Reed Smith loses three partners in Hong Kong

Reed Smith has lost three partners from its Hong Kong office. The trio of partners - litigation veteran and former senior partner Chris Howse along with partners Kevin Bowers and Chris Williams - are setting out to establish their own firm with effect from 1 January 2012. The group worked at the Hong Kong arm of the legacy firm Richards Butler, which merged with Reed Smith on 1 January 2008. Howse held the senior partner role in the Hong Kong office from 1983 until very recently, and he is currently co-heading the firm’s professional indemnity group and medico-legal team. This article in The Lawyer notes that there have been other high profile departures from the firm this year, and points out that a deal struck in the 2008 merger negotiations between Reed Smith and the Richards Butler Hong Kong – under which Richards Butler Hong Kong partners are said to have been granted a three-year, seven-figure remuneration guarantee – will come to a conclusion this year.

Reed Smith loses three partners in Hong Kong thelawyer.com Wed, Dec 21, 2011