Walkers is pleased to announce its Singapore office has been ranked in Tier 1 in the newly launched Offshore category for Singapore in the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Guide 2021. Managing Partner John Rogers and partners Laura Rogers and Thomas Granger are singled out for their acumen and Legal 500 noted:
"Walkers has the largest presence of all offshore firms in Singapore, servicing clients throughout Southeast Asia and India. The firm has an excellent record in finance, including structured finance and securitisation, ship and aviation finance, refinancings, and real estate finance...The office is well established in funds formation and structuring, representing some of the biggest global and regional private equity sponsors, along with a number of big-ticket sovereign wealth fund investors..."
In addition, and for the fifth year in a row, Walkers' Hong Kong office has once again been ranked in Tier 1 for Offshore Law by Legal 500 with five lawyers ranked as 'Leading Individuals' and one lawyer ranked as a 'Next Generation Partner'.
Described by Legal 500 as: "Extremely responsive and easy to work with', Walkers' 14-partner Hong Kong team provides 'efficient, collaborative and insightful advice', directly to clients, as well as on behalf of many leading international referral law firms, on the BVI, Cayman and Bermudan offshore law elements associated with corporate, funds, finance and litigation mandates."
One source described Walkers as "'Walkers has a standout practice in a highly competitive market and is a go-to firm for both banks and borrowers. The lawyers are responsive, their work is consistently of high quality, and they are pragmatic in their approach.'
Walkers' Leading Individuals and Next Generation Partners:
The 'personable and charismatic' Andy Randall has 'strong connections throughout the market', and in addition to his managing partner role, also has a broad finance practice, which is one of the core pillars of the firm's offering out of Hong Kong.
The 'commercial and highly technical' Paul Aherne has excellent connections with numerous major international banks, that are appreciative of his broad-ranging expertise, which includes handling structured equity financing transactions with borrowers, securities providers, and counterparties incorporated in BVI or Cayman Islands.
An 'experienced banking lawyer', Kristen Kwok leads the firm's structured finance team and is lauded for her 'responsive, pragmatic and commercial advice' and knowledge of 'the nuts and bolts of the bespoke repackaged transactions arranged by PRC financial institutions'.
The 'responsive and highly professional' Denise Wong has a strong reputation on the fund structuring front, in relation to private equity and hedge funds, and is one of many within the firm that has excellent language skills, and is thereby effectively able to advise PRC-based clients.
Appreciated for his 'responsiveness, experience and commerciality', James Gaden is also a key member of the funds team and his arrival towards the end of 2018 from Maples Group was a major coup for the firm.
The 'responsive and hardworking' Joanne Collett is 'very knowledgeable on cross-border restructuring issues', and she heads up the office's insolvency and dispute resolution offering.
Alice Molan is also a key member of the office and heads up the regulatory risk and advisory group.
