Bryan Canning

A Global lens on Legal Marketing and BD

Brief

apac, issue 2 · nov 5, 2026

Custom AI meets cross-border deal credits.

WongPartnership picks August to build its own AI tools, while AZB, Allen & Gledhill and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas put their names on cross-border and capital-markets mandates.

6 min read

tech & aiNov 4 · WongPartnership

WongPartnership picks August to build custom AI tools

On 4 November 2026 WongPartnership named August, a New York-based AI platform for law firms, as its strategic AI partner, bringing AI tools and training to both fee earners and non-fee earners. The firm says it is the first major Singapore firm to partner with August and will use the platform to build tools on its own know-how and practice methods. It also says it was the first law firm in South East Asia to deploy Harvey, and it is piloting Thomson Reuters' CoCounsel.

why it matters

The pitch has moved from "we use AI" to "we built our own"; rivals still marketing a single vendor rollout will sound a step behind.

source WongPartnership selects August to build Custom AI

dealNov 4 · AZB & Partners

AZB advises CMA CGM on the India side of its US$1.4 billion FedEx Supply Chain buy

AZB & Partners advised CMA CGM Group on the Indian aspects of its US$1.4 billion acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. The deal team included partners Vikram Shroff and Kunal Kumbhat, with partner Dhruti Narendra Dholakia on the real estate team.

why it matters

Global carve-outs keep producing India workstreams, and the firm that posts the credit first owns the search result.

source CMA CGM Group on the Indian aspects of its acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., for USD 1.4 billion.

dealNov 2 · Allen & Gledhill

Allen & Gledhill advises TBS Energi on up to S$555 million from HPS

Allen & Gledhill advised PT TBS Energi Utama Tbk on an investment of up to S$555 million, across multiple tranches, by HPS Investment Partners, part of BlackRock, into SBTH Asia Holdings, the holding company of TBS's waste-management platform. SBTH's operating companies include Cora Environment, which runs waste management, recycling and energy-from-waste operations in Singapore. Partners Song Su-Min and Joshua Suwe advised TBS.

why it matters

Private capital is backing Southeast Asia's waste and energy-from-waste platforms, and Singapore firms are using these credits to claim the cross-border infrastructure lane.

source S$555 million investment in PT TBS Energi Utama Tbk

dealOct 29 · Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Trilegal

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas acts for the banks on Zetwerk's INR 5,012 crore IPO

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas advised the book-running lead managers, including Kotak, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, on Zetwerk Manufacturing Businesses' IPO of about INR 5,012 crore, an offer for sale. Partners Nikhil Naredi and Krupa Brahmbhatt led; Trilegal advised Zetwerk.

why it matters

India's IPO pipeline is the busiest capital-markets credit table in the region, and underwriter-side roles are the repeat business firms compete hardest to show.

sources Trilegal, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas act on Zetwerk ₹5,012 crore IPO Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. advises the Book Running Lead Managers on Zetwerk Manufacturing Businesses Limited's ₹5,012 crore IPO

dealOct 30 · Allens

Allens advises the lenders on Neoen's Australian renewables portfolio financing

On 30 October 2026 Allens said it had advised the lenders on a portfolio financing for Neoen, a syndicated bank debt package plus an Asia term loan covering greenfield and operating solar, wind and battery storage assets across Australia. Partner Scott McCoy led the team.

why it matters

Lender-side renewables work is steady, repeatable business; a portfolio-level financing is the credential that wins the next one.

source Allens advises lenders on $1.8bn Neoen renewables portfolio financing

ranking / awardNov 4 · Allen & Gledhill, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu

asialaw 2026: Allen & Gledhill and Nagashima post their tallies

Allen & Gledhill said on 4 November 2026 that asialaw 2026 rated it Tier 1 / Outstanding in all nine eligible practice areas in Singapore and named 35 of its lawyers. Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu said on 29 October that, with its associate office, it took 17 practice-area and 14 industry-sector rankings across Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, and was rated Outstanding in 10 practice areas in Japan.

why it matters

The same guide becomes a week of rival posts; the useful version is a client-facing story, not a tier count.

sources A&G Asia recognised in asialaw 2026 rankings Nagashima receives high evaluation in asialaw 2026

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