Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Simmons & Simmons differentiates itself from other practices in the region with its dedicated team of specialist lawyers who are exclusively focused on IT, Telco & Media work. The firm’s partners have longstanding experience on the commercial and regulatory aspects of these types of transactions, and many of the lawyers possess significant in house experience at telco and media companies.

One of the firm’s most prominent mandates this year was advising Hitachi Data Systems on its roll out of a new cloud storage solution for customers. The deal signalled the first time that HDS was able to provide cloud computing services to customers.

Simmons & Simmons is consistently recognised in the market for its leading labour and employment practice in China and Hong Kong. The firm handles a considerable number of contentious litigation matters including bonus disputes and entitlement issues as well as harassment and discrimination issues. The firm also advises clients on recruiting, restructurings and operational matters in both jurisdictions.

Simmons particularly advises Chinese clients on compliance issues stemming from the 2008 Labour Contract Law and the terminations of Chinese employees. The firm works with many leading financial institutions, media and telecom companies, utilities, hotels and airlines. The firm also serves as an adviser to other law firms when to comes to their own employment law issues.

Hong Kong-based partners Fiona Loughrey and Robert Lewington are leading lawyers in the practice.

There are few firms in Hong Kong that can boast of having a dedicated IT, Telco & Media team. Simmons & Simmons is one such firm. Leading partner Damien Bailey brings 16 years of experience to the practice, and regularly advises clients such as PCCW, Hitachi Data Systems, China Telecom and China Mobile on multijurisdictional TMT issues.

This past year, Davis Wang joined the greater China team in Shanghai from leading domestic firm King & Wood. Wang’s practice focuses on TMT related M&A and private equity fund investments, and he previously worked in executive and in-house positions at Microsoft and eBay/PayPal in greater China.

Simmons continues to advise Hitachi Data Systems on the roll-out of its new cloud storage solution for customers. A firm team advised HDS in preparing and implementing the contract documents needed to launch the cloud product.

Simmons & Simmons’ labour and employment practice is known in Hong Kong for its deep knowledge of Hong Kong employment law and issues at all levels. Key partner Fiona Loughrey receives high praise from her peers in the market. One partner at a rival firm says: “Fiona has an excellent practice driven by work in Hong Kong. She is very well respected.”

The employment practice at Simmons boasts an impressive client list and often receives important mandates from Barclays Wealth, MTR Corporation, Macquarie Group, Gucci Group and Bain Capital Asia. The employment team is especially praised for its advisory work, and has advised on a wide array of employment matters this year from litigation to contracts.

New to the rankings this year, the M&A practice at Simmons & Simmons receives much praise from clients. “[The firm has a] quick grasp of the issues,” says one. “Its technical knowledge and experience were all first rate.” Lead partner Jason Daniel is lauded as an “excellent technical lawyer with an understanding of strategy and negotiating techniques”. The firm has a joint venture alliance with TMI Associates and the two often work together. For example, Daniel and TMI partner Masaya Hirano advised Tomoaki Nagao on the sale of Nowhere, owner of the A Bathing Ape brand of streetwear, to the IT Group.