King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) energy partners Dirk Walker and Dina Yin have left the firm for Jones Day in Beijing.
Walker and Yin joined KWM three years ago from the now defunct Dewey & LeBoeuf and Linklaters respectively. Both partners’ practices have a focus on inbound and outbound China work in the energy industry.
They have both joined Jones Day’s Beijing office as partners, and will bring the number of partners permanently based in Beijing to five.
“Their experience in particular in helping Chinese companies make energy investments around the world is a perfect fit with Jones Day’s global capabilities in energy, mergers and acquisitions, projects and infrastructure, finance, tax and many other practice areas,” said Jones Day energy head Jeff Schlegel.
Following a downsizing exercise in Beijing in 2013, the duo’s appointments signal Jones Day’s latest effort in rebuilding the office. Last March, the firm hired former Chinese antitrust official Xue Qiang as of counsel in its Beijing competition practice.
“The addition of these two energy experts reflects Jones Day’s ongoing commitment to Asia, and in particular China, and to strengthen our energy practice in Asia,” said Jones Day’s Beijing chief John Kao.
However, prior to the hires, Jones Day’s corporate partner Ian Liao, who moved from Beijing to Shanghai in 2013, left the firm to join K&L Gates. Another partner who relocated from Beijing to Hong Kong as part of the 2013 move, competition-focused Sebastien Evrard, has recently joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
Apart from Walker and Yin, KWM’s China and Hong Kong offices have seen a number of other partner departures in recent months. In Shanghai IP litigation partner Jin Liyu left to join domestic rival Haiwen & Partners, and in Hong Kong long-serving corporate partner Joshua Cole joined Ashurst.