Skadden has recruited a partner from Sidley Austin to lead its international litigation and arbitration group in Asia. 

Friven Yeoh has joined the 1,700-lawyer firm after eight years at Sidley, where he co-led the global arbitration, trade and advocacy group from Hong Kong and Singapore.

Commenting on Yeoh’s hire, Skadden executive partner, Jeremy London, said that maintaining a strong Asia disputes practice alongside its corporate capabilities was a focus for the firm.

“Friven’s track record of driving favourable resolutions in a variety of complicated matters has earned him an outstanding reputation among clients and peers across Asia. We’re excited that he has chosen to bring his experience and talent to our firm,” London said.  

Yeoh brings extensive experience in the resolution of complex business disputes across industries, as a solicitor advocate and lead counsel in international arbitrations. He was a partner at O'’Melveny & Myers for 10 years before joining Sidley Austin and earlier in his career practised at Herbert Smith Freehills and Freshfields.

Yeoh is a qualified solicitor advocate of the Hong Kong court and is also admitted in England and Wales. He is also a registered foreign lawyer of the Singapore International Commercial Court.

His representations have included advising a private equity fund in a $500m HKIAC arbitration against a Hong Kong-listed transport infrastructure company and a global biotech company in a $340m New York-seated ICC arbitration governed by New York law against its US clinical research partner.

Ryan Junck, a global head of Skadden’s litigation/controversy practices, pointed to the breadth of Yeoh’s experience, as well as his Hong Kong qualifications and fluency in Mandarin and Cantonese, saying they would be “tremendous assets” to the firm’s clients.

At Skadden Yeoh will split his time between Hong Kong and Singapore. He will be the sole lawyer in the firm’s litigation and arbitration partner to be based in Singapore, according to the firm’s website, though in Hong Kong the practice also includes partner Rory McAlpine, a registered foreign lawyer and a pair of associates. The firm’s other offices in Asia – in Beijing, Shangahi, Seoul and Tokyo – do not have any lawyers who are members of the litigation and arbitration practice, according to its website.

US rival White & Case boosted its Asia disputes offering last month when it hired partner Shinsuke Yakura from Orrick to launch a disputes practice in Tokyo.