Five New Partners Join White & Case as Part of Regional and Global Expansion

Hong Kong, February 13, 2003 ... A leading team of business restructuring and insolvency (BRI) lawyers, have joined White & Case in Hong Kong as partners. The team of five, led by Mark Fairbairn, comprise Edward Cairns, Robin Darton, Jeremy Leifer and Neil McDonald.
The arrival of five senior lawyers has significantly expanded the capabilities of White & Case in Asia, not only in relation to BRI but also in the fields of banking, corporate finance, capital markets, M&A, international trade finance, insurance and litigation. The move also enhances the local Hong Kong and English law credentials of the White & Case office in Hong Kong.

Each partner has an impressive track record. Over the past three years, collectively they have been directly involved in a significant number of corporate restructurings including changes in control of Hong Kong listed companies as well as capturing a substantial share of all the debt and capital restructurings of Hong Kong listed companies, particularly where insolvency professionals have been appointed to oversee the affairs of the distressed enterprise. Clients represented include a broad range of global and domestic financial institutions, investment houses and insolvency professionals from the large international accounting firms and niche players.

White & Case has advised on a number of significant restructurings in the region including Guangdong Enterprises (GDE) and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP). The addition of five new partners strengthens the ability of White & Case to service clients across the whole of Asia, and comes as part of the firm’s strategic expansion of its worldwide capabilities, which has seen a number of significant lateral hires in recent months across the globe.

George Crozer, Regional Executive Partner of White & Case commented, "We are delighted these leading lawyers have joined us in Hong Kong. Their extensive experience, when combined with the formidable global reach, existing resources and market reputation of White & Case, means that the firm is well-positioned to offer comprehensive BRI, banking and corporate services to clients across the region under US, English or applicable local law."

"In the last 10 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the global scale and complexity of corporate restructuring and insolvency work," explained Mark Fairbairn. "Collectively, the team is able to offer first-class expertise in corporate, banking, insolvency, capital markets and litigation law advice which is necessary in sophisticated BRI matters. We are all very excited about the opportunity to take part in the continued expansion of White & Case in the region, and working with the growing Insolvency and Restructuring team across the global network."

Edward Cairns added, "We are of course delighted to be working together as a team once again. This is an excellent opportunity which will allow us develop the White & Case practice and better serve our existing client base across the full spectrum of the Asia-Pacific Region."

The Lawyers

• Mark Fairbairn
  Mark Fairbairn is qualified in England and in Hong Kong. His principal area of practice is transactional insolvency. He also has extensive experience in the area of multi-bank restructurings. On behalf of banking clients, Mark has pioneered the use of traditional formal insolvency techniques to effect workouts or restructurings of listed companies. Mark has been practising in Hong Kong since 1994.
• Edward Cairns
  Edward Cairns is qualified in Scotland and in Hong Kong. Edward is a banking and finance lawyer who has specialized in multi-bank workouts since the late 1980s. His experience in BRI covers all the major jurisdictions in Europe and Asia as well as the United States. Edward has been practising in Hong Kong since 1993.
• Robin Darton
  Robin Darton is qualified in England and in Hong Kong. He has been involved in a wide range of litigation and arbitration matters, including the contentious aspects of BRI, as well as general banking and trade finance litigation. Robin has practised in Hong Kong for over eight years.
• Jeremy Leifer
  Jeremy Leifer is qualified in England and in Hong Kong, having practised in Hong Kong for more than 10 years. Jeremy is an experienced corporate partner with particular expertise in the corporate finance and regulatory aspects of workouts and restructurings in Asia. In addition to his corporate restructuring capability, Jeremy has wide experience in mainstream corporate, corporate finance, capital markets and M&A type work.
• Neil McDonald
  Neil McDonald is qualified in Australia and in Hong Kong. Neil’s core discipline is insolvency (both contentious and non-contentious), with an emphasis on solvency issues relating to the insurance industry.
• George Crozer
  Hong Kong based, George Crozer is a member of the firm’s Management Board, Executive Partner of the Hong Kong office and head of the firm’s practice in Asia. He has over 30 years' experience in project finance and is one of the most widely respected legal advisers in the Asia-Pacific region.

For additional information, contact:
Lisa Mercer
Media Relations Manager, Asia Pacific
White & Case
tel: 852 2822 8792
e-mail: