Morning Briefing: Another new Asia-Pac joint venture agreed

Another new Asia-Pac joint venture agreed
International law firm Kennedys is expanding its market position in Asia-Pac with a newly agreed joint venture in Singapore. The firm has been granted a licence to form a new entity in partnership with Legal Solutions LLP. It is hoped that the new tie-up, which will operate as Kennedys Legal Solutions, will launch in the next few months following regulatory formalities. Earlier this year Kennedys announced a co-operation agreement with RPC firm AnJie.
 
Dentons set to get even bigger?
It’s rumoured that the world’s largest law firm by lawyer numbers, Dentons Dachang, may be looking to expand again. Just a few months after the merger of Dentons with its Chinese partners there are reports suggesting that the firm has re-entered talks with McKenna Long & Aldridge. The two firms had been talking about a potential tie-up two years ago but those negotiations ultimately stalled.
 
Reed Smith appoints new global marketing chief
Wendy W. Taylor has been announced as the new chief marketing officer for Reed Smith. She will be based in the Washington DC office but will oversee the firm’s global marketing objectives. As well as consultancy and public speaking work Taylor has previous experience in the legal professional having led global marketing at Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells) for two years.
 
Cooley hires long-standing Olswang partner
Cooley is continuing to boost its new London practice with the hire of a long-standing partner from Olswang. Stephen Rosen has been with the firm for 13 years and headed its private equity practice. Cooley launched in London earlier this year with mass hires of teams from Edwards Wildman Palmer and Morrison & Foerster.
 
Hong Kong lawyers debate public listings
Lawyers and others interested in the legal profession in Hong Kong are debating whether law firms should be allowed to be listed on the stock exchange. Writing in the South China Morning Post Dr Bryane Michael, a senior fellow at the University of Hong Kong law faculty's Asian Institute for International Financial Law says that if it were to be allowed there would be a massive financial benefit to Hong Kong’s law firms, helping them expand. He argues that with Hong Kong being an important global financial centre the move could shape the debate on the financing of global law firms.
 
F1 lawsuit to stop driver racing in Melbourne GP
Lawyers for Formula 1 racing team Sauber say that putting a racing driver in a car he has not been fitted for would create an “unacceptable” risk of death and would be “reckless”. Driver Giedo van der Garde launched legal action against the Swiss team claiming that they have reneged on an agreement for him to race. The case was in the Victorian Supreme Court yesterday (Monday) and it’s believed that Justice Clyde Croft will announce his decision this Wednesday morning.