UK-headquartered Eversheds Sutherland has confirmed to ALB that the firm is currently reviewing whether to keep its Beijing office open, while also making plans to reestablish an office in Singapore.

Stephenson Harwood has added another partner to its Hong Kong office, this time hiring capital markets practitioner Amy Yu from Eversheds Sutherland. Yu was at Eversheds for nearly nine years.

With emerging technologies driving demand for novel legal advisory, law firms are increasingly seeing a pressing need to strategise their teams accordingly. Leaders share with ALB how they are taking essential technological knowledge into consideration when making hires that enable their firms to come on top in client work.

Global law firm Eversheds Sutherland has turned to competitor DLA Piper to make its first Asian partner hire this year, adding banking and finance attorney Tom Van Hoof as a partner in Hong Kong.

King & Wood Mallesons China and Eversheds Sutherland said jointly on Thursday that they have entered a formal agreement to refer work to one another exclusively in key markets, with Eversheds gaining access to mainland China and KWM China ceasing operations in Europe and East Asia.

Big tech companies are famously fond of open-plan offices believed to show flattening hierarchy and workplace camaraderie. In recent years, law firms have also been increasingly embracing this trend to promote a more inclusive culture and enhance collaboration. Leaders of those firms share with ALB what inspires their decision to go open and what difference it makes for talent and clients.

Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its IPO practice in Hong Kong with the hire of Roger Zhou as a partner in Hong Kong from Morgan Lewis & Bockius.

Offshore law firm Conyers has hired veteran disputes lawyer Mark Yeadon as its head of Hong Kong disputes and restructuring practice from Eversheds Sutherland, where he led the Asia litigation and dispute management practice.

Squire Patton Boggs has added veteran disputes lawyer Rodman Bundy as a senior partner in Singapore from Eversheds Sutherland, where he was head of public international law and co-head of the arbitration practice in the city-state.

Disputes expert Rachael Shek has joined Clyde & Co as a partner in Hong Kong from Eversheds Sutherland.