International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has emerged as the major victor at the 2014 Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Awards, being named Law Firm of the Year.
The awards, held on 5 September in Hong Kong, recognise those firms and deals that have most shaped Hong Kong’s legal landscape in the previous 12 months.
Freshfields collected eight awards through the course of the evening – more than any other firm – including a sweep of all major awards at the event.
In addition to being named Law Firm of the Year, Freshfields also collected:
Technology, Media and Telecommunications Firm of the Year
Debt Market Deal of the Year for its work on Alibaba Group’s Debt Financing
Equity Market Deal of the Year for its work on Hong Kong Electric Investment’s IPO
Real Estate Deal of the Year for its work on the acquisition of HK Parkview Group and Placing of Shares by COFCO Land Holdings
Hong Kong Deal of the Year for its work on Alibaba Group’s Debt Financing
Robert Ashworth, Asia Managing Partner, received the two highest individual honours of the night – Dealmaker of the Year and Managing Partner of the Year.
Commenting on the awards, Mr Ashworth said the recognition was a testament to Freshfields’ clients and staff alike:
‘In the last 12 months, we’ve been privileged to work on some of the region’s most significant and challenging transactions. We can only do that because of the tremendous work our clients are doing in their own right, and their giving us the opportunity to work with them.’
‘These awards belong to everybody inside Freshfields and the clients we have been fortunate enough to work with.’
Deals which Freshfields was involved with and were considered for awards include:
OCBC’s US$5.2bn takeover of iconic Hong Kong bank Wing Hang
The establishment of a US$5.4bn strategic alliance between AS Watson – a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa – and Temasek
The initial public offering of Chinese asset management firm Cinda
The establishment of Agricultural Bank of China’s MTN Programme
Advising CITIC Pacific on its acquisition of assets from mainland-based CITIC Group and its subsequent share offering to international investors
