Harneys Hong Kong Adds to Funds Team in Asia

Harneys is pleased to announce the addition of partner Lisa Pearce and associate Leanne Tunney to the firm’s growing funds team in Asia.

Lisa Pearce joins as a partner in the investment funds group and advises on the establishment, structuring, maintenance and restructuring of various types of Cayman Islands investment funds. Previously with Ogier and Simmons & Simmons in Hong Kong, Lisa has particular expertise in unit trusts and has advised both trustees and managers on retail and private offerings. Chambers Asia-Pacific describes Lisa as “a go-to lawyer for funds and unit trusts work with an offshore element” and she was also named a “rising star” by IFLR1000 in its just-released 2013 rankings of offshore funds lawyers in Hong Kong.

Leanne Tunney worked for two years as an associate in the financial services and investment funds team of Bedell Cristin in Jersey before moving to Hong Kong. Leanne specialises in investment funds with a particular focus on private equity funds and their associated regulatory, operational and compliance issues. She also has extensive corporate experience including working on listings, share sales and purchases and rights issues.

Jonathan Culshaw, Asia Managing Partner, commented: “Harneys’ Asia team has been expanding in the past 18 months to meet increasing demand from clients in the region. Our offshore funds practice is one of our fastest growing practice areas and we are pleased to welcome Lisa and Leanne. Their arrival demonstrates our ongoing commitment to recruiting high calibre lawyers. In particular, Lisa is one of the handful of offshore funds lawyers practising in Asia rated by leading directory Chambers Asia-Pacific. She is widely recognised for combining technical expertise with a thorough knowledge of the business and a commercial approach.”

As the hub of our British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands’ legal practice in Asia, the Hong Kong office now has 18 principal fee earners and 3 paralegals covering all key transactional, restructuring and litigation practice areas.

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