Fried Frank Expands Global Corporate Platform in Asia With Addition of Three Partners

NEW YORK, September 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

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- Douglas Freeman and Victor Chen join as partners; Joshua T. Coleman elected to partnership

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP announced today the addition of M&A and private equity lawyers Douglas Freeman and Victor Chen as partners in the Firm's corporate practice. Mr. Freeman will be resident in both the Firm's Hong Kong and New York offices and Mr. Chen will be resident in its Hong Kong office.  The Firm also announced that Hong Kong-based capital markets attorney Joshua T. Coleman was elected to the partnership effective September 1.

The new partners bolster Fried Frank's growing profile in Asia, a critical region to global companies, and are reflective of the evolving needs of the Firm's market-leading client base.  With Hong Kong, US and English law capabilities, Fried Frank has maintained a substantial and very active corporate practice in Asia. Integrating its multijurisdictional expertise in capital markets and finance, M&A, litigation and arbitration, and restructuring, the Firm has represented corporations and financial institutions in some of the most sophisticated and complex deals in the region.

"As the number of strategic M&A and private equity-led transactions centered in Asia continues to grow, the additions of Doug and Victor, and the promotion of Josh, collectively add a strong dimension to Fried Frank's formidable global M&A, private equity and capital markets platform," said Robert C. Schwenkel, Chair of Fried Frank's Global Corporate Department.

Mr. Freeman and Mr. Chen have a long track record of representing private equity sponsors, multinational corporations and global investment banking firms in Greater China and other Asian markets in sophisticated public and private cross-border transactions across a wide range of industries.  Mr. Coleman represents issuers and underwriters in complex equity offerings, high-yield debt offerings, acquisition financings and related capital market and private equity transactions.

"Doug, Victor and Josh are strong additions to the Firm's vibrant practice in Asia. Their capabilities in handling sophisticated transactions in this increasingly active market will be an asset to our strong base of Asia-based clients as well as our multinational clients with significant Asian interests," said Valerie Ford Jacob, Fried Frank's Chairperson.

"Over the last two years, there has been a significant maturation in the M&A market in Greater China and an expanding wave of private and cross-border transactions. Our institutional and corporate clients will benefit from the depth of Doug, Victor and Josh's market expertise, coupled with their knowledge of local regulatory issues," said Justin Spendlove, Fried Frank Senior Executive Partner.

Mr. Freeman was most recently a partner in the Hong Kong and New York offices of O'Melveny & Myers LLP. He holds a JD, cum laude, from Harvard University and received a BA, summa cum laude, from Tufts University. He is admitted to the bar in New York.

Mr. Chen also joins Fried Frank from O'Melveny & Myers LLP where he served as counsel in its Hong Kong and Los Angeles offices. He holds a JD, with honors, from George Washington University and received a BA, summa cum laude, from the University of California at Los Angeles. He is admitted to the bar in Hong Kong and California.

Mr. Coleman joined Fried Frank as an associate in 2003. He received his JD, cum laude, from New York Law School in 2003, and his BA from Franklin & Marshall College in 1998. He is admitted to the bar in New York.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a leading international law firm.   From its offices in New York, Washington, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Shanghai, the Firm's more than 500 lawyers regularly serve the world's leading corporations and financial institutions with regard to their most critical legal needs and business opportunities.  More information about Fried Frank can be found at http://www.friedfrank.com.