Law.com reports that…
Pattie Walsh, the former head of employment for the Greater China region at Australia’s Minter Ellison, will join DLA Piper in August to head the firm’s Asia employment practice.
Also joining Walsh from Minter Ellison is associate Alison Smith.
The report goes on to say….
DLA Piper has 250 lawyers who practice employment law. Nine core employment lawyers are in Asia, primarily in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo, said David Bradley, joint global leader of DLA Piper’s Employment, Pensions and Benefits group, and a partner in London. Another 10 handle some portion of employment matters, he said.
"The steps we’re taking are to further consolidate the core practice," he said.
He said that he anticipated a growth in employment work, given the increase in multinational companies in Asia whose policy changes affect employees in that region. The 2007 enactment of China’s Labor Contract Law, which was designed to increase benefits for employees, is creating additional work, he said.
Walsh, who will be based in Hong Kong, has represented companies throughout Asia, particularly in Hong Kong and China, in employment matters such as the protection of confidential information and intellectual property rights and the management of misconduct, legal risks and compliance issues. In her new role at DLA Piper, Walsh will focus on staffing issues associated with mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations and outsourcing in Asia.
Walsh and Smith have worked with telecommunications companies, luxury goods firms and global investment banks.
http://www.law.com/jsp/law/international/LawArticleIntl.jsp?id=1202430300747
