Kong and Mallesons in Hong Kong and Melbourne.
Formerly managing partner of Bryan Cave's Singapore office,
Ignatius Hwang has more than 20 years of international experience
as an energy, resources and infrastructure lawyer. He held several
in-house counsel positions with various multi-nationals, including
senior counsel at CMS Energy, a Michigan-based electricity and
natural gas utility. He was a partner at Freehills and led its
energy and resources practice in Asia before joining Bryan Cave in
2008.
Ignatius has a leading reputation as a public/private partnership
projects attorney, having been involved in all aspects of PPP,
energy and infrastructure projects. He has also advised
governments, vendors and bidders on privatizations. He has worked
on energy and infrastructure projects throughout the Asia-Pacific
region, including Australia, India, Pakistan, China, Philippines,
Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, as
well as in the Middle East and Africa.
Ignatius will spearhead the launch of a new office in Singapore,
expected to open at the end of March once a license to operate in
that market has been granted.
James Tsang, managing partner of Squire Sanders' Hong Kong office,
explained that "The business environment in China is changing.
Increasingly the opportunities associated with the Chinese legal
market involve outbound investment. And international arbitration
activity is growing in both Hong Kong and Singapore. Mao Tong,
Peter and Ignatius bring considerable international experience to
the firm and, with our global platform, Squire Sanders is ideally
suited to represent Chinese companies investing elsewhere in the
world.
Ken Kurosu, Squire Sanders Asia practice coordinator, added that
"These additions build on an already strong platform in Hong Kong,
Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and Western Australia. We are pleased to
be able to offer to clients additional strength and experience in
sectors such as energy and natural resources and practices such as
cross-border transactions, arbitration and infrastructure
development. We expect these new partners to rapidly become part of
the fabric of our integrated Asia Pacific activities."
SOURCE﹛Squire Sanders