Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired corporate specialist Ethan Jin from the Hong Kong office of Clifford Chance. He has been appointed to the counsel role, along with four others across Asia – two more in Hong Kong and two in Vietnam.

In Hong Kong the new counsel promotions are competition and trade specialist Margaret Wang and corporate specialists David Cotton and Jin. In Ho Chi Minh City, corporate specialists Tien Bui and Lang Nguyen are the new counsel. The appointments are effective from May 1 2012.

Globally, Freshfields has elected 17 new counsel. Commenting on the Asia appointments, the magic circle firm’s Asia managing partner Robert Ashworth said in a statement: “These appointments are very well deserved and demonstrate Freshfields’ commitment to support the growth of our clients and our team across the Asian region.”

Wang joined the firm in 2002 and regularly advises on the antitrust aspects of cross-border M&As and disputes. Her clients include multinational companies. Cotton’s practice ranges from representing issuers and underwriters in capital markets transactions to M&As. He has also been at Freshfields since 2002.

Prior to his recent two year stint at Clifford Chance, Jin was an associate at Freshfields in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2010. His practice focuses on Hong Kong IPOs and securities offerings, M&As and Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed companies’ compliance matters.

Bui has a decade’s experience working on banking matters, infrastructure project financing, restructuring and other commercial transactions. He has been at the firm since 2002. Nguyen joined Freshfields in 2003 and her practice includes M&As and IPOs, providing regulatory and structuring advice, and assisting foreign-invested enterprises to incorporate in Vietnam.