Baker McKenzie has added a second partner in Hong Kong in a matter of weeks after hiring former HNA Group general counsel Thomas Tarala a partner in Hong Kong.
Tarala joins Baker McKenzie weeks after the firm hired former Sidley Austin lawyer Joy Lam as a partner in Hong Kong. He is also Bakers’ first hire to its capital markets practice in Hong Kong since the addition of Victoria Lloyd from Ropes & Gray in July last year.
Prior to joining HNA, Tarala worked at Hogan Lovells, with his last role there being head of the firm’s U.S. securities practice. Over a 25-year career, Tarala has advised investment banks, intermediaries, and corporations in Hong Kong, China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the U.S.
His practice focuses on both equity capital markets and debt capital markets transactions, M&A, funds formation, loans, corporate restructurings, as well as litigation and regulatory issues.
The Hainan-headquartered HNA Group, once one of China’s most acquisitive conglomerates with annual revenue upwards of $50 billion, declared bankruptcy last year after debt restructuring efforts failed.
