New York, United States
Proskauer Rose LLP, an international law firm with more than 750 lawyers worldwide, announced its continued expansion with the impending opening of its 12th and 13th offices, first in Hong Kong and later in Beijing. In the past year, the firm opened in London and Sao Paulo, while substantially expanding its presence in Paris. Earlier this year, Proskauer also opened in Chicago, its eighth office in the U.S.
Former Heller Ehrman partners Ying Li, who led the firm's China Business Practice, and Joseph Cha, who led its Beijing office and its Asian Private Equity and Fund Formation Practice, have joined Proskauer as partners.
Yuval Tal, a New York corporate partner who is an integral part of Proskauer's internationally recognized Lodging & Gaming Practice, will become resident partner in the soon-to-be-opened Hong Kong office. All three will lead the firm's entry into the region and help serve its clients as they build their businesses in China.
"The Chinese and Pacific Rim economies are expanding at a robust rate, with projections showing that business activity in the area likely will equal and even surpass that of the U.S. and the EU in the not-too-distant future," said Allen I. Fagin, Chairman of Proskauer. "This has not been lost on our clients, who also are expanding into Asia. It is essential that we be there too, not only to meet their needs, but to capitalize on the many other opportunities available to us."
The firm will enter Asia with three of its top-tier practices, all of which already have significant exposure in the market: lodging and gaming, a booming sector across the region; sports law, another growth industry as symbolized the Beijing Olympics and the increasing globalization of the world's sports leagues; and investment funds as private equity, hedge and sovereign wealth vehicles search out and capitalize on the multitude of opportunities in the region.
Ronald R. Papa, Chair of Proskauer's Corporate Department, said one of the keys to the success of the firm's expansion into China are the three lawyers who will lead the way.
"Ying and Joe are excellent lawyers with extensive backgrounds representing high-profile clients in major cross-border transactions and other complex matters," said Mr. Papa. "Similarly, Yuval has significant experience representing international clients, particularly in the hospitality and investment fund industries, on a range of corporate and securities matters. We are confident that these exceptional lawyers will lead the way in the development of our China business practice."
Mr. Tal has a significant practice representing U.S. and foreign clients in diverse industries in connection with financing, mergers and acquisitions (public and private, debt and equity), reorganizations and structured finance. As a member of the firm's Lodging and Gaming Practice Group, he has worked on transactions involving hotel development and construction, licensing and franchising, management, acquisition and sale, restructuring and public offerings involving hotel and casino companies including Accor, Caesar's/Harrah's, Colony Capital, Garret Group, Hilton, Hyatt, Inter-Continental, Raffles, Starwood Capital, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Swissotel, Wyndham and many others, both in and outside the U.S.
Mr. Tal has also represented numerous private equity and venture capital funds in the U.S., Europe and Israel including J.P. Morgan and DLJ, among others, in the structuring, restructuring, management and disposition of investments. A former clerk for the Chief Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court and a Fulbright Scholar, he received LL.M. and J.S.D. degrees from the University of Chicago and completed legal studies at Hebrew University.
Mr. Li has been based in China and Hong Kong for 14 years. He has advised multinational companies extensively on cross-border transactions involving Chinese foreign joint ventures, wholly foreign-owned enterprises, partnerships and technology transfer. He has extensive experience working with clients in connection with real estate and hospitality matters as well as with cross-border transactions, private equity, venture capital financing and fund formations.
A former law professor at the People's University School of Law in Beijing and a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School, Mr. Li is a frequent speaker on legal and regulatory developments related to M&A and corporate finance in China. He earned his law degrees from Peking University and Harvard University.
Mr. Cha has been based in China, Hong Kong and Singapore for more than 10 years, having represented numerous Asia-based limited partners in fund investments and advised several Asia-based sponsors in the formation, funding, and operation of complex, multi-tiered venture and private equity funds. He has also represented funds and private companies, both in the U.S. and Asia, in connection with corporate transactions and entering new markets in Asia and the Pacific Rim region.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Cha was in-house counsel to Intel Capital in Hong Kong. A graduate of SUNY Albany, he earned law degrees from the Whittier College School of Law and New York University School of Law.
About Proskauer Rose
Proskauer Rose, founded in 1875, is an international law firm providing a wide variety of legal services to clients worldwide from offices in Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Paris, Sao Paulo, and Washington, D.C. The firm has wide experience in all areas of practice important to businesses and individuals including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, general commercial litigation, corporate governance matters, conducting internal corporate investigations, white collar criminal defense, private equity and fund formation, patent and intellectual property litigation and prosecution, labor and employment law, real estate transactions, bankruptcy and reorganizations, trusts and estates, and taxation. Its clients span industries including chemicals, entertainment, financial services, health care, information technology, insurance, internet, lodging and gaming, manufacturing, media and communications, pharmaceuticals, real estate investment, sports, and transportation. The firm can be found online at http://www.proskauer.com.
Source: Business Wire (Business Wire India)