Watson Farley seeks staff for Singapore

Watson Farley & Williams is undertaking a "significant expansion" of its Singapore office, only a year after buying the practice from shipping rivals Sinclair Roche & Temperley.

The shipping specialist firm is looking to boost all practice areas, but will pay particular attention to its corporate group.

Head of the Singapore operation Nigel Thomas tells The Lawyer: "This office is strong on litigation and finance, so one of the areas we will be looking at is corporate.

"We are playing a bit of catch-up. This is a significant expansion plan.

"We are expecting to make appointments at most levels, including partners, over the entire office."

The firm will target neighbouring offices in Singapore and lawyers with a knowledge of the market.

Thomas adds: "We are looking at teams and units as well as individual people.

"Recruitment is likely to be from here in Asia."

Although he is unable to give a timescale for the appointments, Thomas confirms: "We have people lined up to join us in the next few months."

Watson Farley currently has 16 lawyers working out of its Singapore office.

The firm gained a foothold in the Asian market last year when it bought its current operation from Sinclair Roche & Temperley for an undisclosed sum (The Lawyer, 7 July 1998).

Says Thomas: "Our workload has been increasing since we started the office last year. It has been going very well."

Watson Farley intends to make the Singapore offices a "core" operation in line with those in London, Paris and New York.