Appleby

It is all change at offshore legal specialist Appleby in 2013 with the firm electing a female head, picking Hong Kong partner Frances Woo as its new chairman.

Woo takes over from Peter Bubenzer, ahead of Bubenzer’s retirement in March after 32 years at the firm.

The fact that the firm has chosen a Hong Kong partner to lead underlines Appleby’s commitment to Asia. Woo became Hong Kong managing partner in 2000 and will continue to help to drive the firm’s Asia strategy forward.

Appleby set up a Hong Kong litigation practice in March 2012 and also launched in Shanghai in February the same year.

The firm has also announced that corporate and commercial head Judith Collis will retire at the end of March, to be replaced by Cameron Adderley. As a result Adderley is stepping down from Appleby’s group management company board together with retiring partner John Bisson.

Appleby primarily advises on corporate and commercial, litigation and insolvency, property, private client and trusts. Its clients include high-net- worth individuals, private companies, funds and global corporations.