A group of four lawyers from US firm Howrey have launched the Taipei office of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton—the firm’s second office in Asia.
The four lawyers, including partner Glen Rhodes, of counsel Y.S. Hsieh and associates I-Wen Chu and Cindy Chou, cited increasing client conflicts between Howrey clients and their practice’s growing Taiwanese client base as the reason behind the split. The firm has seen an increase in patent, copyright and trademark work—as well as in the size of its local Taiwanese client portfolio—over the last 12 months and plans to use a mixture of lateral hiring and relocations to bring its newest office to critical mass.
A source within the firm, who declined to be named, said the group continues to enjoy a cordial relationship with Howrey and continue to receive instructions in relation to Taiwan law matters. Howrey’s withdrawal from Taiwan means that the firm no longer has a physical presence in Asia.
Kilpatrick’s other Asian office in Tokyo, was launched in 2006 and is led by special counsel Hitoshi Akiba. ALB
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