Akin Gump to expand its footprint to Hong Kong

The firm will not focus on capital markets, but will be skewed towards its strengths in the energy resources area, M&A and investment fund formation, with a dispute resolution department to open down the road. It has recruited two partners to lead the new office, Gregory Puff, ex-Shearman & Sterling and Andrew Abernathy, ex-Norton Rose both specialists in their niche M&A practices but also with offerings in the private equity and joint venture fields.

Given that the firm has acquired a foreign registered law firm license from the Hong Kong Law Society, it has the greenlight to practice US, English and Hong Kong law.