Global law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell has strengthened its Hong Kong office by appointing Paul Chow, a leading M&A lawyer, as a partner and head of the regional office.

The law firm said Chow will join recent partner arrivals, Bonnie YT Chan and Antony Dapiran, to round out its core team of senior, high-profile Hong Kong and U.K.-qualified lawyers and help the law firm expand its ranks with top legal talent in the Hong Kong market.

Chow is currently a partner and head of Linklaters' Beijing office. Before joining Linklaters, he was a partner at Slaughter and May. He is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, Solicitor of the High Court of the Hong Kong SAR, and is a qualified New York attorney.

According to Davis Polk Managing Partner John R. Ettinger, Chow's arrival is critical as we complete the foundation of our team of elite partners across the core Hong Kong law services that our clients are asking us to provide.

He joins our phenomenal group of lawyers in Hong Kong, and we look forward to his playing a key role as we continue to expand our presence and client roster in the region, Ettinger said in a statement.

Davis Polk has over 40 lawyers in its Hong Kong and Beijing offices and boasts of an extensive practice that includes complex, cross-border securities, M&A and strategic investment transactions. Earlier this year, the law firm represented Agricultural Bank of China in one of the biggest IPOs ever, raising over $22 billion.

Davis Polk is No.5 in Vault's 2011 ranking of U.S. law firms with a prestige score of 8.103 out of 10.

Court New York Lawyer Law firm