Global firm names partner team for new Kuala Lumpur office

Herbert Smith Freehills has named the three-partner team that will open the firm’s new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next month.

The office, which will be the firm’s ninth office in Asia and 27th around the world, will be led by partner Peter Godwin, its head of disputes in Asia. He will be supported by corporate partner and Malaysia native Vik Tang, and new corporate partner Glynn Cooper.

Godwin, who will continue to run the Asia disputes practice from Malaysia, recently spent 15 years in the firm’s Tokyo office, leading the office as managing partner for the last six years. Tang has more than 16 years advising on cross-border M&A in the UK, Europe, Asia, and Middle East. Cooper is part of the firm’s recently announced 21-strong global partnership promotion class. He will relocate from the firm’s Brisbane office to Kuala Lumpur.

The opening of the office, which will focus on transactions, disputes, and Islamic finance, comes after the Bar Council Malaysia awarded the global firm with a Qualified Foreign Law Firm licence earlier this year. After its opening, HSF will operate from four of Southeast Asia’s most important business centres – Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. The firm is actively growing its Southeast Asia practice as it handles matters from all 10 ASEAN countries.

According to the firm, a senior Islamic finance lawyer will be joining the Kuala Lumpur office shortly. Furthermore, Middle East managing partner Zubair Mir and Nasser Al-Hamdan, global head of Islamic finance, will work in the office on a regular basis.

“We will be able to better support Malaysian businesses, as they expand at home and abroad, and assist our international clients with operations and investments in Malaysia,” said Godwin.



Peter Godwin



Vik Tang



Glynn Cooper



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