Hong Kong Office Adds New Staff, Moves to New Office to Meet Growing Demand
HONG KONG, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Walkers, the global offshore law
firm of choice for investment banks, international law firms, collateral
managers, and other financial institutions, has added four new members to
its Asian market team to service the increase in work that the firm has
seen from the region. Everton Robertson has joined the firm's Hong Kong
office as a partner with experience in private equity, IPOs, capital
markets, and acquisition finance matters. New Corporate Associates Jennifer
Lee and Michael Padarin and Corporate Administration team member Cecilia
Cheung also bring extensive expertise to the Hong Kong office. Together,
these four professionals represent almost 40 years of legal and financial
experience.
"Our continuing expansion in Asia is recognition of the importance of
this region to Walkers' business in the global capital markets -- and is a
perfect match for Walkers' ability to serve its clients around the clock
from anywhere in the world," said Hugh O'Loughlin, managing partner of
Walkers' Hong Kong office.
The Asian region contains high-growth economies with current forecasted
growth at 8%-10% per annum compared to some mature markets, such as the US
and Western Europe, where current forecasts are around 1%-2% per annum
growth at best. Many onshore law firms, private equity firms, and other
financial institutions have opened offices in the region over the past
year.
Everton Robertson joins Walkers after almost eight years at Maples and
Calder, where he focused on leveraged buyouts, pre-IPO financing, private
equity and capital markets. Mr. Robertson has acted for major international
financial institutions and prominent private equity firms in Hong Kong, The
People's Republic of China (PRC), Japan, and Singapore. His prior legal
experience also includes work at Shearman & Sterling, White & Case, and
Linklaters. Mr. Robertson is admitted in both Cayman and the British Virgin
Islands (BVI) and is a graduate of University College London.
"After watching Walkers expand its footprint in Asia, having seen the
quality of Walkers' attorneys up close, and hearing from clients about the
firm's strengths, I was eager to join the team," Mr. Robertson said. "My
understanding of the Asian market coupled with my strong knowledge of
Cayman and BVI law will assist Walkers in consolidating its presence in the
region."
Jennifer Lee has a deep background in structured finance, derivatives,
and debt capital markets transactions, including work in India and Hong
Kong. Formerly a Senior Solicitor at Clifford Chance, she is also fluent in
Cantonese and Mandarin, further enhancing the level of service for Walker's
Asian clients.
Michael Padarin comes to Walkers from Minter Ellison Sydney where he
advised on structuring and establishing unit trust products, including
hedge funds, listed property trusts, and real estate investment trusts
(REITS). In addition, he advised clients on matters associated with raising
capital, financial services licensing, and legislation compliance. Michael
is also conversant in Japanese and Thai, which will also aid client service
and development in the region.
"Across Asia, the demand for legal expertise in the financial
marketplace continues to grow," Mr. O'Loughlin continued, "Through this
expansion, Walkers continues its strategy of 'smart growth' in our key
markets around the world."
The addition of Cecilia Cheung adds depth to Walkers' corporate
administration team for Asia. Ms. Cheung comes to Walkers from JPMorgan and
also worked for a number of years with the Bank of Bermuda (now HSBC).
Conversant in Japanese, she will provide additional support to Walkers'
Asian clients following the closure of Walkers' marketing office previously
located in Japan. Tokyo clients will continue to be supported by the
attorneys in the Cayman and Hong Kong offices as well as the SPV team in
Cayman, with the marketing needs serviced primarily out of Hong Kong.
Walkers has added 10 staff members to its Hong Kong office over the
past 12 months. To manage this growth, on 22 September 2008 Walkers' Hong
Kong office is relocating to new premises, occupying the entire 10,000
square feet on the 15th Floor of Alexandra House, Central, almost doubling
the size of its former office at Chater House. The new location will allow
Walkers to continue expansions to better serve the clients in the region.
About The Walkers Group
From offices in the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dubai, Hong
Kong, Jersey and London, the Walkers group provides legal and management
services to leading FORTUNE 100 and FTSE 100 global corporations and
financial institutions, capital markets participants, investment fund
managers, and growth- and middle-market companies. The Walkers group is
comprised of leading offshore law firm, Walkers; fund services provider,
Walkers Fund Services Limited; and Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and
corporate services providers, Walkers SPV Limited, Walkers (Jersey)
Limited, and Walkers (BVI) Limited.
In 2006, Walkers was named as The Lawyer's Offshore Law Firm of the
Year, the PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook Leading Cayman Islands Law Firm and
was one of two firms honored as "Offshore Legal Team of the Year" by the
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Walkers was also named
the Who's Who Legal Law Firm of the Year: Cayman Islands for 2006 and 2007.
For more information on the Walkers group, please visit us on the Web
at http://www.walkersglobal.com or contact us by e-mail at info@walkersglobal.com.
To contact Walkers by phone, call our Cayman Islands office at
+345-949-0100 or our Hong Kong office at +852-2284-4566.
SOURCE Walkers
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Related links:
http://www.walkersglobal.com
CONTACT:
Melissa Arnoff, for Walkers, +202-973-1336,
Mobile, +202-276-0070, marnoff@levick.com
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