Latham & Watkins Adds Two Top Dealmakers In Hong Kong

Latham & Watkins LLP is expanding its Asia transactional bench with the hiring of two senior partners in Hong Kong, the global law firm announced Monday. Grace Huang and Edward Freeman will join the firm’s Capital Markets and M&A and Private Equity practices, respectively, moving over from rival firm Freshfields.

Counsel Cindy Kwong, who focuses on equity capital markets and listed-company compliance, will also join the firm alongside the two new partners. According to Latham, the trio’s arrival is intended to deepen the firm’s presence in one of Asia’s most competitive legal markets for cross-border transactions.

Huang brings a track record advising on complex equity offerings, including dual and triple primary listings, secondary listings, special purpose acquisition company deals, and listings by overseas companies seeking access to Hong Kong’s capital markets. She also holds seats on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Listing Review Committee and the Securities and Futures Commission’s Takeovers and Mergers Panel and Appeal Committee, positions that place her at the center of the city’s regulatory infrastructure for public offerings.

Freeman’s practice centers on public mergers and acquisitions, with experience representing offerors, target companies, and financial advisers on takeovers, privatizations, and contested deals across the Asia-Pacific region. He has also advised private capital investors, insurers, and financial intermediaries on acquisitions, joint ventures, and related matters. Firm leaders, including Managing Partner of Asia offices Posit Laohaphan and Global Corporate Department Vice Chair Amy Beckingham, said the pair’s complementary specialties and regional relationships were key factors in the hiring decision.

The moves come amid a broader wave of lateral partner hiring among elite international law firms competing for market share in Hong Kong, a jurisdiction that remains a critical gateway for mainland Chinese companies seeking overseas capital and for multinational corporations pursuing deals across the region. Despite periods of volatility in initial public offering volumes over the past several years, Hong Kong has retained its status as one of the world’s busiest listing venues, driving sustained demand for lawyers with deep regulatory and transactional expertise.

Law firms have increasingly sought to consolidate top talent in fewer, higher-profile teams as clients favor advisers who can manage complex, multijurisdictional mandates spanning capital markets, antitrust, and M&A simultaneously. Latham’s latest hires follow other recent additions to its Asia practice, including antitrust partner Angie Ng in Singapore and technology transactions partner Rhys McWhirter in Hong Kong, suggesting a coordinated push to build out integrated deal capabilities across the region rather than isolated practice areas.

Latham & Watkins operates as a global partnership headquartered in Delaware, with affiliated practices in numerous jurisdictions including Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The firm has positioned its Asia platform as central to its broader growth strategy, citing rising client demand for advisers capable of navigating intricate cross-border listings and takeover contests.

Neither Latham nor Freshfields disclosed financial terms associated with the partners’ transition. The hires are expected to take effect in the coming months, according to the announcement.

This report is based on information first published by PR Newswire.