Moves – 10 January 2013

Bingham McCutchen has elected Yukari Murayama and Goh Aizawa to its partnership in Tokyo effective 1 January 2013. Murayama is an experienced financial restructuring lawyer and former deputy director of the Japanese Financial Services Agency’s Supervisory Coordination Division whilst Aizawa is a former member of the Japanese Prime Minister’s National Policy Unit experienced in derivative related deals. Prior to serving at the Japanese Financial Services Agency, Murayama advised Bingham Tokyo office clients on financial restructuring and insolvency matters, as well as corporate and public company securities matters. She received a bachelor of laws from Waseda University and is admitted to practice in Japan (bengoshi.)

Aizawa coordinated national policy and interfaced with numerous Japanese government ministries as a member of the Prime Minister’s National Policy Unit. He has extensive experience in matters involving financial products, particularly in derivatives-related disputes. He holds a bachelor of laws from the University of Tokyo and is admitted to practice in Japan (bengoshi).

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft has added Rose Zhu as a partner in the firm’s corporate group. Zhu, who will be based in the Beijing office, joins from K&L Gates where she was a partner specialising in capital markets, M&As and bank financing transactions. She worked with issuers and underwriters navigating complex cross-border transactions throughout Hong Kong, Europe and the US. Zhu has advised clients such as China Development Bank, Sinochem, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, CITIC Bank and Postal Savings Bank of China, as well as investment banks. She has also advised on leading outbound and inbound transactions relating to deal structure, deal protection, governance and defensive mechanisms. Zhu is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Carolyn Dong has joined DLA Piper as a partner in the firm’s Greater China practice. She joins from King & Wood Mallesons where she was a partner in the energy, resources and projects group. Prior to King & Wood Mallesons, Dong was an associate within the projects group of a magic circle firm and has held senior positions with a large Chinese oil company, as well as one of the world’s largest multinational energy companies. She has 20 years of experience acting for many of China’s largest state-owned enterprises and financial institutions, as well as US/European companies, in large-scale project and structured financings in the energy and resources sector. Her expertise includes foreign direct investment, corporate structuring and corporate governance issues in China as well as advising Chinese companies and state-owned oil majors in outbound M&A, investment transactions and related financings.

John Yiu joined Edwards Wildman as a litigation partner in Hong Kong. Yiu’s practice encompasses all aspects of litigation, including insolvency and restructuring, employment and shipping. He has counseled clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters. Yiu is also well-versed in regulatory and compliance issues, acting for numerous bankers and directors of securities houses and listed companies related to insider dealings and market misconduct. Before joining the firm, he was a partner of a leading litigation practice in Hong Kong. He has also held various roles with international law firms, including Paul Hastings Janofsky Walker. He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

K&L Gates has appointed Andrea P Beatty as a corporate partner in the firm’s Sydney office. She is the first new partner to join the firm since its January 1 combination with Australian national firm Middletons. Beatty focuses on regulatory and financial services matters including corporate advisory, credit regulation, payment systems, retail and privacy, and banking law. She advises on financial products regulation, licensing and compliance, anti-money laundering laws, consumer credit and margin lending, finance and mortgage broking, banking and payment systems regulation, e-commerce, privacy and spam regulation, and consumer protection, as well as dealing with Australian regulators.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has added Li Li as a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice group of the firm’s Beijing office. Li has more than 20 years of experience working with major international law firms in New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. In recent years, she has been involved in a number of high-profile outbound M&A transactions involving PRC companies.