DLA Piper plunders Coudert Bangkok for Thai offensive

DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has raided Coudert Brothers for two Bangkok partners as it aggressively ramps up its Thai presence.

As first revealed on www.thelawyer.com (22 March), former Coudert Bangkok managing partner Chanvitaya Suvarnapunya and telecoms specialist Chatchai Inthasuwan will join DLA with four associates.

Also joining is highly rated restructuring expert Lampros Vassiliou, who comes from corporate debt restructuring consultancy LV & Associates.

Suvarnapunya, Inthasu-wan and Vassiliou all join the Bangkok office as partners.

The move doubles DLA's presence in Thailand and follows last year's win of the Thai work for Tesco.

Just last year, DLA lost out to Coudert in securing the vestiges of the two-partner Bangkok office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. The magic circle firm announced the axing of its Bangkok office last year, which came as part of a strategic review of Asia.

The departures leave Coudert's Bangkok office with the two former Freshfields partners, Stephen Bennett and Surasak Vajasit.