Hong Kong: the city that never stopsx
This issue, we profile our Hong Kong office and get a perspective on living and working for the Firm in this thriving city.
When it comes to pace of life, even New Yorkers are said to be taken aback by the non-stop nature of Hong Kong – one of the most densely populated cities on Earth.
SHARON HARTLINE,
OFFICE EXECUTIVE PARTNER,
HONG KONG
It’s a unique place to live and work – a melting pot of cultures and a fusion of East and West that mixes the heritage of China with echoes of 150 years under the colonial rule of Great Britain. And, for those working in the Firm’s Hong Kong office, it’s a particularly exciting place to be.
“I think it’s a great time to work here,” explains Office Executive Partner Sharon Hartline. “There is a real buzz in the market about White & Case because people can see the momentum we’ve built and the progress that’s happening here.
“We’ve seen significant growth in the past four years due to the Firm’s strategic decision to grow in Asia. Head of Asia-Pacific Eric Berg is based in our office and his appointment in 2015 was a signal of the importance we’re putting on the region.”
“One of the reasons I joined
White & Case is because of its international presence.”
REBECCA LING,
ASSOCIATE
Four decades of growth
It’s a far cry from 1978, when Hong Kong blazed a trail as White & Case’s first Asian office.
Now, as it approaches its 40th anniversary next April, the office boasts 15 partners and 30 associates.
The office has a broad client base, including: Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and China Minsheng Bank (Bank Finance); Noble Group, Carlyle, and OCP Asia (Private Equity and M&A); PAG and FWD Asia (Investment Funds); and MMG (Mining).
Recent years have also seen Hong Kong broaden its expertise in key areas, as Sharon explains: “We’ve done a lot of work to build up our Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions (PE/M&A) team in recent years, because this was an area we needed to strengthen.
“The appointments we’ve made reflect our ambition to expand our PE/M&A, Capital Markets, Disputes and Bank Finance capabilities for the region.”
Hong Kong is also home to the Global Head of White & Case’s Mining practice, John Tivey, and our Asia Investment Funds practice is run from the office.
“What attracted me to White & Case was the opportunity to learn from market leaders. I love the high level of connectivity across the Firm’s global offices and cooperation among all the various departments”
TERENCE MAK, ASSOCIATE
“The Firm has a solid presence
in the Greater China region
and a high-profile client base,
but the thing I enjoy most
about the office is the people”
ENLIN JIANG,
ASSOCIATE
Going global
Despite Hong Kong’s small size (it is spread over 1,092km and has a population of 7.3 million), the region is the world’s largest re-export center, importing goods (especially from mainland China) before exporting them around the world.
Its reputation as a thriving business center at the heart of Asia, coupled with its unique position as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) within China, means that cross-border work is the norm.
“As you can imagine, most of our work has an international aspect,” explains Sharon, “which is where our global network is of real benefit.
“Our clients often expect us to be familiar with both the legal and practical issues of doing business in various Asian jurisdictions and, as many of our clients in Asia are also doing deals elsewhere in the world, we also have significant experience collaborating with other offices that offer particular areas of expertise in other jurisdictions.”
Unique challenges
Another unique aspect of working for White & Case in Hong Kong is the legal system. Although part of China since the handover by Britain in 1997, the Hong Kong SAR will retain its common law legal system until 2047 under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ agreement.
“This means Hong Kong operates under a legal system similar to British law and has its own judicial system which can interpret and have final say on matters other than those relating to national security,” explains Sharon.
“I am attracted by the vibrant work culture of White & Case and top-notched people here. It is a very valuable experience to work on challenging deals with my team.”
SABRINA LEE,
ASSOCIATE
“The Law Society here also has a unique ratio requirement for Hong Kong-based solicitors’ firms, which means we have to have one Hong Kong-qualified solicitor for every non-Hong Kong qualified solicitor we employ. This has to be taken into account whenever we hire someone.”
Well placed for the future
Our strategy to target growth in Asia has seen the Hong Kong office build strong momentum in recent years, which is helping it compete against an influx of firms from the US, the UK and Australia since the global financial crisis.
“I joined the Firm because of our expansion plan, particularly in the corporate M&A sector. It makes me believe that my career has a bright future.”
SHAWN YIP,
ASSOCIATE
Sharon says: “This increase in competition means it’s even more important for us to strengthen our key practice areas and to identify our unique selling points, including the Firm’s global network. But we’ve already shown we have what it takes to succeed here. To be successful requires taking a long term view, reading the markets, staying ahead of the game and ensuring you hire strategically.
“At the same time, you also need to be nimble and able to adapt quickly to take advantage of opportunities as they arrive across an ever-changing landscape in Asia. I think that, over the years, we’ve got really good at doing that.”
The office’s success has been recognized with a flurry of recent awards. In 2016, the International Funds team was named ‘Law Firm of the Year – Fund Formation’ at the 2016 Global PERE (Private Equity Real Estate) Awards, while the office has been named ‘Best International Firm for Talent Management’ in 2015 and 2016.
Eric Berg was recognized as ‘Emerging Markets Firm Leader of the Year’ at the Asian Lawyer Emerging Markets Awards in November 2016.
Sharon says: “I think we’re really well positioned, not least because we’ve got a great team who have all bought into the Firm’s vision. Everyone is pulling in the same direction.”
“I joined the Hong Kong office after completing a summer placement here. The people here, from partners to supporting staff, are all very friendly and helpful.”
FLORENCE POON, ASSOCIATE
HONG KONG:
DID YOU KNOW?
The name Hong Kong
means fragrant harbor
Hong Kong’s official
languages are Chinese
(spoken Cantonese)
and English
There are more Rolls
Royces per person
in Hong Kong than
any other city in
the world
Hong Kong has the
most skyscrapers
in the world;
double that of its
nearest rival, New York
The region is densely
populated, with 17,200
people per square mile
Martial arts cinema
originated in Hong Kong,
giving rise to stars such
as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan
and Michelle Yeoh.
What are the best parts of working in the Hong Kong office?
The things I like most about the office are the people, the friendly atmosphere, and the opportunities I’ve had to develop myself and my career.
What do you like most (and least) about the city?
The best part is the food, and the fact that it is such a melting pot of cultures from around the world. It’s also really convenient and easy to get from place to place. The worst part is that it’s really densely populated, houses are expensive, and the city has high levels of pollution and humidity.
What are the ‘must see’ parts of Hong Kong for anyone paying a visit?
I’d encourage anyone to try out the food and shopping, immerse themselves in the culture, and to try out the nightlife. And, if you want to get away from the city, hiking in the Hong Kong islands is also to be recommended. What most people don’t realize is that about 60% of Hong Kong is country parks. It offers excellent hiking only a short distance from the city.
What do you do to socialize outside work as a team?
Sport, tennis, hiking, barbeques and going out for dinner.
