Gibson Dunn launches Hong Kong office with GE hire

Kelly Austin, who joins the firm as a partner, will head the office, which will focus on corporate transactions and corporate compliance, regulation and investigations.

Austin spent eight years in Hong Kong with General Electric International, where she advised on Asia-wide compliance matters.

Also joining the office is partner Joseph Barbeau, an international commercial lawyer with 12 years experience working in Hong Kong, who is relocating from the firm’s Palo Alto office. Los Angeles associate Kate Yin will also make the move.

The Hong Kong office is Gibson Dunn’s second in Asia. The firm opened a base in Singapore in 2008.

Firmwide chair and managing partner Ken Doran said: “We’ve been looking for the right opportunity in Hong Kong for some time, and the opportunity to bring Kelly on board was key to our decision.”

Barbeau added: “With our strong Singapore team, we now have core capacities and plan to steadily build out more depth with leading lawyers who can benefit from the quality of the firm’s practices across our other offices.  

“Our strength in New York and London with capital markets work, our depth in Northern and Southern California with technology and media companies, and our extensive, firm-wide practices in the areas of FCPA [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act] and compliance, international arbitration, and project infrastructure practice, provide a foundation that we can build upon in Asia.”

The new office will be at Gloucester Tower, The Landmark in Central, Hong Kong.