Hong Kong boutique firm shuts down, founders join DLA Piper and Hauzen

(Reuters) – Two former Bryan Cave partners have shut down the Hong Kong boutique firm they founded in 2018, parting ways to join DLA Piper and Hauzen LLP.

Kristi Swartz joined DLA Piper as a partner in its intellectual property and technology practice in Hong Kong, while Nigel Binnersley, along with a team of litigation solicitors and support staff, joined Hong Kong law firm Hauzen LLP, the firms said this week. The pair founded Swartz, Binnersley & Associates three years ago.

“Building on our existing fintech capabilities in Asia is a priority for us,” said Paul Allen, global co-chair of DLA Piper’s IP and tech group, in a statement Monday. “This is a fast moving and specialized area, and I am confident in Kristi’s ability to help drive our strategy in this area.”

Hauzen LLP, a small solicitor’s firm operating in association with mainland Chinese law firm Anjie, said Binnersley’s experience will help it expand its legal services offerings.

Binnersley, in a statement, touted “Hauzen LLP’s existing capabilities in the financial markets, and Anjie Law firm’s network of partners across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other major cities in Mainland China.”

Swartz and Binnersley formed their firm after leaving U.S.-based Bryan Cave a few months after its merger with the UK’s Berwin Leighton Paisner in April 2018.

The duo go further back, having been colleagues at U.S. law firm Blank Rome before joining Bryan Cave in 2013.