Reed Smith hires arbitration specialist Matthew Townsend as partner in London and Hong Kong

Reed Smith hires arbitration specialist Matthew Townsend as partner in London and Hong Kong

Reed Smith has welcomed arbitration specialist Matthew Townsend from Fangda & Partners to strengthen its global disputes and Hong Kong litigation team. Townsend joins as a partner in London and Hong Kong.

He has more than a decade of experience advising on a variety of arbitration proceedings, including ad-hoc and administered arbitrations in major arbitral seats around the world.

His practice focuses on M&A disputes, as well as disputes in the energy, infrastructure, construction and technology sectors. He also regularly acts as advocate at procedural and merits hearings.

Townsend was a counsel at Fangda in its international arbitration practice for over six years. Prior to that he worked at Norton Rose Fulbright in Beijing and legacy firm SJ Berwin in London.

As a Mandarin speaker, Townsend has been involved in a number of China-specific proceedings, including the first emergency arbitration to proceed to the hearing stage under the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) rules.

Lianjun Li, lead partner of the firm's Hong Kong litigation team, said: "Matt is a well-established lawyer within the arbitration community in Hong Kong. He has extensive experience of advising clients on their high-stakes arbitration matters. As we continue to grow our disputes offering in the region, he is exactly the talent we need."