K&L Gates Expands Hong Kong Office With Former Orrick Team
K&L Gates has recruited a team of three partners specializing in an integrated funds and private equity practice.
Sook Young Yeu, Scott Peterman and William Ho all join from Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, which has decided to close its Hong Kong office. Yeu and Peterman, both funds specialists, were partners with Orrick while Ho, who advises on private equity transactions, was of counsel with the firm. The trio are joined by two associates at K&L Gates.
Yeu, who led Orrick’s Hong Kong office since joining in 2005 through Orrick’s takeover of legacy Coudert Brothers’ China offices where she had been practicing since 1989. She’s advised Asian investors on investing U.S. and other cross-border funds and on private equity investment.
Peterman has an active fund formation practice advising the structuring of various private, investment and real estate funds. Last year, he advised Hong Kong-based fund manager Pacific Hawk Ltd. on launching the first open-ended fund in the city following legislative change. He joined Orrick in 2017 from Jones Day where he was of counsel. Before that, he was a partner with Sidley Austin.
Ho focuses his practice on advising private equity houses and companies on fund raising transactions, investments and mergers and acquisitions. In May, he advised Taiwan-based live streaming site operator M17 Entertainment Ltd. on a $26.5 million Series D from investors including Singapore-based venture capital fund Vertex Growth Fund. Ho joined Orrick in 2018 from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison where he was an associate for three years. Earlier in his career, he trained and practiced with Slaughter and May.
The trio bring in-depth industry experience in the technology, media, telecommunications, and fintech sectors, said David Tang, K&L Gates’ Hong Kong-based Asia managing partner, in a statement. “The additions of Sook, Scott, and Will significantly broaden and deepen our funds and private equity practices in Asia,” he said.
Last year, K&L Gates added in Hong Kong capital markets partner Guiping Lu from elite Chinese firm Haiwen & Partners.