Jan. 1, 2012 will see a total of 34 promotions taking effect in the various offices of Latham & Watkins. Some 23 attorneys have been elected to the partnership, including one each in the firm’s Riyadh and Singapore offices, while an additional 11 associates have been elected to the role of counsel.

The 10-year marriage between Linklaters and Allen & Gledhill seems to be under threat after Allen & Overy revealed it had entered into “preliminary talks” with the Singaporean firm over a possible joint law venture (JLV).

Gibson Dunn, which opened its Hong Kong office in August last year, provided clear evidence of an ambitious Asia strategy after adding two experienced lawyers to its corporate team as partners. Yi Zhang and Graham Winter are joining the firm from O’Melveny & Myers, and Reed Smith Richards Butler respectively.

Sullivan & Cromwell, which opened its Hong Kong office in 1992, has completed the regulatory measures necessary to commence practice of law in Hong Kong.

Hogan Lovells boosted its Asian litigation and arbitration practice by hiring to its Tokyo office partner Patric McGonigal, who was previously a partner with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert in Singapore.

Berwin Leighton Paisner’s disputes team in Singapore welcomed a high-profile addition in the form of Stuart Isaacs, an internationally recognised arbitrator and arbitration counsel.

Middle East heavyweight Clyde & Co firmed up its Dubai banking and finance practice by adding Adrian Low from DLA Piper’s Kuwaiti joint venture.

Jones Day acted as international counsel to the underwriters in the 14.8-billion-rupee ($345 million) equity shares rights offering of Bajaj Hindusthan, India’s largest sugar manufacturer.

Following office openings in Abu Dhabi in 2009, and Qatar in May 2011, Baker & McKenzie further strengthened its presence in the Middle East by entering into an exclusive relationship with Turkish law firm Esin Attorney Partnership.

In a move that is expected to significantly strengthen its maritime practice, Blank Rome recently named former Eversheds and DLA Piper partner Ronald Sum as a partner in its Hong Kong office.