There are now eight M&A partners in Asia and nine partners in Hong Kong. The other M&A co-head, Jane Goldstein, stays on in Boston. Legal Week quotes Mr Lidbury as saying: 'Our M&A practice in Asia has experienced significant growth over the last few years, and I've been working on many of the matters from the US. A lot of the work has been representing private equity funds on take privates of Chinese businesses, and my moving out here has had a lot to do with trying to respond to the demand of these clients.'