Australia's Minter Ellison launches in Mongolia

Hong Kong partner Elisabeth Ellis has relocated to Ulaanbaatar to become the office’s resident partner. She will be supported by the firm’s regional energy and resources group, as well as a team of local lawyers that has already been recruited.

In a statement, Minter Ellison’s chief executive partner John Weber said: “Mongolia’s the logical next step for us. It’s an increasingly strategic market with a substantial resource-based economy and is attracting the attention of the global resources industry, including Australian companies. Many of these are Minter Ellison clients.”

Ellis added: “Mongolia’s rich in energy and natural resources, and has a booming economy driven by China’s demand for natural resources similar to that of Australia.

“As an Australian law firm with a clear focus and expertise in energy and resources, being on the ground in Mongolia’s a strategic move for us.”

The Ulaanbaatar office is Minter Ellison’s fourth in Asia. The firm already has outposts in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.

“Minter Ellison’s international strategy is to build a powerful regional capability, focusing on key areas where we have strong client support and specialist skills and experience to offer – energy and resources, infrastructure, corporate, finance, tax and dispute resolution. Mongolia makes good business sense for us,” said Weber.

In November 2011 fellow Australian firm Allens Arthur Robinson opened a representative office in Ulaanbaatar (10 November 2011). DLA Piper (24 March 2011) and Hogan Lovells (3 August 2010) also have presences in Mongolia.