Capital Markets: Debt | Asia-Pacific

A&O Shearman is reputed as a go-to firm for a wide variety of capital markets mandates, with particular strength in complex cross-border debt and hybrid product work. It is well recognised for handling a solid line-up of cross-border high-yield offerings. The firm is also very skilled at advising on equity issuances in the region. It is especially well respected in the major hubs of Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore, and additionally maintains a strong presence across the South-East Asia region, where it has standout practices in Thailand and Indonesia. It maintains a highly rated Hong Kong securitisation and derivatives practice, supported by resources in Singapore. The practice is highly experienced advising on matters relating to the education, energy and manufacturing sectors. The firm is valued for US law expertise across the region, particularly advising on SEC compliance. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Clifford Chance is a major international firm with an exceptional track record of handling traditional equity and debt transactions throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It has particular ECM expertise located in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, advising on headline IPOs, listings and secondary issuances. It has leading investment-grade practices in China, South-East Asia and Japan, and is familiar with green, sovereign and convertible bond offerings. The firm often advises major international banks and Asian financial institutions on large-scale MTN programmes. It is also well respected for its ability to handle structured products and derivatives matters, regularly advising on regulatory changes and developments.

Linklaters has a truly region-wide offering with large pools of resources and expertise in Greater China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand, in addition to robust activity in the India and Indonesia markets. The team represents blue-chip clients in a comprehensive range of DCM matters, including convertible and exchangeable bond offerings and vanilla investment-grade debt issuances. Additionally, the firm maintains a notable ECM practice advising on IPOs, block trades and secondary offerings in a number of key jurisdictions. In addition, it has a comprehensive derivatives, securities and structured products practice.

Baker McKenzie has a truly regional presence, with solid teams in Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, China, Singapore and Australia. The law firm is well regarded for representing a range of major international issuers and underwriters on cross-border issuances. It is highly active on investment-grade debt, including green and sovereign bond matters, as well as hybrid offerings, including convertible and exchangeable bond matters. The equity practice has also advised on a strong flow of IPO work across the region, with notable deals in South-East Asia, India, China and Australia. It offers complementary local law capabilities, alongside being able to handle complex multi-jurisdictional mandates.

Davis Polk & Wardwell has a broad and highly accomplished practice which dominates the North-East Asia international capital markets scene, with notable teams in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea. It frequently acts for an impressive selection of international banks and financial institutions. Focusing on US law issuances, it is skilled at assisting clients with IPOs, block trades and secondary share offerings through its China and Japan teams. It often acts for clients from the real estate, technology and financial services sectors. The team is highly sought after for expertise advising on investment-grade debt, green bonds and hybrid products. The firm is especially notable in China for its experience acting on high-yield issuances, including South-East Asian work.

Latham & Watkins is hugely respected for its very strong high-yield practice and has recently been highly active in this area in Hong Kong, India and Singapore. It also has a very strong practice across the region, working on investment-grade debt and equity offerings including IPOs, hybrid products and secondary offerings. The firm additionally offers strong expertise in the OTC derivatives space, including futures, options and swaps work and in relation to structured equity and margin finance transactions. The team acts for a solid roster of blue-chip clients on high-profile deals throughout Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. It advises an enviable roster of international underwriters and notable corporate issuers. The firm is particularly active on issuances in the energy, technology and healthcare sectors.

Sidley Austin has a superb Asia-wide high-yield practice which is especially commended for its work on complex issuances in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. It also works on a range of investment-grade debt and hybrid products across the region, including MTN programmes. The ECM practice continues to be active in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, and has been building strength in India. Sought out for advice on IPOs, rights issues and secondary offerings. The team is regularly instructed by a stellar line-up of international investment banks and regional financial institutions. It is experienced in handling capital markets transactions in the energy sector.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has an extensive history and enviable track record of acting for issuers and underwriters on a wide range of complex and high-value IPOs and follow-on offerings. The firm is also well respected for its Asia-wide practice on investment-grade debt work, including hybrid products such as convertible and exchangeable bonds. The team is especially active advising on cross-border listings and global offerings from its Singapore, Hong Kong and Mainland China offices. It regularly acts on matters relating to the real estate, life sciences and transport sectors.

Milbank LLP has an excellent spread of high-yield mandates, including work on deals in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. It has well-regarded and experienced teams based in Singapore and Hong Kong, often advising international investment banks on investment-grade offerings in South-East Asia. The firm is recognised for further DCM activity throughout the region, including MTN programmes and sovereign bond issuances. Additionally, the firm maintains a solid ECM practice, with a very strong track record of advising on IPOs and secondary offerings in the Philippines.

Simpson Thacher has an exceptional equity practice across Asia-Pacific, with a long history of acting for underwriters and issuers on some of the largest and most significant transactions in the market. The team is well regarded for advising on high-profile IPOs, block trades and REIT listings. It often advises major PRC companies on outbound deals and US law and is also highly skilled at assisting clients with investment-grade debt and hybrid transactions in East Asia. The practice is primarily driven from the hubs of Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.

Skadden has a strong reputation for its broad capital markets practice, with notable prowess in cross-border equity offerings. It has extended its practice across South-East Asia from its Singapore office, while maintaining its strong presence in Hong Kong. Its established team in Japan is well regarded for advice on US law and international IPOs. It also ably handles high-yield bond issuances, where it has been busy advising on complex offerings in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. The firm ably handles regional investment-grade offerings spanning South-East Asia, China and Japan and represents an impressive roster of international banks, industrial corporations and sovereign wealth funds.

White & Case offers advice on complex debt and equity capital markets matters throughout the region, with expertise ranging from IPOs and secondary sales to rights issues and debt programmes. Its Singapore team regularly works alongside lawyers from the firm's wider global network, particularly colleagues in Hong Kong, London and New York. The firm is especially noted for its Indonesia expertise.

Cleary Gottlieb has a respected capital markets practice, primarily active in the markets of South Korea and Hong Kong. The firm is highly respected for its cross-border ECM practice, advising on sizeable IPOs and secondary offerings. It maintains a focus on acting for issuers, and is especially well known for advising businesses in the hi-tech and life sciences sectors.

Norton Rose Fulbright is a highly commended firm offering in-depth knowledge across the full gamut of capital market transactions, with strength in Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong. Its impressive cross-border offering is strengthened by its international network of offices with locations in Europe and the USA. Well known on the ECM side, the firm acts for a range of underwriters and issuers on IPOs and secondary offerings. The team is also particularly active advising issuers on private placements and offerings to institutional subscribers. The team is well known for working with major PRC investment banks and advises on cross-border deals relating to China, as well as countries in South and South-East Asia. It has recognised strengths in OTC derivatives transactions, structured products and hedging programmes.

Paul Hastings is singled out for its work in the ECM sphere, regularly advising issuers and underwriters on IPOs, block trades and secondary share and rights offerings. It also offers notable expertise in debt capital markets mandates. The firm is most active in South Korea and Hong Kong, and also has a solid Philippines practice. It represents an impressive roster of international banks, Chinese private equity investors and South Korean corporate issuers.

DLA Piper has a notable team with particular strength in its Singapore and Australian capital markets teams. Active across the region, it is well versed in handling work in Malaysia, India, Thailand and Indonesia. The firm regularly works with colleagues from across the firm's network to cover multi-jurisdictional mandates. It offers longstanding experience across IPOs, bond offerings and other rights issuances. The firm has notable involvement on high-yield issuances, acting for the issuer. The team is further highlighted for its proficiency in sukuk matters and debt restructuring, and continues to be highly active on cross-border matters, including acting for US and China-based entities.

Hogan Lovells has an established practice, advising issuers and underwriters on debt issuances. The firm's Singapore office works closely with its Hong Kong group to advise a range of sponsors and underwriters. The firm is also instructed regarding the establishment of several MTN programmes and is known for its expertise advising corporate trustees across a range of capital markets transactions in multiple jurisdictions. It offers particular expertise advising Australian issuers and underwriters regarding overseas listings.

Morrison Foerster is experienced in acting for a diverse set of issuers, as well as global investment banks, on high-value international equity issuances. Especially well known for its work on major offerings in Japan and Hong Kong, the firm is notably active advising J-REIT clients on their equity deals. The team is familiar with advising state-owned entities on IPOs and private placements.