We learn from a report in UK legal Week that Bird & Bird has added four new partners in Asia as the firm sets out ambitious plans to expand its presence in the region.
Here's what they are saying
The firm has set a target for Asia to account for one fifth of total revenue and lawyer headcount in three to five years? time. Asia currently contributes 10% of the top 15 UK law firm?s fee income ? half of which comes from China ? with the new target set at 20% for the region as a whole.
The firm kicked off the growth drive this week with the addition of four new Asia partners, including the head of Baker & McKenzie?s Singapore trademarks registration practice, Lorraine Tay.
Tay will be joined in Bird & Bird?s Singapore arm by Bakers special counsel Catherine Mun, a dispute resolution specialist who is joining the firm as a partner.
Elsewhere, Dorsey & Whitney corporate of counsel Xia Chao has joined as a partner in Shanghai, while the firm has made an out-of-season partner promotion in Hong Kong with the elevation of corporate lawyer John Koh.
Bird & Bird, which first launched in Hong Kong in 1995, now also has offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore, but with 25 partners still has a relatively small number of partners in the region compared with a global total of more than 230.
Bird & Bird chief executive David Kerr (pictured) said: ?We are focusing our more dramatic growth efforts in Asia. We have been in Hong Kong for almost 20 years and it has been a success story which we want to grow further. There will be quite a lot of effort required to go from where we are currently to reach our goal, but it is a realistic target for us based on the strength of client work we do in Asia as well as for Asian clients in Europe.
?There?s a strong demand for advice in our key sectors, including a prime concern of many Western companies going into China to protect their technology and brand rights.?
