Australia: Law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has announced a major expansion of its Hotels & Hospitality practice in the Asia-Pacific region.
It has hired a new team of four senior lawyers, who will be based in Singapore and Sydney, led by partner Robert Williams. All were previously at Withers Worldwide.
The move represents a major expansion of the firm’s Hotels & Hospitality practice into the Asia-Pacific region, as well as a new presence in Sydney that will focus on this sector.
WFW says Williams is “a recognised expert across the Asia-Pacific region in hotel and resort M&A, investment and structuring as well as management contracts and operating leases, co-ownership schemes, franchising, hotel operating platforms and joint ventures”.
Partner Lada Shelkovnikova joins WFW in Singapore. She specialises in all aspects of hotel M&A and operator appointments, branded residences arrangements and serviced apartments in the region. She also has extensive experience in the Middle East, having spent several years at a leading UAE law firm in Dubai.
Consultant Chris Greiner and special counsel Kate Switajewski in Sydney have also joined the firm.
WFW managing partner Chris Lowe said: “Our new team gives our Hotels & Hospitality practice a greatly expanded presence on the ground in the Asia-Pacific region, where many of our international clients are based. This complements our existing practice in the region which includes Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai and Vietnamese law capability, as well expanding our existing excellence in-sector in EMEA and the US. I’m delighted to welcome Robert, Lada, Chris and Kate to the firm.”
WFW global real estate sector head Felicity Jones added: “The addition of Robert and Lada and their team is an exciting and timely opportunity which ensures that WFW’s Hotel and Hospitality team is even better placed to support its international client base across the globe as the industry deals with disruption to the existing models and risk stack, resolves current issues and moves to restructuring and M&A opportunities. I look forward to developing with them the exciting new dimension their Asia-Pacific expertise brings to our global offering.”
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