Offshore firm Walkers has promoted eight finance and corporate attorneys to join its partnership – a response, according to the firm, to strong cross-border client demand. At the same time, 11 associates were promoted to the role of senior counsel.

In Asia, Hong Kong-based lawyers Ashley Davis and Fraser Hern have been promoted to partner. Davis advises on Cayman Islands and BVI law in relation to real estate finance, construction finance, structured finance, acquisition finance, syndicated loans, private equity and general corporate transactions while Hern focuses principally on corporate and financial restructuring and insolvency (contentious and non-contentious).

Davis joined Walkers from Australian law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth where he worked in their banking and finance group. He was previously with global law firm Lovells in Paris, international US firm Dorsey and Whitney in Hong Kong and London, and began his career with Ashurst in London.

Hern joined Walkers' Hong Kong office in January 2009 where he is a partner in the Insolvency and Corporate Recovery Group. He spent three years working in-house at a leading investment bank in London specialising in structured finance, before moving to Baker & McKenzie in London in 2002 where he specialised in corporate restructuring and insolvency. In June 2007 Fraser joined Allen & Overy, Hong Kong where he continued to specialise in restructuring and insolvency matters.

"The needs of our clients have always been the driving force for Walkers' growth and as our clients' needs have become more complex and crossing multiple borders,  it has become more vital than ever that we have the right professionals in place to service their requirements," said Diarmad Murray, Global Managing Partner of Walkers.  "As a result of our balanced portfolio of work and practice areas, Walkers has been able to keep growing despite the difficult global conditions of the past two years."ALB

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• New BVI player lands in Singapore (25 Jan 2011)
• Offshore optimism: Walkers reshuffles Hong Kong, bulks up Jersey (11 May 2010)