Akin Gump Expands Asia Investigations and Compliance Practice
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Firm relocates trade partner to, and hires senior investigations consultant in, Hong Kong
(Hong Kong) – Akin Gump has expanded its trade and disputes offerings in Asia with the relocation of international trade partner Tatman R. Savio from the firm’s Washington, D.C. office to Hong Kong and the arrival in Hong Kong of litigation senior consultant Vena Cheng from Morrison & Foerster.
Their arrival enhances Akin Gump’s investigations and compliance practice on the ground in Asia and will complement its highly recommended trade and litigation practices in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Ms. Savio advises clients on U.S. law and policy affecting international trade and business, including export control laws, sanctions programs, foreign investment laws, anticorruption laws and antiboycott regulations. She has experience in developing and implementing effective compliance programs, conducting investigations related to export control and sanctions violations and addressing enforcement concerns associated with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) and equivalent antibribery regimes of other countries. She also handles reviews conducted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
Ms. Cheng is an investigations and litigation attorney with over 15 years’ experience. She has experience in white collar and government defense, antitrust and unfair competition, complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Over the past decade, Ms. Cheng has advised a number of major Chinese and foreign companies in relation to internal investigations, white collar criminal defense and antitrust matters as well as contractual and tortious disputes. She focuses on the FCPA, internal investigations and enforcement actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Department of Justice and the H.K. Securities and Futures Commission across Greater China. She has a deep understanding of practices across a number of industries, including manufacturing, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and technology.
Greg Puff, head of Akin Gump’s Asia practice, commented: “By developing our investigations and compliance capabilities across Asia, we not only meet our clients’ needs but also play to the firm’s strengths by broadening our offering in the region. Tatman and Vena are well-established and excellent lawyers and will be outstanding additions to our recently expanded office.”
Akin Gump’s international trade and global investigations and compliance practices bring together a global team of more than 100 lawyers with substantive experience across specific industry sectors as well as lawyers with proven track records leading investigations both in private practice and while in government service. The firm’s trade practice in the Asia-Pacific region is recognized by a number of leading independent legal directories, including Chambers Asia.
This move follows the recent significant expansion of the firm’s presence in Asia. In September 2014, Akin Gump announced the arrival of five partners to the firm’s Hong Kong office in connection with a larger group of lawyers who joined the firm in Europe, as well as the promotion to counsel in December 2014 of Michelle Chan, who joined the firm in 2012.
About Akin Gump in Hong Kong
Akin Gump’s Hong Kong office is fully integrated into the firm’s approach to cross-border, cross-practice collaboration and is a key hub for work across the Asia-Pacific region. The team is qualified in five jurisdictions, with experience advising Asian and other international clients on private and public investments, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financial restructuring, funds formation and regulatory, finance litigation, and investigations and compliance matters.
Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 attorneys in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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