US firm Dorsey & Whitney expands HK and UK practices

US firm Dorsey & Whitney has expanded its Hong Kong corporate practice, recruiting from the Hong Kong offices of Allen & Overy and Richards Butler.

The arrival of A&O partner Neil Stender, a US law qualified specialist on direct investment in mainland China, and Richard Butler's Canadian law qualified associate Andrew Ning, an expert in Chinese business law, brings Dorsey's Hong Kong office to five lawyers.

Zhao Alex Zhang, managing partner in Hong Kong, said: "This expansion supports the Asia side of our mergers and acquisitions practice."

The US firm's partner and international ambassador - former US Vice-President Walter Mondale - commented: "Our growth in Hong Kong highlights the ongoing internationalisation of our legal practice."

Dorsey's London office has been hiring English-qualified partners. In March, corporate specialist John Bryne joined from Nabarro Nathanson.

Bryne said that he was head-hunted as part of a drive by the US firm to double its UK English law capacity within the next 12 months.