First name: Vivien
Surname: Yang
Practice area: Corporate
Firm/company (from): Clifford Chance
Firm/company (to): Simmons & Simmons
City (from): Hong Kong
City (to): Hong Kong
Country (from): Hong Kong
Country (to): Hong Kong
Region: Asia/Pacific
Simmons & Simmons has continued the expansion of its China practice with the hire of a new corporate partner in Hong Kong, which follows another recent appointment of an employment lawyer from Paul Hastings.
Vivien Yang joins the firm from Clifford Chance where she was the head of the natural resources practice. She specialises in M&A, projects, and commercial contracts and has extensive experience in transactions involving regional LNG (liquefied natural gas), natural gas and oil.
The news came after Lesli Ligorner’s recent appointment from Paul Hastings’ in Shanghai where she co-chaired the international employment law practice advising a range of industries for the likes of financial services, technology and manufacturing.
“Vivien’s specialist experience in the oil and gas industry in the Asia-Pacific region will strengthen existing ties with our energy clients, particularly the region's national oil companies who are looking to meet ever-increasing energy demands,” says Paul Li, Simmons and Simmons’ country head of China. “Lesli's appointment demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the strength and depth of our employment team is unparalleled in the region.”
She then added: “China is central to the firm’s growth strategy, and these appointments come as part of our commitment to build upon and develop our strength in the region.”
The moves are part of the firm’s wider strategy, which has seen it make a number of lateral hires recently in the Chinese market including financial & corporate partner Yongmei Cai who joined the firm’s Beijing arm from King & Wood Mallesons (March 2012).