Betty Yap, the head of Linklaters’ China practice from 2012 to 2016, has returned to the firm from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where she held a similar role.

Upon rejoining Linklaters, Yap will take on the role of global co-head of the Financial Sponsor Group, while continuing to be based in Hong Kong.

An expert on the Chinese private equity market with extensive experience in cross-border M&A, strategic investments, joint ventures, special situations transactions, and foreign direct investments involving China, Yap was at Linklaters from 2004 to 2016, leading the firm’s China practice from 2012.

In 2016, Yap joined Paul, Weiss, and started leading its China practice in 2019.

Apart from Yap, Linklaters has welcomed back another alum: Financial regulation specialist Carl Fernandes returns to the firm from Latham & Watkins in London. Fernandes, who was at Linklaters from 2001 to 2018, is expected to move to Asia in due course.

He counsels financial services clients, including multi-disciplinary investment banks, broker-dealers, custodians, asset managers, private banks, and financial market infrastructures, on regulatory issues.

With Yap’s hire, Linklaters continues its streak of partner laterals in Hong Kong. Last year, the firm added Xiaoxi Lin from Kirkland & Ellis, Alessandro Nolet from White & Case, and Mark Veitch from Herbert Smith Freehills. The Magic Circle firm now has 32 partners in Hong Kong.

“We are delighted to welcome Betty and Carl back to the firm,” said William Liu, Linklaters’ Asia managing partner, in a statement, citing “the wealth of experience they will bring to our well-established private equity/M&A and financial regulation practices.”