Herbert Smith Freehills Global Arbitration Practice: Promotions to Partnership and Of Counsel

The Global Arbitration Practice is pleased to announce that it has promoted three new partners and two Of Counsel with effect from 1 May 2013.

Simon Chapman is based in the Hong Kong office, and works closely with Justin D'Agostino (Hong Kong), May Tai (Beijing), Jessica Fei (Beijing) and Brenda Horrigan (Shanghai) in HSF's Greater China arbitration team. Simon trained and qualified in legacy Herbert Smith's London office, has spent three years in our Paris office and moved to Hong Kong in 2011 to help grow the Asia practice. Whilst in Hong Kong, Simon has been involved in a number of high profile commercial, investor-state and state-to-state arbitrations. During his time in Hong Kong, his arbitrations have involved parties from Hong Kong, the PRC, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea and India, and have been seated in Hong Kong and also in Singapore, with Simon working closely with Alastair Henderson. Simon's focus will continue to be on the Asia-Pacific region. Following the merger last year of Herbert Smith and Freehills, Simon will work closely with our colleagues in Australia, to further develop our arbitration practice across the region. The China-Australia corridor is extremely important economically - Australia remains one of the top destinations for Chinese investment globally. Moreover, corporates in Australia, as they continue to invest around the globe, are turning to international arbitration as the dispute resolution mechanism of choice and venues such as Singapore and Hong Kong are growing in popularity making an integrated Asia-Pacific arbitration practice of increasing importance to users. The total number of the firm's partners specialising in arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region is now 19 partners, making it one of the largest arbitration practices in the region.

Leon Chung is based in the Sydney office and will work with Simon to drive forward our arbitration initiatives together with Bronwyn Lincoln (Melbourne), Elizabeth Macknay (Perth), David Opperman (Sydney), Elizabeth Poulos (Brisbane) and Don Robertson (Sydney).

Also promoted to partner is Eduardo Soler Tappa, who is co-head of the disputes practice in Madrid. Eduardo is Co-Counsel with London based partners, Matthew Weiniger, and Christian Leathley, in defending the Kingdom of Spain against claims by investors made in the first ever intra-EU claim under the Energy Charter Treaty.

Paris-based Advocat, Laurence Franc-Menget has been promoted to Of Counsel. Laurence joined the international arbitration group in the Paris office in 2008 and has acted in both ad hoc and institutional arbitrations (including ICC, UNCITRAL, AFA and ICSID arbitrations). Laurence works closely with Paris arbitration partners Isabelle Michou and Emmanuelle Cabrol.

Charles (Chuck) Ball has also been promoted to Of Counsel. Having moved from our Tokyo office in 2007, Chuck is International Counsel and head of the Indonesian disputes practice at Herbert Smith Freehills' affiliated firm Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung in Jakarta. Chuck has extensive arbitration experience including ICC, BANI, SIAC and AAA proceedings.