International law firm commits to reforestation project
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has committed to an innovative project to offset the firm’s carbon emissions. The law firm is partnering with Natural Capital Partners to support a community reforestation project, over a 10-year period, to create Freshfields’ Reforestation in East Africa Programme (REAP). REAP will not only off-set the firm’s global carbon footprint, but also deliver improved financial security, health and well-being to communities in East Africa, while promoting gender equality. The programme will involve around 8,000 farmers and the planting of approximately 2 million trees. The firm has been carbon neutral since 2007.
Senior hire for Hogan Lovells’ Asia arbitration practice
The international arbitration practice at Hogan Lovells in Hong Kong has been bolstered by a senior hire. James Kwan joins from Baker & McKenzie where he led the equivalent practice and was also a member of the global arbitration steering committee. Kwan’s practice focuses on international commercial arbitration across a wide range of industries including energy, infrastructure, life sciences & healthcare, and technology.
Kennedys expands with merger, two associations
Kennedys has added Scandinavia to its growing international footprint. The firm, which has Asia-Pac offices in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand will merge with Danish law firm Advokatfirmaet Erritzøe and forming Associations with Norwegian firm Kogstad Lunde & Co, and Swedish firm Advokatfirman NorelidHolm. All will be effective Jan 1
st 2016. Kennedys was founded in London by British born, but Australian qualified lawyer Charles Kennedy in 1899 but only began its international expansion in 2000 when Auckland and Hong Kong offices opened.
Mongolia sets example with death penalty repeal
Lawmakers in Mongolia have voted in favour of abolishing the death penalty for all crimes. Amnesty International has hailed the move as “a great victory for human rights.” The last execution in the country was in 2008 and there have been moves since to abolish the penalty, which resulted in a vote last week. Roseann Rife, East Asia Research Director at Amnesty International commented that: “Mongolia has set an example which we hope will quickly ripple across Asia. The countries that continue to execute have been shown a clear path to follow to end this cruel and inhumane punishment.”
