Fraser Mendel, an attorney with 15 years’ experience advising clients on conducting business in China and handling China-to-US investments and acquisitions, has joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as a partner in the firm’s Seattle office.

Hanson Bridgett LLP is pleased to welcome two new partners to its ranks, Robert A. McFarlane and William E. Adams. Rob is a registered patent attorney whose practice will focus on patent litigation and intellectual property disputes, and Bill’s practice will focus on complex business disputes. Rob will be based in San Francisco and Bill in the firm’s recently opened Walnut Creek office.

International law firm Stephenson Harwood has boosted its banking practice with the partner hire of James Linforth. James joins the firm from SNR Denton, where he was Head of the Banking and Restructuring Group. He brings with him broad experience in banking transactions, with a particular focus on real estate finance, acquisition finance, corporate lending, and restructuring and is described by the Legal 500 as “a first-class lawyer”. James joins an existing banking team at Stephenson Harwood of over twenty lawyers in London. The firm acts for over fifty banks including all of the four top UK clearing banks.

Global law firm White & Case LLP acted for the Joint Lead Managers on the Republic of Serbia’s US$1 billion international bond, its first issue since achieving independence five years ago. It was the first debut sovereign offering from the Central and Eastern European region in 2011.