IFLR Asia Best Lawyers 2021 recognises the top individual legal practitioners who have received the highest and most consistent praise from their peers and clients. It is the most definitive list of the best of the best in the Asia-Pacific region.
These market lawyers were identified using the 2000+ submissions to the IFLR1000 2022 rankings, backed up with an analysis of deal data, written submissions for individual lawyers and interviews with peers and clients over a four month period.
Zhang Jiping - Haiwen & Partners (China)
As the managing partner of PRC law firm Haiwen & Partners, Zhang Jiping is recognised as one of seven exclusive lawyers for banking, debt and equity capital markets, private equity, and M&A in China. Zhang’s forte of late has been in private equity financing and the equity capital markets. In the research period, he led DCP Capital to subscribe for 187,268 shares of Chinese online tutoring platform Yuanfudao’s G-2 round for $70 million out of a total round investment of $1billion. He also led the team that advised the underwriters on China Bohai Bank’s listing on the main board of Hong Kong’s stock exchange, and the joint sponsors and underwriters on Yidu Tech’s IPO and listing on Hong Kong’s stock exchange.
Charles Li - Han Kun Law Offices (China)
One of only 15 recognised lawyers for M&A and private equity in China, Charles Li also has expertise in incorporation and corporate restructurings, foreign direct investment, and intellectual property protection across the new economy, energy, consumer goods, healthcare, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals sectors. In the past year, Li led Baidu on its $3.6 billion acquisition of PRC domestic video-based entertainment live streaming business JOYY, which was the largest ever acquisition of an entertainment live streaming business in China. He also acted for Hillhouse Capital in its investments in Yuanfudao’s $2.2 billion Series G1 and G2 financings, which left the Chinese online tutoring platform with a post-investment valuation of $15.5 billion.
Elmer B Serrano - MVGS - Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (Philippines)
Elmer B Serrano serves as a senior partner at Philippine law firm MVGS and also acts as the head of the firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice. Serrano boasts nearly three decades of experience in the M&A space; and also possess expertise in banking and finance and capital markets. He is ranked as Highly Regarded by IFLR1000 and is one of the only two lawyers recognised by IFLR Asia Best Lawyers 2021 for banking and finance, capital markets, and M&A in the Philippines.
He has acted on several notable mandates throughout his career, including a landmark issuance of peso bonds by a Philippine bank.
Pedro Cortés - Rato Ling Lei & Cortés (Macau SAR)
Senior partner Pedro Cortés is the mainstay and managing partner of Macanese firm Rato Ling Lei & Cortés and is one of only three exclusively recognised lawyers for capital markets in Macau. He has developed a strong reputation in the equity capital markets, particularly with regard to Hong Kong listings and is also active in regulatory, restructuring and gaming matters. In the past year, Cortés helped lead one company on its IPO on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) and acted in Melkweg Holdings’ IPO on the growth enterprise market (GEM) of the HKSE. He also advised Kirin Brewery Company in restructuring the corporate structure that owns the Macau Beer Company.
João Nuno Riquito - Riquito Advogados (Macau SAR)
Market leader João Nuno Riquito is the founder and managing partner of Macanese law firm Riquito Advogados since 2005. He is one of seven exclusively recognised lawyers for banking and M&A in Macau and is also known for his expertise in real estate development, gaming, tourism, restructuring and dispute resolution. Of late, he has been particularly busy advising on matters following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, advising on capital restructuring, sub-concession and regulatory mandates in the aviation sector.
Janice Lin - Tsar & Tsai (Taiwan)
As the exclusive recognised lawyer for project finance in Taiwan, Janice Lin has caught the windfall of the offshore wind boom in the East Asian jurisdiction. Lin is an expert in renewable energy project development, foreign investment, divestment, and energy project financing, and in the past year has also been active in M&A. For example, she led the team advising the Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) and lenders on the project financing for a consortium of world-leading investors to acquire a total of 50% ownership share of the Greater Changhua 1 Offshore Wind Farm (605 MW), and led the financing parties, a consortium of 20 Taiwanese and international financial institutions, in the successful closing of the Formosa 2 (376 MW) offshore wind power project financing. In M&A, Lin served as BP’s Taiwanese counsel in its $5 billion global sale of its global petrochemicals business to INEOS, and assisted Carrefour in acquiring Taiwanese supermarket retailer Wellcome Taiwan and its premier market banner Jasons Market Place for €97 million.
IFLR Asia Best Lawyers 2021
Name |
Jurisdiction |
Firm |
Emma Covacevich |
Australia |
Clayton Utz |
Mark Curell |
Australia |
Clifford Chance |
John Schembri |
Australia |
Gilbert + Tobin |
Peter Cook |
Australia |
Gilbert + Tobin |
Yuen-Yee Cho |
Australia |
King & Wood Mallesons |
Bernard Tan |
Brunei |
Abrahams Davidson & Co |
Andrew Ong |
Brunei |
CCW Partnership |
Colin Ong |
Brunei |
Dr Colin Ong Legal Services |
Sophealeak Ing |
Cambodia |
Bun & Associates |
Youdy Bun |
Cambodia |
Bun & Associates |
Guillaume Massin |
Cambodia |
DFDL |
Siphana Sok |
Cambodia |
SokSiphana & Associates |
Michael Han |
China |
Fangda Partners |
Michael Qi |
China |
Fangda Partners |
Michael Tam |
China |
Fangda Partners |
Richard Guo |
China |
Fangda Partners |
Kevin Wang |
China |
Global Law Office |
Lv Hongbing |
China |
Grandall Law Firm |
Zhang Jiping |
China |
Haiwen & Partners |
Charles Li |
China |
Han Kun Law Offices |
Hongjiu Zhang |
China |
Jingtian & Gongcheng |
Fusheng Fu |
China |
Jingtian & Gongcheng |
Adam Li |
China |
JunHe |
David Liu |
China |
JunHe |
Fang Yi |
China |
JunHe |
Gong Mulong |
China |
King & Wood Mallesons |
Wang Ling |
China |
King & Wood Mallesons |
Xiaolei Yang |
China |
King & Wood Mallesons |
Xiaolian Zhang |
China |
King & Wood Mallesons |
Charles Qin |
China |
Llinks Law Offices |
Sandra Lu |
China |
Llinks Law Offices |
Guanxiong Wu |
China |
Tian Yuan Law Firm |
Anthony Zhao |
China |
Zhong Lun Law Firm |
Catherine Chen |
China |
Zhong Lun Law Firm |
Chen Limin |
China |
Zhong Lun Law Firm |
Stephen Croswell |
Hong Kong SAR |
Baker McKenzie |
Jeremy Lam |
Hong Kong SAR |
Deacons |
Colin Law |
Hong Kong SAR |
Fangda Partners |
Mengyu Lu |
Hong Kong SAR |
Kirkland & Ellis |
John Marsden |
Hong Kong SAR |
Mayer Brown |
James Lidbury |
Hong Kong SAR |
Ropes & Gray |
Carmelo Lee |
Hong Kong SAR |
Woo Kwan Lee & Lo |
Ashwath Rau |
India |
AZB & Partners |
Bahram Vakil |
India |
AZB & Partners |
Gautam Saha |
India |
AZB & Partners |
Varoon Chandra |
India |
AZB & Partners |
Zia Mody |
India |
AZB & Partners |
Cyril Shroff |
India |
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas |
Yash Ashar |
India |
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas |
Anjan Dasgupta |
India |
DSK Legal |
Manan Lahoty |
India |
IndusLaw |
Amit Kapur |
India |
J Sagar Associates |
Dina Wadia |
India |
J Sagar Associates |
Haigreve Khaitan |
India |
Khaitan & Co |
Rajiv Luthra |
India |
L&L Partners |
Atul Sharma |
India |
Link Legal India Law Services |
Sandip Bhagat |
India |
S&R Associates |
Prashant Gupta |
India |
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co |
Shardul Shroff |
India |
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co |
Niloufer Lam |
India |
ZBA |
Emir Nurmansyah |
Indonesia |
Ali Budiardjo Nugroho Reksodiputro |
Fikri Assegaf |
Indonesia |
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners |
Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf |
Indonesia |
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners |
Daniel Ginting |
Indonesia |
Ginting & Reksodiputro |
Indri Pramitaswari Guritno |
Indonesia |
Hadiputranto Hadinoto & Partners |
David Dawborn |
Indonesia |
Herbert Smith Freehills |
Tjahjadi Bunjamin |
Indonesia |
Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung |
Ira Eddymurthy |
Indonesia |
SSEK Legal Consultants |
Michael Carl |
Indonesia |
SSEK Legal Consultants |
Hironori Shibata |
Japan |
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune |
Osamu Hirakawa |
Japan |
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune |
Hiroo Atsumi |
Japan |
Atsumi & Sakai |
Hiroshi Maeda |
Japan |
Atsumi & Sakai |
Ean MacPherson |
Japan |
Baker McKenzie |
Gavin Raftery |
Japan |
Baker McKenzie |
Hiroshi Kondo |
Japan |
Baker McKenzie |
Naoaki Eguchi |
Japan |
Baker McKenzie |
Katsumasa Suzuki |
Japan |
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto |
Masanori Sato |
Japan |
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto |
Takahiro Kobayashi |
Japan |
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto |
Fumihide Sugimoto |
Japan |
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu |
Hiroki Inoue |
Japan |
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu |
Jiro Mikami |
Japan |
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu |
Kenichi Fujinawa |
Japan |
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu |
Kohei Koikawa |
Japan |
Nishimura & Asahi |
Rui Jose da Cunha |
Macau SAR |
C&C Lawyers |
Carlos D Simões |
Macau SAR |
DSL Lawyers |
Rita Martins |
Macau SAR |
DSL Lawyers |
Manuela António |
Macau SAR |
Manuela António |
Frederico Rato |
Macau SAR |
Rato Ling Lei & Cortés |
Macau SAR |
Rato Ling Lei & Cortés |
|
Macau SAR |
Riquito Advogados |
|
Adrian Chair |
Malaysia |
Adnan Sundra & Low |
Deepak Sadasivan |
Malaysia |
Adnan Sundra & Low |
Lily Chea Li Tan |
Malaysia |
Albar & Partners |
Christopher Lee |
Malaysia |
Christopher & Lee Ong |
Aidham Badri Andri |
Malaysia |
Kadir Andri & Partners |
Azman bin Othman Luk |
Malaysia |
Rahmat Lim & Partners |
Grace Yeoh |
Malaysia |
Shearn Delamore & Co |
Jalalullail Othman |
Malaysia |
Shook Lin & Bok |
Esther Chik |
Malaysia |
Wong & Partners |
Mei Mei |
Malaysia |
Zul Rafique & partners |
Chris Hughes |
Myanmar |
SCM Legal |
Edwin Vanderbruggen |
Myanmar |
VDB Loi |
Swee Gim Cheah |
Myanmar, Singapore |
Kelvin Chia Yangon |
James Gibson |
New Zealand |
Bell Gully |
Kairas Kabraji |
Pakistan |
Kabraji & Talibuddin |
Bilal Shaukat |
Pakistan |
RIAA Barker Gillette |
Badaruddin Vellani |
Pakistan |
Vellani & Vellani |
Francisco Ed Lim |
Philippines |
Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz (ACCRALAW) |
Rafael Morales |
Philippines |
Morales & Justiniano |
Elmer B Serrano |
Philippines |
MVGS |
Monalisa Dimalanta |
Philippines |
Puyat Jacinto & Santos |
Ramil Bugayong |
Philippines |
Puyat Jacinto & Santos |
Dennis Quintero |
Philippines |
Quisumbing Torres |
Agustin Montilla |
Philippines |
Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles |
Jose Salvador Mirasol |
Philippines |
Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles |
Perry Pe |
Philippines |
Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles |
Rocky Reyes |
Philippines |
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan |
Simeon Ken Ferrer |
Philippines |
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan |
Andrew Lim |
Singapore |
Allen & Gledhill |
Chee Wai Kok |
Singapore |
Allen & Gledhill |
Margaret Chin |
Singapore |
Allen & Gledhill |
Mei Lim |
Singapore |
Allen & Gledhill |
Wei Ting Lim |
Singapore |
Allen & Gledhill |
Ashok Kumar |
Singapore |
BlackOak |
Sushil Nair |
Singapore |
Drew & Napier |
David Zemans |
Singapore |
Milbank |
Angela Lim |
Singapore |
Rajah & Tann Singapore |
Patrick Ang |
Singapore |
Rajah & Tann Singapore |
Regina Liew |
Singapore |
Rajah & Tann Singapore |
Sandy Foo |
Singapore |
Rajah & Tann Singapore |
Bill McCormack |
Singapore |
Shearman & Sterling |
Andrew Ang |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Christy Lim |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Gail Ong |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Manoj Sandrasegara |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Rosabel Ng |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Susan Wong |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Wai King Ng |
Singapore |
WongPartnership |
Eui Jong Chung |
South Korea |
Bae Kim & Lee |
Chi Yong Rim |
South Korea |
Kim & Chang |
Kyung Taek Jung |
South Korea |
Kim & Chang |
Myoung Jae Chung |
South Korea |
Kim & Chang |
Young Kyun Cho |
South Korea |
Kim & Chang |
Dong Eun Kim |
South Korea |
Lee & Ko |
Eunjai Lee |
South Korea |
Lee & Ko |
Hun Ko |
South Korea |
Lee & Ko |
Hyunjoo Oh |
South Korea |
Lee & Ko |
Wonkyu Han |
South Korea |
Lee & Ko |
Hyun Ju Helen Pak |
South Korea |
Shin & Kim |
Sang-Hyun Lee |
South Korea |
Shin & Kim |
Young-Ku Lee |
South Korea |
Shin & Kim |
Hoil Yoon |
South Korea |
Yoon & Yang |
Christopher Joon Tae Cho |
South Korea |
Yulchon |
Hee Woong Yoon |
South Korea |
Yulchon |
Raymond Kang |
South Korea |
Yulchon |
Alex Chiang |
Taiwan |
Baker McKenzie |
Victor Chang |
Taiwan |
LCS & Partners |
Robin Chang |
Taiwan |
Lee and Li |
George Lin |
Taiwan |
Lin & Partners |
Taiwan |
Tsar & Tsai |
|
Komkrit Kietduriyakul |
Thailand |
Baker McKenzie |
Wynn Pakdeejit |
Thailand |
Baker McKenzie |
Jessada Sawatdipong |
Thailand |
Chandler MHM |
Supattra Sathapornnanon |
Thailand |
Chandler MHM |
Weerawong Chittmittrapap |
Thailand |
Weerawong Chinnavat & Partners |
Adam Moncrieff |
Vietnam |
Allen & Overy |
Mark Fraser |
Vietnam |
Frasers Law Company |
Tien Bui |
Vietnam |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Tony Foster |
Vietnam |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Pham Ba Linh |
Vietnam |
Lexcomm |
Duyen Ha Vo |
Vietnam |
VILAF |
Tran Tuan Phong |
Vietnam |
VILAF |
Hoai Nam Diep |
Vietnam |
YKVN |
