Salans makes Paul Hastings hire for Hong Kong office

Salans has boosted its Hong Kong arm with the hire of an M&A partner from Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker. The news follows Salans gaining regulatory approval for the practice last month.

Benny Pang, who is an equity capital markets and M&A specialist, has joined Salans' corporate department. His experience includes representing issuers and underwriters in equity fundraising transactions, including share placements, rights issues and open offers, and he has advised on around 20 Hong Kong initial public offerings.

Salans global managing partner Dariusz Oleszczuk commented: "Greater China is rapidly paying dividends for the firm and rewards the efforts we have directed to the region since opening in Shanghai in 2003."

Salans announced the launch of a Hong Kong office last June when it made the first hires - including the co-head of Pinsent Masons' China corporate practice, Andrew Liu, who heads the office. The firm then hired Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson counsel Jeff Cai as a partner to lead its China real estate practice from Hong Kong.

However, Liu has been running the office as a registered foreign lawyer in China while Salans applied for a licence to operate as a foreign law firm.

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