Addleshaw Goddard has hired Bob Charlton, the former Asia head and Hong Kong office managing partner of the legacy UK firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, as its head for the Asia-Pacific region.

Bob Charlton, the Asia head and Hong Kong office managing partner of UK firm Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), has left the firm ahead of its merger with U.S. firm Bryan Cave, ALB can report.

Greater collaboration, increased communication, and better training for junior lawyers are some of the reasons why more law firms are finally adopting open-plan offices. John Kang speaks to office heads about the pros and cons of this design and why some firms are still holding out.

Bob Charlton, who joined Berwin Leighton Paisner in October 2014 as the firm’s Asia head and Hong Kong Managing Partner, speaks to Kanishk Verghese about his new role, the firm’s core focus areas and priorities in Asia, and its recent expansion in the region.

DLA Piper’s Asia operations have been rocked by yet another big-name departure, with Biswajit Chatterjee, head of the firm’s Singapore corporate finance practice and global co-head of its India practice, leaving to join Squire Patton Boggs.

Berwin Leighton Paisner has hired DLA Piper’s former Asia-Pacific managing partner Bob Charlton as the firm’s Asia head and managing partner of the Hong Kong office.