Hill Dickinson has bolstered its marine and shipping bench with the hire of a 10-strong team from Ince Hong Kong. 

The new arrivals include asset finance partners Janice Lee and Gary Wong and veteran asset finance and corporate partner David Beaves. They will join Hill Dickinson’s Hong Kong office in the coming six weeks alongside five fee earners and two support staff. 

Ince Hong Kong operates independently of UK-based Ince & Co, which was shut down and taken over by the Solicitors Regulation Authority earlier this month to protect client funds. 

Hill Dickinson said the team would complement its existing practice in Hong Kong, which is led by litigation partner Damien Laracy and focuses on shipping and commercial arbitration and litigation, ship sale and purchase, insolvency and restructuring.

Laracy noted the team joining from Ince “is highly regarded in the Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese markets and they also have deep regional connections”. 

“They will provide a valuable offering alongside our existing marine, international arbitration and dispute resolution strengths. I look forward to working closely with the team over the coming years,” he added. 

For her part Lee joined Ince in 2018 from Stephenson Harwood. She regularly assists leasing companies, shipping companies and ship owners with matters including syndicated leasings and sale and leaseback transactions. 

Wong advises on the full gamut of shipping finance matters, including restructuring, loan facilities and sale and purchase of vessels, while Beaves, who was a partner at Ince & Co for more than 20 years, brings extensive experience in dealing with joint ventures and a range of sale and purchase transactions in the shipping sector. 

“The addition of such well-regarded practitioners will enhance the services we provide globally, as well as in Greater China,” said Jasel Chauhan, partner and head of international finance at Hill Dickinson. “As the global shipping industry continues to grapple with a number of well-publicised geopolitical issues, this work has only grown in importance for our clients, and we’re poised to continue to deliver exceptional support through our growing team.”

The group continues a string of partner departures from Ince Hong Kong, which earlier this month lost a team of shipping lawyers to Stephenson Harwood that included Ince’s Greater China head Paul Ho.

Also earlier this month disputes lawyer Stephen Chan exited Ince for Charles Russell Speechlys and shipping and insurance specialist Richard Oakley left the firm for CMS.