Less than a week has passed since Baker & McKenzie announced China layoffs of 11%, the firm has hired Steven Sieker.  Sieker joins the Hong Kong office as a tax partner.  This will actually be the second time Sieker has joined Baker & McKenzie.  He worked there from 1998 to 2004.

Source:  www.asialegalbusinessonline.com

Intellectual Property lawyers are foretelling some major growth in the practice field throughout Asia.  Connie Carnabuci and Mark Parsons, both lawyers with Freshfields in Hong Kong, explain that the economic decline, changes in regulation, and an increase of IPR awareness are playing off of each other and subsequently increasing work for IP lawyers in Asia.  In short, the downturn is increasing the willingness of businesses to protect what is theirs, since so much has already been lost.  The money-making options are slimmer than they once were, so businesses feel a greater need to protect what is rightly theirs.  China’s States Intellectual Property Office has noted a 19% increase in patent applications since the implementation of a national IPR strategy.  This growth may also be seen in law firm response.  The following firms have boosted their IP groups in Asia:  Bingham McCutchen, Deheng, and Rouse and Dacheng.  

Source:  www.asialegalbusiness.com

Latham & Watkins has suffered a hit with the loss of Hong Kong partner, Julie Gao.   Gao joins the Asia practice of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom.  She has practiced out of Latham since 2008, when she graduated law school and was promoted to partner in 2006.  Gao concentrates on M&A and capital markets. 

Source:  www.legalweek.com