Devina A Sormin, head counsel at Indonesia’s AC Ventures, talks about why her purpose is to ensure her team can achieve more collectively than any single individual could alone, how legal professionals can adapt to the increasing focus on sustainability and impact investment, and what single element can lay the groundwork for organisational success and employee satisfaction.

Japan’s Tokyo International Law Office has bolstered its team with the addition of two senior hires: Disputes lawyer Victor Sai from Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch in San Diego, and in-house counsel Yuri Aihara from Fujifilm.

Japan’s Sakuragawa Kyowa Law Office and Inohara Foreign Law Office have formed a foreign joint law enterprise to tap rising demand for cross-border deals involving Japanese companies amid a corporate succession crisis.

John McLean, general counsel and chief legal officer of Vistra, talks about why businesses should focus on being both smart and healthy, what particular qualities he looks for in the lawyers he hires, and how he is determined to “enjoy every sandwich.”

Ryan Chung, head of legal for Southeast Asia at online travel agency Klook, talks about why the one lesson that’s stuck with him through his career is the value of empathy; how he greatly values external lawyers who have a genuine interest in the company and are invested in its success; and why people don’t quit bad jobs, only bad managers.

Kirkland & Ellis and Nishimura & Asahi are advising Crispy Holdings, a fund wholly owned by Carlyle Group, on a 135-billion-yen ($863 million) tender offer for shares of Tokyo-listed KFC Holdings Japan.

Penny Koo, general counsel and company secretary of AIA Singapore, talks about why having a team with diverse talent is a strategy she espouses, how she uses the rock-pebble-sand approach to ascertain her priorities, and why all advice—no matter how sound and accurate it is—needs to be concise and compelling. 

Japanese boutique firm Isshiki & Partners has strengthened its intellectual property litigation capabilities with the addition of two new partners: Yukio Nagasawa, a former IP judge, and Akira Irie, a litigator from Morrison & Foerster.

Richard Kurniadi, general counsel of Indonesia’s Kimberly-Clark Softex, talks about why sometimes the legal function needs to push the boundaries without breaking the limit, how he wants his team to “play to win” instead of just "playing not to lose,” and why he’s a big fan of external lawyers who also have experience as in-house counsel. 

Hong Kong law firm Oldham, Li & Nie has launched an elder law practice group after hiring Helena Hu as a consultant to co-head it. It is believed to be the first Hong Kong law firm to offer such a practice.