Stephenson Harwood has announced its intention to enter the South Korean market with the hire of Michael Kim as a partner in the marine and international trade practice from DLA Piper, where he was the chief representative of it’s Seoul office.

Hogan Lovells has hired partner Maurice Burke as the head of its litigation and arbitration practice in Southeast Asia from Herbert Smith Freehills.

Singapore law firm Colin Ng & Partners (CNP) has entered into an association with a Myanmar law firm named Fame Myanmar Co Ltd, which will cooperate on a range of cross-border transactions.

A high-level committee in Singapore has proposed a new regulatory framework for the legal profession in Singapore, including having a single body regulate both Singapore law firms and foreign law firms.

Reed Smith has opened its Kazakhstan office in the capital Astana and also hired corporate partners Vladimir Shuster and Arman Tastanbekov, from Morgan Lewis and White & Case respectively, for the same.

Latham & Watkins has hired banking and restructuring specialist Howard Lam as a partner in the firm’s finance department in Hong Kong.

Southeast Asian law firm DFDL has promoted two lawyers to partner – energy, mining and infrastructure specialist Audray Souche in Thailand, and real estate expert Guillaume Massin in Cambodia.

Southeast Asian law firm Tilleke & Gibbins has promoted Kasamesunt Teerasitsathaporn to partnership in its dispute resolution and litigation group in Bangkok.

Regulatory authorities have been formally addressing Korea’s data management issues by ratifying tough legislations including the Unfair Competition Prevention Act and Trade Secret Protection Act (UCPA) and the latest Personal Information Protection Act.

Clifford Chance has entered into an association with Indonesian firm, Linda Widyati & Partners (LWP), aimed at allowing the two firms to provide clients with integrated advice on Indonesian and international law.