Eversheds hires Heller chief for Hong Kong
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Eversheds has recruited Heller Ehrman Asia chief Nick Seddon to launch an office in Hong Kong.
Seddon, who starts at Eversheds next week (1 October), leaves Heller just seven months after joining the firm from DLA Piper where he also headed the Asia practice.
Seddon will spearhead the Hong Kong initiative and said that he wanted to offer a full legal service, bringing in 50 lawyers within the next three years.
Eversheds chief executive-elect Bryan Hughes said Hong Kong will compliment the firm’s Shanghai office which has 18 lawyers.
“The importance of Hong Kong as a worldwide centre for finance and trade is such that, as an international law firm, we need to have a presence in the area, particularly to further our growth in Asia,” said Hughes. “It [Hong Kong] is the most popular Asian location for companies to base their Asia-Pacific or international headquarters - a reason in itself for establishing a strong presence in this important market.
Seddon said his decision to leave Heller was prompted by the failed merger talks with Baker & McKenzie and Mayer Brown (The Lawyer, 15 September).
The news follows Proskauer Rose’s launch in Hong Kong with a trio of lawyers, including two partners from Heller Ehrman's Beijing office (TheLawyer.com, 9 September).
The chair of Heller’s Beijing office Joseph Cha resigned from the firm to join Proskauer Rose's new Beijing office together with partner and ex-head of Heller's China business practice Ying Li.
