Mr Jebely will lead Pillsbury’s transportation finance practice in Asia and play a key role building the Hong Kong office once a licence is obtained. In addition to aviation finance, it is expected that the office will focus on international disputes (including internal investigations and regulatory enforcement matters) and private client advisory. It will be the firm’s third in China following the establishment of an office in Shanghai a decade ago and another in Beijing in 2014. 

The hire of Mr Jebely, whose clients include Investec, Aviation Capital Group and Credit Suisse, forms part of Pillsbury’s development of its transportation finance practice. The firm last month hired finance and capital markets partner Jonathan Goldstein in New York, having recruited former Squire Patton Boggs aviation practice leader Charles Donley II last July. In 2014, the firm developed its English law capability with the hire of a five-lawyer transportation finance team from the London office of DLA Piper that included partners Graham Tyler, the former head of the asset finance practice, and Debra Erni.

Pillsbury chair Jim Rishwain commented: ‘We are moving forward on our long-term strategy to expand in China’, adding that the firm is doing so building on the strengths of its established transportation finance practice.