Ropes & Gray Enhances Asian Corporate Practice

The global law firm Ropes & Gray announced today that James Lidbury, co-leader of the firm’s global M&A practice, has relocated to Hong Kong to bolster the firm’s service offering to private equity investors and corporations pursuing cross-border investments and M&A transactions involving Asia.

The move comes as global investors increasingly view the Asia-Pacific region as a prime market for investment and expansion.

Mr. Lidbury has led Ropes & Gray’s Chicago office since its launch more than five years ago. He has deep experience in M&A and private equity, advising clients on strategic mergers, leveraged buyouts, and take- privates. Early in his career he served as a lawyer for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C.

Over the past year, he has focused particularly on advising clients on Asia deals, including representing the Blackstone-led buyer group consortium in the $625 million going-private transaction of NASDAQ-listed, Beijing-based Pactera Technology International Ltd., signed in October.

“Global investors are dedicating more resources to investment opportunities in the Asia-Pacific Region. We have been encouraged by clients to do the same and I hope to complement our deeply experienced and talented Asia-based team with the U.S. legal and business perspective that I can bring to the table,” said Mr. Lidbury. “The remarkable success of Ropes & Gray’s four Asian offices has encouraged us to further deepen our commitment to the region and I am thrilled to be here to help build on that success.

Ropes & Gray, after opening offices in Hong Kong five years ago, Shanghai two years ago and with offices in Tokyo and Seoul, has established itself as a leader in corporate law in Asia:

• AsianInvestor named Ropes & Gray the “Best Law Firm for Alternatives” in October 2013, recognizing the firm for its innovative work for alternative investment funds.
• Earlier this year, the firm was named “Private Equity Team of the Year” for Asia by International Financial Law Review.
• The recently published 2014 edition of IFLR1000 recognized Ropes & Gray as a leading firm for M&A and private equity, M&A in China, and for private equity, M&A, investment funds, bank lending and capital markets in Hong Kong. 
• In September, China Law & Practice honored Ropes & Gray with its 2013 “Private Equity Deal of the Year Award” for the firm’s representation in Focus Media’s $3.7 billion privatization.
• In the inaugural private equity rankings in Asian Legal Business, the firm was recognized in China, Hong Kong and Japan. 
• The 2013 edition of Chambers Asia cited practices and lawyers across the region. Ten Ropes & Gray partners based in Asia earned rankings in multiple practices, including corporate M&A, capital markets, private equity, fund formation, life sciences and intellectual property.