HONG KONG & LONDON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Debevoise & Plimpton LLP today announced it will expand the firm's disputes and investigations capabilities in Asia. Litigation partner Christopher K. Tahbaz will lead the initiative as Co-Chair of Asian Litigation from the firm's Hong Kong and New York offices. Additionally, Lord Goldsmith QC, PC, former UK Attorney General, will regularly attend the Hong Kong office as Chair of European and Asian Litigation, so as to devote substantial time to matters in the region. Several Debevoise litigators will permanently relocate to the firm's Hong Kong office to provide a greater on-the-ground presence, including Philip Rohlik, a counsel in the firm's Litigation Department with substantial experience leading matters in China and throughout Asia.

Although the firm's Hong Kong-based litigators will serve clients with the full range of Debevoise's litigation resources, supported by the U.S. and European offices, the firm will particularly focus on serving clients in Asia in the following types of matters: international commercial and treaty arbitration; English and U.S. commercial litigation; internal investigations; and defense and advice in matters involving U.S. and UK regulatory statutes including the FCPA, UK Bribery Act, anti-money-laundering statutes and other similar laws.

Michael W. Blair, Debevoise's Presiding Partner, said: "We are delighted to provide our clients, whether based in Asia or doing business in the region, with an even stronger and more responsive litigation presence. The commitment by Peter Goldsmith, Chris Tahbaz and our team of counsel and associates dramatically increases our capacity to provide coordinated, sophisticated and commercially astute legal representation in a region that is at the center of world business."

Mr. Tahbaz said: "Although Debevoise has a long history of representing litigation clients across Asia, we are excited to bring comprehensive, on-the-ground arbitration, litigation and investigations services to our clients in the region. Being on the ground in Hong Kong, and working from there to leverage the firm's experience around the world, will enable us to provide efficient and unparalleled service from a convenient, regional base. Now, we can look forward to working side by side with clients in their own time zones on a regular basis."

Lord Goldsmith QC said: "The legal market in Asia is expanding each day, frequently focusing on regulatory compliance and contentious disputes. England, of course, shares a common legal heritage not only with Hong Kong, but also with India, Singapore, Malaysia and other countries in the region, and over the course of my career, I have had the good fortune to work on matters in these countries - in courts and in arbitrations - and continue to do so. I look forward to being a part of our firm's enhanced commitment to clients in this vitally important part of the world."

David W. Rivkin, Co-Chair of the firm's International Dispute Resolution Group and current Secretary-General of the International Bar Association, said: "We have many years' experience working with clients based in jurisdictions spanning from India to Japan and Korea on disputes, investigations and related matters. Expanding our litigation presence in Hong Kong is a natural evolution of our commitment to clients throughout Asia."

Andrew M. Ostrognai, Managing Partner of the firm's Hong Kong office, said: "We are delighted that our colleagues will be joining us on the ground in Hong Kong to enhance the way we provide our firm's first-rate litigation and dispute resolution services to our clients in Asia. I am excited to be part of our expanded team in Asia offering an even broader range of services to our clients here."

Debevoise established an office in Hong Kong in 1994, and followed with the opening of an office in Shanghai in 2002. Over the years, lawyers in these offices have developed several market leading corporate practices, including a private equity funds practice that is consistently ranked in the top tier of such practices.

Debevoise litigators have also been active in Asia for many years on a variety of matters. Recent representations include the firm's work (led by Mr. Rivkin and Mr. Tahbaz) for Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., which resulted in an ICC International Court of Arbitration award valued at U.S. $750 million; several international arbitration assignments (led by Lord Goldsmith QC) for one of India's pre-eminent manufacturing trading and business groups; representations of a South East Asian government in state-to-state arbitrations; litigation and arbitration assignments for a variety of Japanese clients; a substantial commercial arbitration for another Korean company; and confidential regulatory and compliance assignments for other leading U.S. and multinational corporations operating in the financial, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, and other sectors throughout Asia, including FCPA, compliance, and litigation-related due diligence as part of the firm's M&A practice.

As further support of the firm's global litigation strategy, Debevoise also announced today the relocation of partner John B. Missing to the firm's London office. His relocation to the UK will provide on-the-ground U.S. litigation capabilities, with particular emphasis on internal investigations and regulatory work such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) as well as representing European-based clients in U.S. litigation and in arbitrations involving American law.

Debevoise's global litigation practice handles a broad range of complex matters in courts and before agencies, administrative bodies and arbitration tribunals worldwide. Over the last two years, Debevoise has represented approximately 850 clients in a variety of demanding engagements. In addition to Lord Goldsmith QC, Mr. Rivkin and Mr. Tahbaz, the Litigation Department includes the Chair, Mary Jo White, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; John S. Kiernan, Co-Chair of the Department; Michael B. Mukasey, former United States Attorney General and Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; 11 former Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including a former Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for Enforcement and a former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; a former Associate Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement; and a former New York State Superintendent of Insurance. Debevoise is the only law firm to have as partners former U.S. and UK Attorneys General.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a leading international law firm, representing a wide range of clients in transactions and disputes around the world. Founded in 1931, the firm has offices in New York, Washington, D.C., London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Hong Kong and Shanghai. For more information, please visit our website at www.debevoise.com.

Contacts

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP - Hong Kong
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Debevoise & Plimpton LLP - New York
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