Mayer Brown expands in Singapore with the formation of Joint Venture with PK Wong and Nair
Mayer Brown expands in Singapore with the formation of Joint Venture with PK Wong and Nair
After forming a joint law venture (JLV) with PK Wong & Nair, a Singaporean law practice specializing in international transactions and litigation, the American law firm Mayer Brown has expanded its presence in the city-state.
Mayer Brown PK Wong & Nair, the newly formed JLV, will provide counsel on both international and Singaporean law, with the latter firm managing litigation in Singaporean courts.
Mayer Brown's continuing pivot to Southeast Asia is exemplified by the JLV. The company has acquired three partners for its Singapore office so far this year, including energy expert Justin Tan from Clyde & Co. and international arbitration specialist Kay-Jannes Wegner from Kim & Chang. A banking and financial expert named Soumitro Mukerji joined the company in January from Hogan Lovells. There are currently 13 partners at the firm in Singapore, which opened its doors in 2011.
The chairman of Mayer Brown, Jon Van Gorp, stated in a statement, "Over the last ten years, we have established a highly competitive and vibrant service in Singapore. The demand from clients for an integrated local and international service offering has been fuelled by the market's continuous expansion as an international legal hub and Singapore law's rising popularity as a preferred governing legislation throughout Southeast Asia.
The disputes and insolvency boutique Nair & Co. and the former EY member company PK Wong & Associations merged in 2020 to establish the full-service firm, PK Wong & Nair.
The firm includes around 20 lawyers, comprising of eight directors, led by co-managing directors, Mark Wong and Suresh Nair.
The JLV, according to Wong, is a "natural move" for the company. Finding a partner with an integrated global platform is a strategic need, he said, adding that as an established locally-based Singapore law firm, the work we conduct for our clients is becoming more and more worldwide.
