Mayer Brown JSM continued its dominant run at the The Macallan ALB Hong Kong Law Awards after sweeping five categories this year, up from three in 2016. The wins this year included The Macallan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award Hong Kong Law Firm of the Year accolade, which it also snapped up last year.
"We are very pleased to hold onto the top spot in ALB’s latest ranking of law firms in Hong Kong for the third consecutive year, particularly in such a competitive environment," said Terence Tung, senior partner at Mayer Brown JSM. "In addition, we were thrilled to learn that the publication has recognized the outstanding performance of our various practice groups, as well as our friend, Gabriela, for her client service and dedication to our profession. On behalf of the firm, I would like to offer special thanks to our clients and staff. Without their support, this would not have happened."
Held once again at the Conrad Hong Kong, ALB’s 16th annual celebration of legal excellence took place on Sept. 8 and saw Davis Polk & Wardwell win in four categories, including Young Lawyer of the Year, which Miranda So shared with Ropes & Gray’s Mimi Yang.
The 2017 edition of the awards featured several new categories. The Transactional Boutique Law Firm of the Year award went to Charltons, while Gall picked up the Dispute Resolution equivalent. The Woman Lawyer of the Year Award, which ALB brought back in partnership with Women in Law Hong Kong, went to Gabriela Kennedy of Mayer Brown JSM. Meanwhile, Gareth Thomas of Herbert Smith Freehills was named Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year.
There were three new categories for the in-house side. Lane Crawford Joyce Group was named the Retail and Luxury Brands In-House Team of the Year, the Hyatt International was hailed as the Withers Award Hospitality In-House Team of the Year, and Uber was judged the Innovative In-House Team of the Year. However, the big winner among in-house teams was Hongkong Land, which picked up the ACC HK Award Hong Kong for In-House Team of the Year.
Other key awards went to Jeanette Chan of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison (Dealmaker of the Year); Simon Powell of Latham & Watkins (Art Futures Award Managing Partner of the Year); Mark Hunsaker of Citigroup (The Macallan Fine Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award Hong Kong In-House Lawyer of the Year); Clifford Chance (Deal Firm of the Year); and Allen & Overy (International Arbitration Law Firm of the Year).
"I am delighted to be recognized for this award, and to be nominated among such an elite group of lawyers is just an absolute honor, and I am truly humbled," said Jeanette Chan, managing partner of Paul Weiss’ China practice. "This award should go to the entire Paul Weiss team as all deals are made by not one person, but by a team. I am grateful for having a supportive and talented team members."
"It is an honor to win this award, which is a testament to the commitment, hard work and achievements of the entire team in Hong Kong and across the region," said Latham's Simon Powell, who concluded his term as managing partner of the firm’s Hong Kong office earlier this year. "I share this honor with my colleagues and our valued clients."
Baker McKenzie also had a good night, winning the Real Estate Law Firm of the Year and Tax and Trusts Law Firm of the Year. "We would like to thank ALB for this recognition. We are conscious of the fact that winning these awards, in fact, is a reflection of our clients’ success," said Milton Cheng, managing partner of the firm’s Hong Kong office. "We thank our clients for their continued support and remain committed to providing service of the highest quality to our clients."
The PRC Firm, Hong Kong Office of the Year went to Zhong Lun. "We are very grateful to ALB and its panel of judges for this honor," Allen Yam, co-managing partner of the firm’s Hong Kong office. "This is a wonderful recognition of our firm's drive and commitment to expanding and maintaining the excellence of our practice in Hong Kong."
Harvey Law Group took home the Immigration Law Firm of the Year. "We are honored to be recognized as the leading immigration law firm in Hong Kong by ALB and thank our clients for their ongoing trust, confidence, and support in HLG, which has helped make such a recognition possible," said Jean-François Harvey, founder and global managing partner of the firm. “This award is a testament to the tremendous dedication and talent of our team, our continuing commitment to providing unparalleled service to our clients, as well as the firm’s reputation of excellence throughout the region. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the finalists, namely Oldham, Li & Nie, Lewis Silkin, as well as Baker McKenzie."
The full list of winners can be found here.
