Withers has hired four-lawyer team from hotel and hospitality-focused law firm Ryan Lawyers. The quartet will split their time between Sydney and Singapore.

The team is led by Robert Williams, who will head Withers' Asia-Pacific hotels practice. He previously ran the Australian business of Ryan Lawyers, and has worked at Baker & McKenzie and Taylor Wessing.

The other lawyers are partner Justin Gross, who has 20 years of experience in M&A, funds and structuring; consultant Chris Greiner, who has more than 30 years of experience in hospitality sector transactions and 20 years at Ashurst, including as senior partner; and associate Vivian Chen.

The team represents owners and operators in the hotels and hospitality sector on acquisitions and sales of hotels and resorts, negotiating hotel management, franchising and development/leasing deals, operating platform M&A transactions and providing capital raising, fund structuring and vacation ownership advice.