Herbert Smith Freehills promotes seven to counsel in Asia

Leading international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills is pleased to announce the promotion of seven lawyers to counsel positions across our Asia offices. These appointments represent a third of the firm’s 21 global counsel promotions this year, underscoring the strategic importance and depth of talent in Asia.

The new counsel are based in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, with all promotions effective 1 May 2025.

Graeme Preston, Asia Managing Partner, said, "Our new counsel are experts in their fields and leaders in their teams – a combination that helps us deliver exceptional results for our clients across the region."

"Their experience and leadership are critical to the development of their practices and teams, working alongside partners to mentor junior lawyers as well as delivering results for clients. These promotions are a testament to the strength and diversity of our talent in Asia, and our ongoing commitment to investing in the region’s future.”

The firm congratulates all new counsel and looks forward to their continued contributions to clients and the wider legal community.

OUR NEW ASIA COUNSEL

Rachata Champathong, Bangkok

Rachata is an arbitration lawyer with extensive experience in advising domestic and international clients on a wide range of commercial disputes. His expertise spans across a broad spectrum of areas, including class actions, international arbitration, cross-border disputes, and commercial litigation. Rachata regularly appears as an advocate at Thai courts for high-value and complex disputes.

Jedsarit Sahussarungi, Bangkok

Jedsarit assists domestic and international clients with complex disputes strategies, including those involving civil court proceedings and domestic/international arbitration. His practice spans a variety of industries and sectors, including private capital, energy, ESG and TMT. Jedsarit regularly advises clients on a wide range of Thai law, including those relating to M&A and shareholders disputes, class actions, antitrust and public international law.

Howard Chan, Hong Kong

Howard is part of the Competition, Regulation and Trade team in Asia. His practice includes competition and antitrust law, FDI regulation and other regulatory regimes, such as the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation. He has an in-depth knowledge of Asian and EU competition law regimes and frequently advises on complex issues arising in cross-border transactions, joint venture structures, and other forms of cooperation arrangements. Howard has previously completed secondments in our London and Tokyo offices.

Jaime Fong, Hong Kong

Jaime is a corporate lawyer specialising in equity capital markets transactions and listed-issuer compliance matters. She advises listing applicants, investment banks and listed issuers, and works closely with clients across a broad range of industry sectors, including financial institutions, healthcare, biotechnology, TMT and logistics sectors. Jaime is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, and is qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong.

Aaron McDonald, Hong Kong

Aaron is an international arbitration lawyer specialising in commercial arbitration, with a focus on private capital, M&A, joint venture and shareholder disputes. He has significant experience in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors. Aaron is qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong, a solicitor-advocate in England & Wales and a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia.

Yashvini Janakan, Singapore

Yashvini is a corporate lawyer with experience in private equity and private M&A. She has extensive experience in a broad range of transactional work for corporate and private equity clients including private sales and acquisitions, private equity real estate transactions, joint ventures, management incentive schemes and minority investments.  Yashvini has practised in Australia, London and most recently Singapore, where she advises clients on transactions across a range of sectors in Asia.

Michael McErlaine, Tokyo

Michael is a disputes lawyer and advises Japanese and international clients on how to resolve their most complex cross-border disputes. He has advised on and appeared as counsel in a range of high-value disputes in the pharmaceuticals, private capital and energy sectors. Michael's practice also includes acting on significant M&A, joint venture and shareholder disputes.  He is licensed to advise on the laws of England and Wales in Japan as a Registered Foreign Lawyer (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi).

NOTES TO EDITORS

With more than 40 years of history in Asia, Herbert Smith Freehills provides premium legal advice on dispute resolution, projects and transactions to the world’s most important organisations operating in and from the region. In Asia, the firm advises across industry sectors and strategically important areas including private capital, ESG, energy transition and technology and digitalisation from offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta,* Shanghai,* Singapore* and Tokyo.

*In Shanghai, the firm has a Joint Operation with Kewei, allowing access to China legal services alongside Herbert Smith Freehills' international expertise. In Jakarta, Herbert Smith Freehills' international counsel practise on secondment to its affiliate firm, Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung, one of Indonesia’s leading commercial and corporate law firms. In Singapore, the firm has a Formal Law Alliance with Prolegis that offers access to Singapore law capability through that alliance alongside Herbert Smith Freehills' international expertise.