The firm is regarded as one of the strongest in the region for private equity, M&A, and disputes advice. Its lawyers possess decades’ worth of experience in Asia in these areas.
Andrew M. Ostrognai
E. Drew Dutton
Mark Johnson
Debevoise’s Asia practice is led by the firm’s offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo, and supported by regional experts based through Debevoise’s international team.
The team has particularly deep experience in:
“In terms of industry capability they are an obvious player in the market.”
“There’s no other firm in Asia that has such expertise.”
“I have been impressed with their ability to think about future trends and to see the big picture.”
Ranked as a leading firm for Arbitration (China), Dispute Resolution (China and India), Financial Services (China), Insurance (China), Investment Funds (China and Asia-Pacific region), and M&A (China).
Andrew M. Ostrognai is ranked in the top band of lawyers for investment funds in China.
Mark Johnson is ranked in the top band of lawyers for contentious financial services, and as a leading lawyer for litigation in China.
Gareth Hughes is ranked as a leading lawyer for contentious financial services and litigation in China.
Gavin Anderson is ranked as a leading lawyer for investment funds in China.
William Y. Chua is ranked as a leading lawyer for M&A and Private Equity Buyouts in China.
E. Drew Dutton is ranked as a leading lawyer for insurance in China.
Edwin Northover is ranked as a leading lawyer for insurance in China.
Ranked in the top tier for White Collar Crime in China and Hong Kong. Also ranked as a leading firm for Commercial/Transactional Disputes, and International Arbitration.
Mark Johnson and Gareth Hughes named Dispute Resolution Stars.
—Benchmark Litigation (Asia-Pacific), 2019
Recommended for capital markets, investment funds, M&A and private equity work in Hong Kong.
—IFLR1000, 2019
Ranked as a Band 1 firm for Investment Funds: Private Equity in China and the Asia-Pacific region.
Recommended for Corporate/M&A (China and Hong Kong), Dispute Resolution (India) and Arbitration (China).
—Chambers Global, 2018-2019
Ranked as a leading firm in a number of categories in Hong Kong, including M&A, insurance, investment funds, litigation, anti-corruption and compliance, and work by foreign firms in India.
Debevoise possesses a high degree of transactional and execution knowledge.
A major area of strength is the firm's work for clients in the financial services and insurance sectors.
Well-known for its standout private funds practice, and has featured in many of the largest and most sophisticated fundraisings in Asia for over 15 years..
Andrew Ostrognai recommended as a leading individual for Investment Funds.
Mark Johnson and Gareth Hughes are recommended as leading individuals for Litigation.
Debevoise’s Asian offices are home to the leading funds practice in Asia. The practice has a superior understanding of the sector, whether in established funds attracting international investors or highly specialized, first-time funds targeting a local investor base. Partner Andrew M. Ostrognai has been named by Private Equity International as one of the 30 most influential global private equity lawyers. Fellow partner Gavin Anderson is described by clients in Lawdragon Insights: Private Funds as “extremely bright, extremely responsive, very intelligent: he just gets it.” Chambers Asia Pacific has said of the practice that “this international heavyweight continues to live up to its reputation as a superlative force in private equity fund formation.”
In M&A, the Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo offices lead on some of the region’s biggest-value and highest-impact matters, with a particular focus on advising national and international insurers and other financial institutions. The team has a strong track record and deep knowledge of these sectors. The practice is led by Drew Dutton, who was named by The Asian Lawyer as an All-Star, and the publication noted that “few lawyers in the region can boast the close client relationship that Dutton has with certain heavyweight financial institutions.” The team also includes William Chua and Edwin Northover, who are ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for M&A and insurance respectively. Chambers Asia-Pacific says of the practice that it has “a streamlined team harnessing a depth of resources in the USA, alongside a growing Hong Kong-based offering.”
The office’s litigators are part of one of the world’s strongest international disputes practices, advising clients on complex arbitrations, litigations and anti-corruption matters, and working regularly alongside colleagues in Europe and the U.S. to provide the highest levels of representation in Asia. Mark Johnson is ranked by both Chambers and Legal 500 as a top-tier advisor for dispute resolution in China and Hong Kong respectively, with Chambers Global stating that he “continues to be a leading name in commercial litigation and contentious regulatory work.” Christopher K. Tahbaz, Co-Chair of Asian Litigation, has been named a “Litigation Star” and a “Local Disputes Star (Hong Kong) – Arbitration” in Benchmark Asia-Pacific, which describes him as “highly recommended in the arbitration sphere,” and he is also recognized in Who's Who Legal for Commercial Arbitration in Hong Kong. The Asian disputes practice is also led by Lord Goldsmith QC, former Attorney General of the UK, Chair of Asian and European Litigation for Debevoise, and Vice Chair of Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre.
Debevoise lawyers have represented Asia-based clients and multinational clients for decades in Asia-focused disputes and white collar matters. The firm has one of the few practices to combine investment treaty arbitration, general commercial dispute resolution and public international law experience with strong capacity in four major international arbitration centers: New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris. The firm’s Asian disputes team also has deep experience in white collar and regulatory matters, working on behalf of clients in China, India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand.