GLOBALIZATION AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN ASIA: CAUSE OR EFFECT?

To meet the demands of a global economy, many Asian jurisdictions, as a matter of national policy, are taking significant measures to transform their legal systems. Many countries are changing the way they train, license, and regulate their lawyers. Some are establishing "western-style" law schools, forming cooperative relationships with western legal institutions, and creating continuing education programs for those in the legal profession. This panel will explore these trends in selected Asian jurisdictions, including China, India, and Japan, and assess the implications of these trends including the accelerating integration of today’s global economy.

COMMITTEE SPONSOR:
Legal Practice, Robert Quon, Committee Chair

MODERATOR:

Robert W. Quon, Partner
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Canada
Robert Quon is a business law lawyer who specializes in corporate and commercial transactions with an emphasis on financial institutions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, domestic and international business investments, and commercial law in the context of aviation law. He has acted on mergers and acquisitions for several national and international clients. MORE>

PANELISTS:

Campbell Bridge SC, Senior Counsel
Maurice Byers Chambers, Australia
Campbell Bridge is a senior counsel with Maurice Byers Chambers. He has worked as a barrister for over 30 years in the area of insurance litigation, particularly in the fields of medical, product liability, and commercial insurance, as well as mediation and arbitration work. Mr. Bridge also writes and photographs extensively for a number of cultural and travel magazines about many aspects of Asia. MORE>

Hisashi Hara, Partner
Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Japan
Hisashi Hara is the Japan Jurisdictional Council Member of the IPBA. His principal practices include a variety of transnational and domestic transactions, with emphasis on real estate acquisitions, development, financing and securitization, M&A, joint ventures, and corporate restructuring. MORE>


Hee Chul Kang, Partner
Yulchon Attorneys at Law, Korea
Hee Chul Kang co-heads Yulchon’s Corporate & Finance Group and specializes in corporate general, M&A, and finance. He has represented many major multinational and Korean corporations such as GE, Standard Chartered Bank, Hyundai Motor Company, and SK Telecom. Mr. Kang was recognized as a leading lawyer in banking and finance and corporate M&A by Chambers Global in 2006. MORE>

Ravi Nath, Partner
Rajinder Narain & Co., India
Ravi Nath is a senior partner at one of India’s oldest firms. Euromoney and other publications have recognized him as one of India’s leading lawyers in the fields of mergers and acquisitions, aviation, asset finance, and cross-border issues. During the last 10 years he has advised on transactions in excess of US $10 billion on cross-border asset finance and banking, aircraft finance, and leasing. MORE>

Datuk Abdul Raman Din Saad, Managing Partner
ARSA Lawyers (Abdul Raman Saad & Associates), Malaysia
Datuk Abdul Raman Din Saad specializes in information technology law, M&A, cross-border transactions, and Islamic finance. He has extensive personal experience in mentoring start-ups primarily in the area of information technology and advising on management issues faced by such companies. Datuk Dr Raman sits as a judge on the Consumers’ Claim Court of Malaysia. MORE>

Soon Moo Soh, Partner
Yulchon Attorneys at Law, Korea
Soon Moo Soh is the head of Yulchon’s Tax Practice Group and specializes in taxation and litigation. Prior to joining Yulchon in 2000, Mr. Soh served as a judge for 20 years, which includes his position as the senior research judge of the Supreme Court of Korea. He has recently been selected as "today's best lawyer in taxation" by the Chosun Ilbo, a renowned newspaper in Korea. MORE>

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