Former in-house lawyer for Credit Suisse and managing director for Bank Sarasin & Cie AG, Anne Luke, has been appointed as managing director, head of client solutions, Asia at Barclays Wealth – the global wealth management division of Barclays PLC. The appointment is a further extension of the bank’s continuing focus on the ultra high net worth client segment across Asia.

The Supreme Court, the Subordinate Courts, the Singapore Academy of Law, the Law Society of Singapore and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore have joined forces to launch an initiative promoting digital tools to aid lawyers during pre-trial discovery, enable productivity gains and lower legal costs.

Singapore law firm RHT Law has made its first announcements as a new entity on the firm’s strategy going forward setting its sights on becoming an international ‘local’ firm with a presence in numerous locations across the Asia Pacific.

Latham & Watkins has lured ex-Norton Rose Middle East banking & finance partner Anthony Pallett to join its Dubai office – a move in line with its strategy to beef up in the region.

International law firm Mayer Brown will soon be adding Singapore to its network of offices across Asia. Having been granted a foreign law practice license by Singapore’s Attorney General, the new Singapore office is expected to be operational by Q4 2011.

Ashurst, Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy have all punched in strong provisional results for the year ending 30 April 2011. These have come off the back of aggressive, expansionist drives into the Asia-Pacific region by the international firms, which are now bearing robust returns.

The Malaysian government’s planned sell-down of stakes in 33 Government Linked Companies (GLC) has kicked off with the float of MSM Malaysia – Malaysia’s leading sugar producer – in the first-ever privatisation by FELDA, the Malaysian government’s agri-holding business. Clifford Chance, Cleary Gottlieb, Albar & Partners and Kadir Andri & Partners were counsels to the deal.

Norwegian firm Wikborg Rein’s former global managing partner, Per M. Ristvedt, has arrived in Singapore last night in preparation for his new role as head of the firm’s Singapore office, a role that commences 1 Aug 2011.

Rouse has lured Dusanee Vanichpimonanan, a senior patent examiner from the Thai Patent Office to join the firm’s patent department in Bangkok.

KhattarWong has lost approximately 105 staff and lawyers as managing partner Tan Chong Huat leaves – taking with him seven KhattarWong equity partners and 17 salary partners, to start up RHT law.