Fried Frank launches second Simmons raid and signs Chinese firm for HK launch

Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson has launched a second raid on Simmons & Simmons as it launches its Hong Kong office.

Fried has returned to Simmons for three partners and one associate following its September raid for five partners. A final wave of associates is also expected to quit Simmons for the US firm.

The firm has also signed an association with local Hong Kong law firm Huen Wong & Co and will provide a broad practice, focusing on M&A, private equity, capital markets, finance, real estate and litigation.

As first reported on thelawyer.com (27 September), in September, the firm raided Simmons for five partners in its Hong Kong and Shanghai offices.

The September raid included China regional managing partner Huen Wong, head of the China corporate group Stephen Mok, construction specialist Philip Nunn, real estate partner Raymond Kwok and Shanghai-based Mike Hickman.

The US firm today confirmed that Wong, Hickman and Kwok have joined as partners. They are joined by a second tranche of partners, corporate partners Victoria Lloyd and Leon Tsui.

Mok and Nunn will join in early 2007 as partners and they will be followed by former Simmons’ partner Joseph Lee and associate Gilbert Ho, who will join the firm as partners.

Fried Frank’s chairperson Valerie Ford Jacob said in a statement: “Asia is very important for the firm’s international growth plans and Fried Frank’s strength and depth of expertise across a range of practices will provide a strong platform in the region.”

Simmons managing partner Mark Dawkins wished the team well and vowed to rebuild.