O’Melveny & Myers Hong Kong managing partner Friven Yeoh is one of three arbitration experts making the switch to Sidley Austin. Mr Yeoh has been a partner with O’Melveny since 2009 and was promoted to lead the firm’s Hong Kong office in early 2015. His departure makes him the second O’Melveny Asia office head to leave the firm this year, following the exit of former Shanghai managing partner Li Qiang for DLA Piper in June. Litigation partner Denis Brock will be stepping up to serve as Hong Kong managing partner following Mr Yeoh’s exit.

Team hire

Joining Mr Yeoh in his switch to Sidley Austin are disputes counsels Desmond Ang and Yan Zhang. The team is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and specialises in cross-border disputes involving Chinese entities. The team hire follows the departure of former Sidley Austin Hong Kong litigation head Charles Allen, who left the firm to join Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe earlier this year.

Sources: Legal Week; Asian Legal Business