Akin is set to close its office in Singapore, in a move that will leave the top 40 US firm with Hong Kong as its sole outpost in Asia.
Akin said the eight-lawyer office would close next year. According to a source with knowledge of the matter, Olivia Chung, the office’s sole partner, will return to New York, while the office’s other lawyers have the option to stay with the firm and relocate.
“Akin intends to wind down operations in Singapore in Q2 of 2026, where we have eight lawyers,” the firm said in a statement. “The firm will continue to invest in, and expand, its international platform, including its Asia hub in Hong Kong. We remain committed to serving our clients in Singapore and those doing business in Singapore, through strong collaboration with our global practices and offices.”
Akin first opened in Singapore in 2012, the same year it set up shop in Hong Kong, where it currently has 14 lawyers according to its website. The Singapore office has provided legal counsel across business practices including investment funds, energy, M&A and project finance to US and international clients with operations in Singapore.
Chung, who currently leads the Singapore office, is one of several funds lawyers Akin relocated to Singapore over the years to sustain its practice there. The most recent addition was in late 2023 when investment management partner John Holton relocated from the firm’s London office. Holton is still based in Singapore, where he is partner emeritus.
Akin also had an office in Beijing between 2007 and 2024, when it joined the swathe of international law firms retreating from China amid its simmering geopolitical tensions with the West, tightening regulation and business drying up as the country’s economy cooled.
Some firms underscored their ongoing commitment to Asia by pointing to the strength of their Singapore offices as they confirmed the closure of their locations in China. However, Akin is not alone in shutting its office in the city-state, as many large international law firms double down in key hubs like London and New York that yield the highest returns.
Legacy McDermott Will & Emery and BCLP both closed their Singapore offices earlier this year, in moves that meant both firms no longer have an on-the-ground presence in Asia.
Compared to China, though, the number of closures is small and Singapore, with its robust economy, strong rule of law and favourable tax environment, has become a prime location within Asia for international law firms looking to expand their business in the region.
Disputes powerhouse Quinn Emanuel, offshore firm Mourant and Goodwin Procter have all opened Singapore offices over the past few years, with other firms building up their Singapore benches with senior talent. Greenberg Traurig recently doubled its shareholder count in Singapore with hires from Simmons & Simmons, White & Case and Ashurst and followed that up with the hire of former Baker McKenzie India practice head Ashok Lalwani and Goodwin private equity partner Chi Pan.
Other international firms that have been expanding their presence in Singapore recently include CMS, Withers – which also raided Simmons & Simmons – and Reed Smith.
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