21 April – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Allen & Overy has strengthened its dispute resolution practice with the appointments of arbitration specialists London-based Matthew Gearing and Beijing-based Peter Thorp to the partnership, with effect from 1 May 2005.
Matthew has been an associate in the litigation departments both in London and Hong Kong since 1997. He specialises in international arbitration, having represented a wide variety of clients in arbitrations around the world and also has broad experience of court-based litigation and other forms of dispute resolution. Matthew now becomes a partner in the London office.
Peter joined Allen & Overy as head of the Beijing office in 2004 to develop the firm’s China business, with a special focus on China-related international arbitration work. He has substantial experience of international arbitration claims under various jurisdictions and institutions, as well as in mergers and acquisitions and project-related law, both in China and in Paris. Peter now becomes a partner in the Beijing office.
Judith Gill, partner, and head of the International Arbitration Group, comments: “I am delighted to see Matthew and Peter rewarded for their outstanding contribution to our practice. They both have excellent reputations in the arbitration circuit and I have no doubt they will continue to be an integral part of what is recognised as a booming sector.”
Matthew graduated from Oxford University with a BA (Jurisprudence) in 1993 and then completed a Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, Chester. He was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1997, when he joined A&O London, and to the High Court of Hong Kong, SAR, in 2001. Matthew moved to A&O Hong Kong in June 2000, before returning to London in June 2003. He specialises in international arbitration and regularly writes and lectures on arbitration related subjects.
Peter graduated in 1981 from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, with a BA He then spent two years in intensive Mandarin language courses in Beijing and Shanghai before working in China-related business for a number of years, including managing the Shanghai office of a large Swedish multinational. In 1992, Peter graduated from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, with an LLB. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1992, as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2003 and as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 2005. He joined as head of the Beijing office of Allen & Overy in 2004.
