The Asia-Pacific region continues its rise as a powerhouse of business activity. In addition to the established economies of Japan and South Korea, countries such as China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are increasingly opening their doors to international investment, joint ventures and trade opportunities. However, while the countries of this area share many economic goals, the region is far from monolithic. European and U.S.-based corporations and individuals interested in doing business in Asia need legal counsel with firsthand experience across the area’s diverse legal and political landscape.

From our offices in Bangkok, Beijing and Tokyo, the Asia Pacific practice of Hunton Andrews Kurth represents financial institutions, multinational corporations, governments, agencies and investors in transactions and investments within and across national jurisdictions. Reflecting the cross-disciplinary emphasis of the entire firm, our Asia Pacific lawyers have a strong corporate, commercial and finance focus, and are regularly ranked among the world’s top practitioners by respected legal and industry journals such as Chambers Asia, Chambers Global, Asia-Pacific Legal 500 and The IFLR1000. We understand the local business cultures and legal frameworks in most of the area’s major countries, and we have excellent relationships with local legal professionals, business leaders, economic groups and government agencies.

We have particularly deep experience in the energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, banking and finance industries. Our lawyers advise clients in key areas of the law, including the following:

• Domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, privatizations and other major corporate transactions
• International trade counseling, including resolution of trade disputes and WTO litigation
• Capital markets, including debt financing and public and private securities offerings
• Multijurisdictional bankruptcy, insolvency and restructuring matters
• Data protection, privacy and security
• Intellectual property protection, due diligence and dispute resolution involving patents, trademarks, copyrights and other elements of global IP portfolios

• Represented Thailand’s largest coal miner in its $669 million divestment to China Resources Power Holdings Ltd.
• Represented Power Partners Ltd. in the $1 billion financing of the 600 MW GNPower Marivelas Coal Plant Project in the Philippines, awarded ‘Deal of the Year’ by Asian-Counsel, China Business Law Journal, China Law & Practice, International Financial Law Review, and Project Finance International.
• Represented Thai Union Frozen Products in its acquisition of France’s MWBrands for $883 million, awarded ‘Best Thailand Deal in 2010’ by FinanceAsia magazine.
• Represented Natural Energy Development Company in its development and financing of a $250 million 73 MW solar farm in Thailand, one of the largest in the world.
• Represented Reliance Power Ltd. in its development and financing of the $4.2 billion 4,000 MW Sasan power project in India, awarded ‘Project Deal of the Year’ 2009 by Euromoney’s Project Finance magazine.
• Represented the sellers in the sale of shares totaling 95 percent of Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL, the operator of Bangkok’s elevated train system, to property developer Tanayong plc in a cash and share transaction valued at Baht 40 billion.
• Represented Thai National Power, a subsidiary of UK-listed International Power pcl, in the Baht 5 billion project development and financing of a new 110 MW gas-fired cogeneration project in Thailand.
• Represented CLP Holdings, Hong Kong’s largest electric utility company, in the sale of 13.36 percent interest in Thailand-based Electricity Generating Public Company to a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation for $273 million.
• Represented PTT Asahi Chemical Co. in a $400 million debt financing for the development of a 200,000 ton-per-year acryline nitrate and 70,000 ton-per-year methyl methacrylate plant in Thailand, awarded ‘Asia-Pacific Petrochemicals Deal of the Year’ 2008 by Euromoney’s Project Finance magazine.
• Represented Berli Jucker International Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SET-listed Berli Jucker Public Company Limited, in the acquisition of a Vietnamese logistics company.
• Represented Singapore Telecommunications in its investment in and acquisition of a stake in the Bharti group of companies, which stands as one of SingTel’s largest overseas investments and as one of the largest foreign investments in the Indian telecommunications sector.
• Represented the Industrial Development Bank of India in its offering of $500 million floating rate notes under Regulation S.