We are pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the highly prestigious sixth annual asialaw Awards, which took place today at the esteemed Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. This momentous event marked our long-awaited return to hosting an in-person ceremony after three years, following previous virtual iterations during the pandemic. The evening was filled with excitement and celebration as we recognised and honoured exceptional achievements within the legal industry. We extend our sincere appreciation to all esteemed attendees, nominees, and winners for their valuable presence and contributions, which made this event a resounding success.
Photos of the ceremony are availvbale here.
Lee & Ko emerged as the standout winner of this year's awards, securing the prestigious title of Asia Firm of the Year. In addition, they triumphed in multiple categories, including South Korea Firm of the Year, Banking and Finance Firm of the Year, Aviation and Shipping Firm of the Year, and Energy Firm of the Year. Their exceptional performance also earned them three Editor's Choice Impact Deal & Case Awards.
Zhong Lun Law Firm also enjoyed a remarkable achievement, capturing five awards, including China Firm of the Year, Hong Kong SAR Firm of the Year, Capital Markets Firm of the Year, Restructuring and Insolvency Firm of the Year, and Real Estate Firm of the Year. They, too, received three Editor's Choice Impact Deal & Case Awards, cementing their position as industry leaders.
Each winning firm and lawyer has been recognised for their exemplary legal and industry expertise, showcasing their innovative approaches, adept management of complex situations, and the positive impact of their advice.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the shortlisted firms and a resounding round of applause for this year's deserving winners. The asialaw team eagerly anticipates welcoming you all to our 2024 awards ceremony.
All winners have the opportunity to receive a range of opportunities and benefits to highlight their success at these awards. Please reach out to our publisher Fan Yeung at fan.yeung@euromoneyasia.com
See the full shortlist and winners here:
REGIONAL AWARDS - LEGAL EXPERTISE AWARDS
Banking and Finance Firm of the Year
Albar & Partners
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
AZB & Partners
Winner: Lee & Ko
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
TT&A
Weerawong, Chinnavat & Partners
JunHe
Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year
Chea Li (Lily) Tan (Albar & Partners)
Hui (Nelson) Zhou (JunHe)
Karan Mitroo (Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India)
Satoshi Inoue (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune)
Winner: Sonali Mahapatra (TT&A)
Weerawong Chittmittrapap (Weerawong, Chinnavat & Partners)
Capital Markets Firm of the Year
Adnan Sundra & Low
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
Haiwen & Partners
Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
YKVN
Winner: Zhong Lun Law Firm
Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Jeffrey Ding (Fangda Partners)
Jing (Anthony) Zhao (Zhong Lun Law Firm)
Katsumasa Suzuki (Mori Hamada & Matsumoto)
Manan Lahoty (IndusLaw)
Meng Yang (Adrian) Chee (Adnan Sundra & Low)
Myoung Jae Chung (Kim & Chang)
Nhat Quang Truong (YKVN)
Yash Ashar (Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas)
Competition/Antitrust Firm of the Year
Winner: Anant Law
Anjie Board Law Firm
Fangda Partners
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
Trilegal
TMI Associates
Competition/Antitrust Lawyer of the Year
Anu Monga (Anant Law)
Hwan Jeong (Lee & Ko)
Michael Han (Fangda Partners)
Nisha Uberoi (Trilegal)
Peng Wu (Zhong Lun Law Firm)
Winner: Youngjin Jung (Kim & Chang)
Construction Firm of the Year
Eldan Law
Rajah & Tann
Lee & Ko
Winner: Shearn Delamore & Co
UMBRA
Zhong Lun Law Firm
Construction Lawyer of the Year
Dinesh Pardasani (DSK Legal)
Edwin Lee (Eldan Law)
Jihong Wang (Zhong Lun Law Firm)
Richard Khoo (Skrine)
Winner: Rodney Gomez (Shearn Delamore & Co)
Corporate and M&A Firm of the Year
JSA
JunHe
Winner: Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co
Shin & Kim
Yulchon
Zhong Lun Law Firm
Corporate and M&A Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Chaoying (Charles) Li (Han Kun Law Offices)
Gaku Ishiwata (Mori Hamada & Matsumoto)
Gunjan Shah (Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co)
Ho Joon Moon (Lee & Ko)
Rajat Sethi (S&R Associates)
Tong Gun Lee (Shin & Kim)
Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year
Fangda Partners
Karanjawala & Co
Kim & Chang
Kudun & Partners
Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
Makarim & Taira S
Winner: Rajah & Tann
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co
WongPartnership
Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year
Cecil Abraham (Cecil Abraham & Partners)
Chee Wee Lim (Lim Chee Wee Partnership)
Francis Xavier (Rajah & Tann)
Winner: Jin Yeong Chung (Kim & Chang)
Nuo Ji (Fangda Partners)
Ruby Ahuja (Karanjawala & Co)
Intellectual Property Firm of the Year
Anand and Anand
Drew & Napier
Fangda Partners
Winner: Kim & Chang
King & Wood Mallesons
Lifang & Partners
Shook Lin & Bok (Singapore)
Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year
Hui Huang (Wanhuida Intellectual Property)
Hyun Jin Chang (Kim & Chang)
Jevon Louis (Shook Lin & Bok, Singapore)
Meryl Koh (Drew & Napier)
Michael Soo (Shook Lin & Bok, Malaysia)
Pravin Anand (Anand and Anand)
Winner: Pu (Alexandra) Yang (Fangda Partners)
Un Ho Kim (Lee & Ko)
Labour and Employment Firm of the Year
Dentons Rodyk Davidson
Drew & Napier
JunHe
Lee & Ko
Winner: T Thavalingam & Co
Trilegal
Tsar & Tsai Law Firm
Labour and Employment Lawyer of the Year
Ji Hyung Kim (Jipyong)
Jianping Wang (DeHeng Law Offices)
Kelvin Tan (Drew & Napier)
Winner: Thavalingam Thavarajah (T Thavalingam & Co)
Regulatory Firm of the Year
Deacons
Fangda Partners
Winner: Global Law Office
Lee & Ko
Nishith Desai Associates
Skrine
WongPartnership
Restructuring and Insolvency Firm of the Year
BlackOak
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
Fangda Partners
Kudun & Partners
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
Rajah & Tann
Shearn Delamore & Co
Winner: Zhong Lun Law Firm
Restructuring and Insolvency Lawyer of the Year
Winner: Ashok Kumar (BlackOak)
L Viswanathan (Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas)
Nobuaki Kobayashi (Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu)
Patrick Ang (Rajah & Tann)
Rabindra Nathan (Shearn Delamore & Co)
Tax Firm of the Year
Economic Laws Practice
Kim & Chang
LawAlliance
Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
Winner: SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
Tax Lawyer of the Year
Carina Laforteza (SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan)
Dong Soo Kim (Kim & Chang)
Mukesh Butani (BMR Legal)
Nitin Nadkarni (Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill)
Winner: Piphob Veraphong (LawAlliance)
Seung Soon Lim (Yoon & Yang)
REGIONAL AWARDS - INDUSTRY EXPERTISE AWARDS
Aviation and Shipping Firm of the Year
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Han Kun Law Offices
Kudun & Partners
Winner: Lee & Ko
Rajah & Tann
Shearn Delamore & Co
Weerawong, Chinnavat & Partners
Banking and Financial Services Firm of the Year
ACCRALAW
JSA
JunHe
Lee & Ko
Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
Winner: Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co
Shook Lin & Bok (Singapore)
Energy Firm of the Year
Drew & Napier
DSK Legal
JunHe
Winner: Lee & Ko
Lexcomm
Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India
Rajah & Tann
Skrine
Infrastructure Firm of the Year
Gulapa Law
JunHe
Kim & Chang
Lee & Ko
Rajah & Tann
Shearn Delamore & Co
Winner: Trilegal
Zhong Lun Law Firm
Insurance Firm of the Year
AnJie Broad Law Firm
Kim & Chang
Lee & Ko
Winner: Tilleke & Gibbins
WhiteFern
Real Estate Firm of the Year
Chandler MHM
IndusLaw
Lee & Ko
Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
Rajah & Tann
Winner: Zhong Lun Law Firm
Technology and Telecommunications Firm of the Year
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
Disini Law Offices
Kudun & Partners
Rajah & Tann
Skrine
WongPartnership
Winner: Yulchon
Zhong Lun Law Firm
JURISDICTIONAL AWARDS - JURISDICTIONAL FIRMS OF THE YEAR
Bangladesh Firm of the Year
AS & Associates
Winner: DFDL
Doulah & Doulah
Rahman's Chambers
Brunei Firm of the Year
Abrahams Davidson & Co
Winner: CCW Partnership
HEP Law
Cambodia Firm of the Year
Bun & Associates
DFDL
Winner: R&T Sok & Heng
Sithisak Law Office
Tilleke & Gibbins
VDB Loi
China Firm of the Year
Commerce & Finance Law Offices
Fangda Partners
Global Law Office
Haiwen & Partners
Han Kun Law Offices
JunHe
King & Wood Mallesons
Winner: Zhong Lun Law Firm
Hong Kong SAR Firm of the Year
Deacons
Gall
Hugill & Ip
Timothy Loh
Winner: Zhong Lun Law Firm
India Firm of the Year
AZB & Partners
Winner: Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
IndusLaw
JSA
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co
Trilegal
Indonesia Firm of the Year
Winner: Assegaf Hamzah & Partners
Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners
Makarim & Taira S
SSEK Law Firm
UMBRA
Japan Firm of the Year
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Winner: Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
Nishimura & Asahi
TMI Associates
Kazakhstan Firm of the Year
Aequitas
Grata International
Winner: Signum Law Firm
Unicase
Laos Firm of the Year
DFDL
Rajah & Tann (Laos)
Tilleke & Gibbins
Winner: VDB Loi
ZICO Law (Laos)
Macao SAR Firm of the Year
Winner: Jorge Neto Valente Advogados
Manuela António – Lawyers and Notaries
Rato Ling Lei & Cortés
Riquito Advogados
Malaysia Firm of the Year
Adnan Sundra & Low
Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
Shearn Delamore & Co
Winner: Skrine
Shook Lin & Bok (Malaysia)
Zaid Ibrahim & Co (in association with KPMG Law)
Zul Rafique & Partners
Maldives Firm of the Year
CTL Strategies
Praxis
S&A Lawyers
Winner: SHC Lawyers
Mongolia Firm of the Year
Winner: KhanLex Partners
MahoneyLiotta
MDS & KhanLex
Melville Erdenedalai
Myanmar Firm of the Year
Winner: DFDL
Myanmar Legal MHM
Rajah & Tann Myanmar
Tilleke & Gibbins
VDB Loi
Pakistan Firm of the Year
Akhund Forbes
Ali Khan Law Associates
Haidermota & Co
Winner: Kabraji & Talibuddin
Orrdignam & Co
Saiduddin & Co
Vellani & Vellani
Philippines Firm of the Year
ACCRALAW
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)
Martinez Vergara Gonzalez & Serrano (MVGS)
Winner: SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
Villaraza & Angangco
Singapore Firm of the Year
Allen & Gledhill
Drew & Napier
Winner: Rajah & Tann
Shook Lin & Bok
WongPartnership
South Korea Firm of the Year
Bae Kim & Lee
Kim & Chang
Winner: Lee & Ko
Shin & Kim
Yoon & Yang
Yulchon
Sri Lanka Firm of the Year
DL & F De Saram
Winner: FJ & G de Saram
Julius & Creasy
Nithya Partners
Taiwan Firm of the Year
Winner: Lee & Li
Lexcel Partners
Lin & Partners
Tsar & Tsai Law Firm
Thailand Firm of the Year
Chandler MHM
Winner: Kudun & Partners
Tilleke & Gibbins
Weerawong, Chinnavat & Partners
Vietnam Firm of the Year
APFL & Partners
Frasers Law Company
Lexcomm
Winner: VILAF
YKVN
EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARDS
Best Newcomer of the Year
Winner: Anant Law
BTPLaw
KhanLex Partners
Sagus Legal
Stratage Law Partners
Wen & Co
Asia Firm of the Year
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
Kim & Chang
Winner: Lee & Ko
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
Rajah & Tann
Shearn Delamore & Co
Skrine
Zhong Lun Law Firm
EDITOR’S CHOICE – IMPACT DEAL AND CASE AWARDS
The demerger of a Chhattisgarh iron and steel plant from National Mineral Development Corporation to NMDC Steel
JSA
Merger of HDFC and HDFC Bank
Argus Partners, AZB & Partners, Cravath Swaine & Moore, S&R Associates, Singhi & Co, Wadia Ghandy & Co
IPO of Life Insurance Corporation of India
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Duane Morris & Selvam, Linklaters Singapore, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co
Lodha Group/Macrotech Developers QIP
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, IndusLaw, Sidley Austin
Debt restructuring of Marelli Holdings – the first simplified rehabilitation proceedings (SRP) case in Japan
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
Tosei Asset Advisors' acquisition of The Otemachi Place East Tower – the largest real estate transaction in Japan
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
KKR's acquisition of Mitsubishi Corporation and UBS Asset Management
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Nishimura & Asahi
Financing of the Jeju Hanlim Offshore Wind Farm Project – South Korea's first commercial offshore wind project
Lee & Ko, Shin & Kim
Samsung Electronics v former employees
Lee & Ko
Chubb's acquisition of Cigna's APAC businesses
Kim & Chang, Shin & Kim
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's first issuance of sustainable development bond in China
Fangda Partners, Global Law Office
Gotion High-Tech's GDR listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange
Haiwen & Partners, Llinks Law Firm
Atour Lifestyle Holdings' listing on Nasdaq
JunHe, Zhong Lun Law Firm
Range Intelligent's backdoor listing on SZSE
King & Wood Mallesons, Zhong Lun Law Firm
JD Property's acquisition of China Logistics
Han Kun Law Offices
GTC Duty Free's Hong Kong IPO
Haiwen & Partners, Jia Yuan Law Offices
China Resources Land's acquisition of China Fortune Land's asset
Tian Yuan Law Firm, Zhong Lun Law Firm
MBK Partners’ acquisition of Medit Corp
Kim & Chang, Lee & Ko
Thai Life’s IPO – Southeast Asia's biggest IPO of 2022
Weerawong, Chinnavat & Partners
Merger of Celcom Axiata and Digi.com
Adnan Sundra & Low, Christopher & Lee Ong, Zaid Ibrahim & Co (in association with KPMG Law)
Riot Games v NetEase Interactive Entertainment
Drew & Napier, Rajah & Tann
CLIENT CHOICE AWARDS
Client Choice Awards: Bangladesh Firm of the YearAS & Associates
Client Choice Awards: Bangladesh Lawyer of the YearFerdaus Rahman (AS & Associates)
Honourable mention firm: Bangladesh Law Partners
Honourable mention lawyer: Shajib Mahmood Alam (Bangladesh Law Partners)
Client Choice Awards: Brunei Firm of the Year
Abrahams Davidson & Co
Client Choice Awards: Cambodia Firm of the Year
SokSiphana&associates
Client Choice Awards: Cambodia Lawyer of the Year
Matthew Rendall (SokSiphana&associates)
Honourable mention firm: DFDL
Client Choice Awards: China Firm of the Year
Han Kun Law Offices
Client Choice Awards: China Lawyer of the Year
Qing Chang (Dacheng Law Offices)
Honourable mention firm: JunHe
Honourable mention lawyer: Rui Ma (JunHe)
Client Choice Awards: Hong Kong SAR Firm of the Year
Hugill & Ip
Client Choice Awards: Hong Kong SAR Lawyer of the Year
Alfred Ip (Hugill & Ip)
Honourable mention firm: Payne Clermont Velasco
Honourable mention lawyer: Jaerey Velasco (Payne Clermont Velasco)
Client Choice Awards: India Firm of the Year
RPV Legal
Client Choice Awards: India Lawyer of the Year
Jatin Kochhar (RPV Legal)
Honourable mention firm: IndusLaw
Honourable mention lawyer: Vipul Agrawal (RPV Legal)
Client Choice Awards: Indonesia Firm of the Year
Markus Sajogo & Associates
Client Choice Awards: Indonesia Lawyer of the Year
Eleazar Leslie Sajogo (Markus Sajogo & Associates)
Honourable mention firm: Dewi Djalal & Partners Law Office
Client Choice Awards: Japan Firm of the Year
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Client Choice Awards: Japan Lawyer of the Year
Haruka Murata (Miura & Partners)
Honourable mention firm: Miura & Partners
Honourable mention lawyer: Masamichi Sakamoto (City-Yuwa Partners)
Client Choice Awards: Kazakhstan Firm of the Year
Redbrick Law Firm
Client Choice Awards: Kazakhstan Lawyer of the Year
Nurzhan Dairbekov (Redbrick Law Firm)
Honourable mention firm: Sayat Zholshy & Partners
Honourable mention lawyer: Rauan Dairbekov (Redbrick Law Firm)
Client Choice Awards: Laos Firm of the Year
DFDL
Client Choice Awards: Laos Lawyer of the Year
Audray Souche (DFDL)
Honourable mention lawyer: Kristy Newby (DFDL)
Client Choice Awards: Macao SAR Firm of the Year
CFB Lawyers
Client Choice Awards: Macao SAR Lawyer of the Year
Calvin Tinlop Chui (Rato Ling Lei & Cortés)
Honourable mention firm: Rato Ling Lei & Cortés
Honourable mention lawyer: Hugo Maia Bandeira (CFB Lawyers)
Client Choice Awards: Malaysia Firm of the Year
Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
Client Choice Awards: Malaysia Lawyer of the Year
Pek Eng (Judy) Lim (P E Lim)
Honourable mention firm: Halim Hong & Quek
Honourable mention lawyer: Amardeep Singh Toor (Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill)
Client Choice Awards: Maldives Firm of the Year
SHC Lawyers
Client Choice Awards: Maldives Lawyer of the Year
Shuaib M Shah (CTL Strategies)
Honourable mention firm: CTL Strategies
Client Choice Awards: Mongolia Firm of the Year
Melville Erdenedalai
Client Choice Awards: Mongolia Lawyer of the Year
Chris Melville (Melville Erdenedalai)
Client Choice Awards: Myanmar Firm of the Year
Tilleke & Gibbins
Client Choice Awards: Myanmar Lawyer of the Year
Yuwadee Theanngarm (Tilleke & Gibbins)
Client Choice Awards: Pakistan Firm of the Year
Nawaz Hussain Sikander
Client Choice Awards: Pakistan Lawyer of the Year
Omer Farooq (Farooq Khan & Mirza)
Honourable mention firm: Akhund Forbes
Honourable mention lawyer: Rabel Akhund (Akhund Forbes)
Client Choice Awards: Philippines Firm of the Year
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
Client Choice Awards: Philippines Lawyer of the Year
Filemon Ray Javier (Tolosa Javier Lim & Chua Law Firm)
Honourable mention firm: Tolosa Javier Lim & Chua Law Firm
Honourable mention lawyer: Elmer Serrano (Serrano Law)
Client Choice Awards: Singapore Firm of the Year
Drew and Napier
Client Choice Awards: Singapore Lawyer of the Year
Suang Wijaya (Eugene Thuraisingam)
Honourable mention firm: WongPartnership
Honourable mention lawyer: Alfred Lim (Meritus Law)
Client Choice Awards: South Korea Firm of the Year
Kim & Chang
Client Choice Awards: South Korea Lawyer of the Year
Shin Kwon Lim (Kim & Chang)
Honourable mention firm: Lee & Ko
Honourable mention lawyer: In Hwan Kim (Kim & Chang)
Client Choice Awards: Sri Lanka Firm of the Year
FJ & G de Saram
Client Choice Awards: Sri Lanka Lawyer of the Year
Chamindi Ekanayake (Nithya Partners)
Honourable mention firm: DL & F De Saram
Honourable mention lawyer: Chanaka de Silva (Nithya Partners)
Client Choice Awards: Taiwan Firm of the Year
Dentons Taiwan
Client Choice Awards: Taiwan Lawyer of the Year
James Hsiao (Dentons Taiwan), John Eastwood (Eiger)
Honourable mention firm: Eiger
Client Choice Awards: Thailand Firm of the Year
Kudun & Partners
Client Choice Awards: Thailand Lawyer of the Year
Pattaravadee Kongcharoenniwat (JTJB International Lawyers)
Honourable mention firm: Chandler MHM
Honourable mention lawyer: Peerasanti Somritutai (Kudun & Partners)
Client Choice Awards: Vietnam Firm of the Year
Tilleke & Gibbins
Client Choice Awards: Vietnam Lawyer of the Year
Minh Vu Thanh (LNT & Partners)
Honourable mention firm: LNT & Partners
Honourable mention lawyer: Thomas Treutler (Tilleke & Gibbins)