Corrs Chambers Westgarth has added Paul Burns as partner in Melbourne. Formerly the lead partner in Herbert Smith Freehills’ industrial relations practice, Burns has deep experience and expertise in workplace reform projects, crisis management, dispute resolution and organisational restructures, providing high level advice to many of Australia’s leading corporates for more than 25 years. He is recognised for his strategic thinking and innovative solutions, and also has a deep understanding of the complexities of public sector employment arrangements. He advises significant clients in a wide range of industries around Australia, including mining, retail, logistics, energy, manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, hospitality and government.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher will add John Fadely and Albert Cho as partners in the investment funds group, to be based in the Hong Kong office. They join from Weil, Gotshal & Manges , where they advised sponsors of private investment funds, co-investment vehicles and separately managed accounts. Fadely focuses on advising Asia-based private fund sponsors on the formation of private investment funds. He has advised on the establishment and structuring of funds platforms and is experienced in forming funds investing in China, Japan and other Asian markets. He also advises founders on governance and economics matters. Fadely also advises fund sponsors on co-investment transactions, as well as regulatory and other operational issues, and represents institutional investors in their private fund investments. He is admitted to the New York, California and Hong Kong bars, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and proficient in Japanese. On the other hand, Cho also focuses on the formation of private investment funds. He has extensive experience advising fund clients on co-investment transactions, operational and structuring matters, and legal and regulatory compliance matters. Cho has represented private investment funds formed by a variety of sponsors. He regularly works with Asian, US and European private fund sponsors on their fundraising activities, particularly the formation of funds focused on investing in the Asia-Pacific region. He has also represented institutional investors in their private investment fund activities. He is admitted to the New York, District of Columbia and Hong Kong bars.
HSA Advocates has added Kanika Chugh as associate partner, as she re-joins the firm to further strengthen the disputes, regulatory and policy practice. Chugh was with the firm until 2016, after which she worked with Delhi litigation firm SKV Law. She has a broad-based dispute practice, focusing on energy, aviation and environment sector. She regularly appears before diverse State Electricity Commissions, APTEL, CERC and the National Green Tribunal. Chugh has handled commercial litigation matters before the High Courts, Company Law Board and the Supreme Court. She has represented numerous private and public utilities on diverse legal and regulatory issues, particularly pertaining to projects and power sector.
Mayer Brown has added Shri Maski and Gordon Palmquist as partners in the banking and finance and corporate and securities practices in the firm’s new office in Tokyo. Joining from Ashurst, Maski has considerable experience in banking and financing transactions. He provides advice on complex projects to lenders, including export credit agencies in Europe and Asia, sponsors and public authorities in several sectors, including energy, mining and infrastructure. He was seconded to export credit agencies in Tokyo and Seoul, where he provided advice on transactions in Australia, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. He has worked in Tokyo for more than five years and, before that, in London, Singapore and Dubai. He is qualified to practice under English law. Palmquist rejoins the firm from Shearman & Sterling. He focuses his practice on M&As, joint ventures and private investment funds. He advises Japanese corporations, insurance companies and other financial institutions on outbound M&As, sales of overseas subsidiaries and private equity and venture capital investments. He also regularly advises on fund formation and real estate and infrastructure investments.
