INDONESIA: Arrested Development
BY Nimitt Dixit |When Indonesia established a carbon trading mechanism last year, the move was welcomed across the board. However, a lack of strong implementing regulations, regulatory uncertainty, and insufficient business incentives have combined to ensure slow-going for the country's carbon trading market.
BRIEFS: China’s ageing population set to increase opportunities for legal work
BY Sarah Wong |China is grappling with an escalating demographic crisis. In 2023, the senior population has ballooned by 30 million in the world’s second-largest economy, taking the total size of the elderly class to 300 million – almost a fifth of the country’s population.
EXPLAINER: TikTok set to restart e-commerce in Indonesia, but doubts persist
BY Sarah Wong |TikTok has been engulfed in regulatory whirlwinds across the world, which have put a dent in its global ambitions. In the United States, the popular social media app owned by ByteDance faces a ban in the United States unless its Beijing-based parent company divests its U.S. operations, and in Indonesia, TikTok had to temporarily quit its e-commerce business as its shopping arm ran into a slew of obstacles.
Q&A: ‘We have long seen the importance of having on-the-ground legal experts’
BY Sarah Wong |Over the past few months, Singapore’s Allen & Gledhill has declared its intention to keep expanded regionally through the opening of a rep office in Shanghai and the launch of a new alliance in Indonesia. Managing Partner Jerry Koh talks about what is driving the firm’s Asia strategy, and how it maintains the same standards across various markets.
BRIEFS: Regulatory hurdles drive Korean firms to hire more judges, in-house lawyers
BY Sarah Wong |Government lawyers and in-house counsel are stereotypically known for having an easier life than private practice lawyers, with greater perks and better work-life balance. But lately, the South Korean legal market has witnessed a rise in “moving private,” a trend that has seen judges, government lawyers and corporate counsel left for private practice.
FORUM: Small and Ai-Ready
BY Sarah Wong |Generative AI is ushering in a new era of productivity, and Big Law firms have taken the lead in adopting this groundbreaking technology within the legal industry. However, small and medium-sized law firms are also making efforts to leverage the benefits of Generative AI while closely monitoring potential risks. These firms share with ALB the steps they are taking to efficiently embrace AI and harness its capabilities.
MIDDLE EAST: One Country, One Law
BY Nimitt Dixit |The codification of contract and civil principles under the Civil Transaction Law is a historic first for Saudi Arabia. Lawyers in the country believe the law will create a sophisticated and internationalised legal market, as more global capital pours in.
ALB Asia Super 50 TMT 2024
BY Asian Legal Business《亚洲法律杂志》 |In its fourth edition of the Asia Super 50 TMT Lawyers list, ALB showcases the top lawyers in the region’s fast-growing technology, media, and telecommunications practices.
CHINA: From Risk to Opportunity
BY Hu Yangxiaoxiao 胡阳潇潇 |In the face of expanding regulatory landscapes and mounting pressures, legal and compliance professionals are aiming for a “business-oriented mindset, emphasizing not just adherence to regulations but alignment with unique business situations.
MIDDLE EAST: “Firms in the region are relatively behind in terms of using technology”
BY Nimitt Dixit |Mohamed Gabr is group general counsel at Egyptian financial company EFG Holding. In this interview, he talks about his decision to shift from private practice to in-house, the sophistication and growth of the in-house role in the Middle East and the qualities he looks for in external counsel.
ROUNDTABLE: Onwards, Upwards, Forwards
BY Sarah Wong |There has been a continued rise in prominence of the role of chief diversity officers in law firms globally as the legal industry has gradually taken stock of the need to pursue DEI goals. Apart from creating a forward-looking workplace, cultural awareness also adds value to the firm’s calibre in the eyes of clients. ALB hears from diversity leaders on how empowering inclusion can make a law firm stronger.
THAILAND: Green Push
BY Sarah Wong |Thailand is on a quest to decarbonise its gas-heavy power grid, setting its eyes on the goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2065.