Leading European independent Kinstellar has entered the Cambodian market through a tie-up with two local firms.  

Prague-based Kinstellar said Tuesday (10 June) it would bring the firms together under a single new brand that will be known as Sok Siphana Sethalay in association with Kinstellar Southeast Asia.

The move follows the firm debuting in Southeast Asia last year when it formed a joint venture with 21-lawyer Vietnamese firm Asia Counsel. The firm said at the time that its strategy was to develop a first-class group of law firms in jurisdictions where the major international law firms were not focused, positioning it as the leading firm in those locations.  

Kinstellar senior partner, Jason Mogg, said integrating Sok Siphana Sethalay into the firm’s platform underscored its commitment to the region.

He added: “We are equally pleased with the progress of Asia Counsel in Vietnam and now look ahead to deepening our capabilities across Southeast Asia. We will continue to strengthen our presence in Cambodia and leverage regional synergies to deliver greater value to our clients.”

Sok Siphana Sethalay will house 40 professionals including around 30 lawyers and offer corporate and commercial legal services.

Sok Siphana & Associates is the larger of the two firms integrating with Kinstellar. Its 20 lawyers have a well regarded team across offices in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap that advises an international clientele across IP, banking, project finance, corporate and disputes matters. The team offers notable expertise in property development projects, regularly representing multinational Asian real estate investors and developers, and operates a dedicated foreign desk to assist Chinese clients investing into Cambodia.

The smaller firm – Sethalay Law Office – has eight lawyers in its sole office in Phnom Penh and is known in the market for its regulatory expertise, regularly working with government ministries and regulatory bodies. The firm’s managing partner, Vanseka Sok, will act as managing partner of Sok Siphana Sethalay.

“This collaboration strengthens our ability to serve clients in Cambodia and across the region,” Sok said. “Together, we are building a platform that not only reflects the dynamism of Southeast Asia, but also sets a new benchmark for legal services in emerging markets.”

Alongside its Southeast Asia platform Kinstellar has offices across 12 European and Central Asian countries, including in Vienna, where it opened earlier this year. The firm, which was formed from the spin out of Linklaters’ offices in Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic in 2008, also absorbed most of German law firm Noerr’s Central and Eastern European network last year.