Law Firm Charles Russell Speechlys To Open Singapore Office
SINGAPORE – Charles Russell Speechlys, a top 35 law firm in the UK, announced that it intends to establish a presence here, reported the Global Legal Post on Monday evening (31 October, SGT).
The law firm said it plans to open the office by Q1 2023 after obtaining regulatory approval. And with the move, it will be able to cater to capital clients located in global financial centres.
The move sees Charles Russell Speechlys becoming the latest multinational law firm to open an office in Singapore amid the city-state’s emergence as a major economic and legal centre in the world.
Last week, top 10 Spanish law firm Pérez-Llorca revealed that it was establishing a presence here in order to have a presence in the global financial centres of New York, London, and Singapore, in addition to being in a hub from which to develop its business across Asia Pacific.
Earlier in October 2022, top 20 US law firm Goodwin Procter transferred private investment funds partner Greg Barclay from Hong Kong to lead its new Singapore office, while Mayer Brown announced it was substantially expanding its presence in the city-state via a joint venture with local law firm PK Wong & Nair.
Other law firms that have opened offices in Singapore the since the onset of the 2021 include major American law firms, such as Greenberg Traurig, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, and McDermott Will & Emery, likewise for London-based arbitration boutique Three Crowns and top Indian firms Khaitan & Co and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
Notably, Charles Russell Speechlys first ventured into Asia when it launched its Hong Kong office 5 years ago and registered as a foreign law firm. It has since grown the office there to over 20 legal professionals, including 6 partners, with Managing Partner Simon Ridpath saying that their success in Hong Kong had fuelled their plans to open a Singapore office.
“We already act for a number of clients and intermediaries based in Singapore and by establishing an office there, we will be able to offer support to those clients from within the jurisdiction,” he added.
