Singapore’s Today Online is reporting that Rajah & Tann LLP (R&T), which now has more than 600 lawyers and support staff is, continuing to grow its reach overseas with new offices recently launched in Ho Chi Minh and Bangkok.
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Not sure we’d agree with all their arguments as to why they should be more succesful in the region compared to the international giants – but we sort of wish them luck
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Today online reports
http://www.todayonline.com/Business/EDC110910-0000266/Rajah–Tann-expands-its-regional-footprint
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Its overseas network now includes offices in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Vientiane (Laos), and plans are afoot to open branches in Jakarta and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Said its managing partner, Senior Counsel Lee Eng Beng: “I am pleased with the progress that we are making in the region, in particular with our latest practice in Bangkok. Both Thailand and Vietnam are an important part of the growth we are experiencing in ASEAN and our new offices in these countries are important additions to our service model to meet clients’ legal requirements throughout Asia.”
R&T had announced a year ago its intention to build a pan-Asia law firm that would be able to compete on par with the international giants of the legal world which currently hail from the United States and Europe.
According to the firm, its competitive edge over its rivals from the US and Britain “is that as a firm with mainly Asian lawyers, it has strong cultural affinity with clients and extensive ties with industry and businesses in the region, (it) is familiar with local languages, and in some jurisdictions, (it) is able to litigate before the local courts”.
It also believes that the quality of its lawyers and legal services are on par with the English and US firms but are priced more competitively.
Mr Lee said that its Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Vientiane offices are able to offer full services, while in Vietnam it is looking to participate in litigation.
China currently bars foreign firms from practising local law. While India offers promise, foreign firms are restricted from practising there.
At present the overseas offices have a total staff strength of about 30, with four professionals in Vietnam and six lawyers in Bangkok.
The firm also has dedicated teams of Japanese, Indian, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Chinese lawyers based here covering their respective markets.
Mr Lee expects revenue from regional and international work, including work done in Singapore, to double to 50 per cent from the present 25 per cent in five years.
