International law firm Locke Lord has increased its presence in Hong Kong through an association with the law firm Cheung & Lee.

Five experienced partners from Hong Kong-based Cheung & Lee – Balbir Bindra, Wing Cheung, Alfred Lee, Tej Mahil and Matthew Wong – will form the initial core team of Locke Lord's expanded international footprint in the region and boost the firm's capabilities to serve clients on a number of fronts.

The Hong Kong solicitors will collaborate with Locke Lord's 34-member London team as well as with the firm's 11 US offices to serve an increasingly global marketplace. The five new partners have experience in banking and finance, corporate, commercial litigation and mergers and acquisitions.

"Hong Kong represents one of the true centres of the global marketplace today, and we believe we have the right team in place to be front-line participants," says firm chair Jerry Clements. With an office in Hong Kong for more than two years, Locke Lord's addition of an on-the-ground team of experienced and respected lawyers helps propel the firm's strategic growth strategy to the next level, she says, and, most importantly, provides the international capabilities the firm's clients need.

"I'm very excited about our association with Locke Lord," says Bindra, who will serve as managing partner of the Hong Kong office. "The firm not only is known internationally for its strong legal capabilities and client service, but also for its culture and team work. Locke Lord's Hong Kong expansion is smart and strategic, and we look forward to working together to further grow and build its international brand."

‎The Cheung & Lee team will work closely with Locke Lord's Asia and China practice, which includes US-based lawyers who are already familiar with the Asian market and culture and many of whom speak the native languages. Locke Lord opened a Hong Kong office in January 2011 to provide services to US-based clients working in Asia and to Asian-based clients with interests in the US. The Cheung & Lee partnership helps bolster this growing Asia and China practice.