Asia Legal Business
By John Kang 06-Mar-2018
William Marshall, formerly a partner at Baker McKenzie and Deloitte, has launched his own boutique law firm in Hong Kong focusing on international trade regulatory and related supply chain commercial matters. The new firm is called William Marshall & Co.Marshall, who most recently led the Asia-Pacific global trade advisory practice at Deloitte, said his China and Asia-Pacific expertise makes the boutique “uniquely capable to assist our clients in complex trade regulatory controversies from advising on responses to customs audits in China and across Asia, as well as to guiding our clients through big-ticket valuation disputes and investigations.”The boutique, which will compete with international firms like Bakers as well as the Big Four accounting firms, has a network of “best friend” firms, including as SIPS for IP matters, Hiways Law Firm and JunHe in Shanghai for China customs and trade regulatory matters, Bolliger & Co. in Bangkok for Thai customs and trade matters, and Providence Law Asia for Singapore tax and trade matters.Marshall is the principal of the firm, which also has three of counsel and two associates. In the next few years, he expects it to expand to a 20-lawyer practice with five partners.
Before Deloitte, Marshall was a partner at Baker McKenzie, heading the firm’s international trade and commerce practice for Hong Kong and China. He also had a stint as of counsel at DLA Piper and was global supply chain counsel at clothing chain Abercrombie & Fitch.
BOUTIQUE ADVANTAGES
Marshall told ALB that he left Deloitte after a stint of about two years because the consultancy does not have a licensed law firm in Hong Kong. “While that seemed to be in the near-term plan, such plans have not yet materialised,” he said. “The complex matters I typically take and the clients I typically work with are better served by lawyers rather than a consulting firm structure.”He said his firm’s unique advantage is that it offers the expertise and sophistication of an international law firm without the same overheads, so while clients do not compromise on the level of support they receive, they are still able to benefit from the efficiencies of a boutique firm.“Our independence allows us to staff cases outside of our core jurisdictions based on the most capable counsel for the task and the client, and not just based on whoever is occupying the post for the large firm at the moment,” he added.And finally, he highlighted domain expertise. “With respect to supply chain commercial matters, an in-depth knowledge of trade regulation is often required in order to draft and negotiate effective logistics, brokerage, warehouse, or e-commerce agreements,” Marshall said. “General corporate commercial counsel do not bring that expertise.”