SJ Berwin says it plans to launch a dedicated China and East Asia practice with an office in Hong Kong, subject to regulatory requirements.

SJ Berwin says it plans to launch a dedicated China and East Asia practice with an office in Hong Kong, subject to regulatory requirements.

The new office - the firm's first outside Europe and its tenth office in total - will be founded with three partners and one consultant: Daniel Liew (Asia managing partner), Peter Tse, Hans Thomas Kessler and Giovanna Kwong.

Jonathan Blake, senior partner of SJ Berwin (pictured), says: 'China and East Asia are huge and critical markets for the future. SJ Berwin's East Asia team, based initially in Hong Kong, will offer a small but strategically well-configured team of partners and lawyers focussing from the outset on some of SJ Berwin's core areas initially including fund formation, private equity, corporate, M&A, real estate, energy, infrastructure and litigation.

'We aim to be leaders in our core practice areas in the key markets in which we practice, and to support our clients' aspirations for first class service in key jurisdictions. The launch of this new expansion initiative in East Asia represents a further step in SJ Berwin's international strategy, building on the success of our European offices.'

Liew adds: 'I am delighted to be joining SJ Berwin and relish the opportunity to spearhead its new East Asia practice at this exciting time. Together we can enable SJ Berwin to take advantage of business opportunities from East Asian companies investing in Europe and from international clients doing business in East Asia.'

SJ Berwin says the East Asia expansion is expected to make a significant contribution to the revenue and profit of the firm in the months and years ahead.

The team will focus on corporate and commercial work and dispute resolution, including private equity funds and buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, projects and project finance with a focus on the infrastructure, energy, power, water, telecommunications, technology, life sciences, real estate, banking and finance, insurance, steel and natural resources sectors.