Asian Legal Business

Bangkok-headquartered law firm Tilleke & Gibbins has hired corporate and commercial expert NGUYEN Phong as a partner in Ho Chi Minh City from Kinstellar Southeast Asia. "We are very pleased to welcome Phong to the firm," said Michelle Ray-Jones, Director of Tilleke & Gibbins' Vietnam offices, in a statement. "Phong has built an impressive reputation for guiding clients through complex transactions, and his practical, commercial approach makes him an excellent addition to our team. We're excited about the value he will bring to our clients." With Phong’s arrival, Tilleke now has seven partners based in Vietnam. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gnkJ5Qqv

What makes a fundraising story credible in today's market? It is rarely just the idea. It is the preparation behind it: a clear narrative, sound commercial thinking, appropriate structuring, and the ability to answer difficult questions with confidence. 𝐀𝐋𝐁 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚: 𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 & 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 is designed for professionals who want a stronger understanding of the fundraising landscape and the decisions that shape successful capital-raising journeys. Join peers from across the region for two practical virtual sessions focused on the realities of fundraising in Asia. 🎟️ Standard Rate: US$450 📅 18 & 19 November | Virtual | 2–4pm SGT/HKT 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gNp3T6wJ #Fundraising #PrivateCapital #LegalBusiness #AsiaBusiness #CorporateLaw #InHouseCounsel #StartupEcosystem #Investment

Asian Legal Business is excited to announce its tie up with Indian National Bar Association (INBA) for the upcoming 𝗔𝗟𝗕 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻-𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, happening this 𝟰 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 in 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮. Indian National Bar Association (INBA) is India's fastest growing voluntary Bar Association. INBA endeavors to act as a premier body representing the interest of Indian legal community, to strive to provide several economic and social benefits that should accrue to them and to reform the Indian legal systems leading to effective and quick justice. Indian National Bar Association (INBA) is the country's largest voluntary bar association. INBA is honored to have more than 10,000 registered members, 25 different sections and 15 International chapters across the globe with more than 10 Indian Regional Forums. For In-house counsels | Legal & Compliance Heads: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘: 🔗https://lnkd.in/diV5thCu For sponsorship enquiries, you may reach out to 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗵𝗶 at: 📩 riddhi.shah@thomsonreuters.com Our Silver Sponsors For The Summit: ANAND AND ANAND Poovayya & Co.   Our Exhibitor For The Summit: Wyz Group   #ALBIHLS #ALBIndia #ALBBengaluru #ALBBangalore #InHouseLegal #GeneralCounsel #LegalSummit #CorporateCounsel #LegalLeadership #Networking #Association #INBA

Companies across Hong Kong and mainland China are spending more on AI, and in-house legal teams are being asked to move faster while handling more complex risks. We asked three general counsel what the most urgent problem is for their teams as they scale AI adoption. Brenda Chark, FSIArb of Kwong Wah Group says AI can generate answers almost instantly, but her team still owns the accuracy, the drafting quality and the risk assessment. Kevin So of Arcadis sees AI as a business transformation issue, not just a technology one. The challenge is scaling it without losing control of risk, accountability and trust, which means clear policies, approved tools, targeted training and strong human review. Kenneth Zhou of SIG Group is building a governance framework that balances innovation against AI hallucinations and the leakage of trade secrets. He doesn't want to curb AI development. All three come back to the same point: AI can speed up the work, but people stay responsible for the final call. See the full ALB Asia October 2026 issue: https://lnkd.in/gCcveung Read the full Forum by Sarah Wong: https://lnkd.in/gw5z7JzW

Sarah Wong reports that 29 percent of employed respondents in a Singapore Academy of Law survey this year selected leaving the profession entirely as one option for the next three years. Olivia Seet, partner at legal search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, said a growing number of young lawyers are choosing different paths within the industry, particularly in-house roles. Seet said ambition is being defined differently. Many younger lawyers aim to become a general counsel, business leader or strategic adviser rather than build a client book, and they want to be closer to the business. She also cautioned that moving in-house early carries a risk: leaving a good training environment before learning the technical basics, then joining a small team that can't mentor properly. ALB Asia October 2026 magazine 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gCcveung 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g3A8FCtS Read the full article for Seet's view on early in-house moves and how the general counsel role is broadening.

Sarah Wong reports that Singapore's proposed Digital Infrastructure Bill would create two licensing regimes: one for the security and resilience of major cloud services and data centres, and one for the environmental sustainability of data centre operations. The bill was first mooted in 2024 and has recently concluded public consultation. It would turn voluntary schemes such as the Green DC Roadmap into binding law. Ho Jean Nie, head of the environment, sustainability and governance practice at Dentons Rodyk, said the shift from voluntary to mandatory compliance will be significant for established operators. Data centres will need to meet power usage effectiveness (PUE), a metric for data centre efficiency, and eventually IT equipment energy and water efficiency requirements. For operators, investors and advisers, the article shows how obligations would be set by an operator's size and risk. ALB Asia October 2026 magazine 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gCcveung 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g-S2j48g Read the full article for Ho's view on how the bill could affect Singapore's standing as a digital infrastructure hub.

Amendments to South Korea's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), in effect since Sept. 11, allow a punitive surcharge of up to 10 percent of revenue for certain serious data breaches. Sinook Kang, senior partner leading the ICT Group at Shin & Kim, said the CEO isn't expected to handle every safeguard but should make sure the CPO has adequate authority, staffing and budget. For in-house counsel and compliance teams, the article shows where governance gaps may need attention. ALB Asia October 2026 magazine 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gCcveung 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gdmVbSYU Read Sarah Wong's full article for Kang's guidance on closing gaps under the amended law.

In a global survey of more than 600 active M&A dealmakers across 35 regions, 71 percent said ESG considerations had grown in importance in transactions over the past 12 to 18 months. Priscilla Wang, director, corporate and finance, at Drew & Napier LLC, said ESG in M&A was once mainly a defensive exercise to find regulatory non-compliance or environmental liabilities. Buyers now use it to find ways to create value after an acquisition, she said, and a target's ESG maturity can directly affect its valuation. ALB Asia October 2026 magazine 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gCcveung 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gmEugTbn Read the full Asian Legal Business article for Wang's comments on due diligence, contract terms and how ESG fits into deal negotiations.

Drew & Napier LLC has been engaged as strategic and risk counsel on three major deals with a combined value of $2 billion over the past six months, including some where other firms were already acting as traditional transaction counsel. The work sits under the firm's new "Strategy & Transactions" platform, which pairs commercial execution with risk and dispute awareness. In an expert commentary published, Sim Ho Ong, deputy CEO of Drew & Napier, said clients now face messy transactions rather than merely complex ones. Complex problems follow a method, he said, while messy ones must first be recognised. He cited fluid regulation, multiple active stakeholders and international tax compliance as drivers. ALB Asia October 2026 magazine 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gCcveung 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g6HxhEXz Read the full commentary for Ong's account of the firm's lateral hires and how the platform works.

Mark Lee, managing director at Mark Lee Chambers Law Corporation, said in a commentary that directors can face personal exposure in four situations, even though a company has limited liability. They are breach of directors' duties, piercing of the corporate veil, personal liability linked to the company's breach of contract and oppression claims by minority shareholders under section 216 of the Companies Act. The commentary ties in with the Singapore report by Ranajit Dam in the latest ALB Asia magazine. Together, the two pieces help directors, in-house counsel and advisers assess where personal risk sits. ALB Asia October 2026 magazine 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gCcveung 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gZeDdKHs 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gsci5dNv Read Lee's commentary in full for his points on each of the four situations.