International firm expands global capabilities

International firm expands global capabilities
Clyde & Co has opened its ninth US office to better serve the insurance and aviation sectors across insurance coverage and litigation defense work.

The Los Angeles office will complement the firm’s existing presence in California and will initially staffed by two partners, an of counsel, a senior associate and an associate.

Partner Julie Hawkinson has relocated to LA and partner Jim Koelzer has been hired from Robins Kaplan.

The new office formalizes the firm’s presence in Los Angeles and adds to its other US offices in San Francisco, where it has been since 2008, Long Beach, Atlanta, New York City and New Jersey.

Chinese firm follows KWM into London
One of China’s largest law firms has become only the third from the country to open an office in London.

Llinks Law Offices follows King & Wood Mallesons, and Zhong Lun into the London legal market, with an office headed by Yuhua Yang who has relocated from Beijing.

The office will mainly act as a liaison office and will not practise English Law, The Lawyer reports.

Global litigation funder makes push into major market
Woodsford Litigation Funding has opened its first office in the US.

The London-based firm says that it has always had a global focus and this new venture, based in in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a step towards its aim to become a major player in the US litigation funding market.

The firm provides litigation financing solutions for businesses, individuals and law firms and has added former United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York Shira A. Scheindlin and former Latham & Watkins partner David J. McLean to its Investment Advisory Panel.

Morgan Lewis boosts Shanghai IP practice
Shaobin Zhu has joined the intellectual property practice of Morgan Lewis in Shanghai.

He focuses on cross-border intellectual property litigation and counseling and has joined from US-based firm Finnegan, which has four offices in Asia.

“Shaobin’s presence in Shanghai helps us continue and build upon our strong relationships with companies in China involved in litigation in US courts or who require counseling on administrative or regulatory matters,” said Morgan Lewis Chair Jami McKeon.