U.S.-headquartered law firm Steptoe & Johnson is set to launch its Hong Kong office after hiring investigations and compliance specialists Wendy Wysong and Ali Burney as partners from Clifford Chance.

Joining the two lawyers will be Susan Munro, chief representative of Steptoe & Johnson’s Beijing office, who will relocate to Hong Kong. Additional counsel and associates are expected to join the team shortly.

Steptoe is the second U.S. firm to enter the Hong Kong market this year after Cooley. The firm has three other offices outside the U.S. – in Beijing, Brussels and London.

“Our strategy for growth is focused on having brick and mortar presences in regulatory and financial capitals of the world,” said the firm in response to a query from ALB. “On the regulatory side, we have offices in Washington, Brussels and Beijing. On the financial side, we’re located in London, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Opening in Hong Kong expands our reach in that area to Asia.”

Wysong, who was with Clifford Chance for 12 years, specialises in investigations and enforcement of cross-border business activity. She earlier served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington DC, and deputy assistant secretary for export enforcement in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry & Security.

Meanwhile, Burney focuses on advising companies in Asia-Pacific on compliance with U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, anti-money laundering laws, and the FCPA. He advises on conducting internal investigations, risk assessments, and M&A due diligence and represents clients in front of U.S. enforcement agencies.

Steptoe's Beijing office, which will complete a decade in 2020, recently welcomed investigations and compliance partner Rich Battaglia from the firm’s Chicago office.

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