Bryan Canning

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Brief

apac, issue 3 · nov 12, 2026

Take-privates pay, and firms buy specialists.

Allens tallies about A$19 billion of private-capital take-privates since July, Bae, Kim & Lee pairs three antitrust hires with an economics and data centre, and Anderson Mori & Tomotsune plans its first US offices, in Texas.

6 min read

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dealNov 10 · Allens

Allens counts about A$19 billion of take-privates since July

On Nov 10 Allens said it has advised on four private-capital-backed take-privates worth about A$19 billion combined since July. It advises EQT on its proposed A$9.3 billion acquisition of Cleanaway (led by M&A partner Tom Story), the lenders on the secured financing for the proposed A$7.7 billion acquisition of Steadfast Group, the lenders on the financing for I Squared Capital's proposed A$900 million acquisition of oOh!media, and SG Fleet on financing for its proposed acquisition of FleetPartners.

why it matters

Allens has packaged four separate mandates into one market narrative with a headline number. Rivals sitting on similar private-capital work can do the same: a tally beats four tombstones.

sources Allens advises on $19bn wave of take-privates EQT agrees to acquire Cleanaway in A$9.3 billion all-cash scheme
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new officeNov 5 · Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune plans its first US offices, in Dallas and Houston

On Nov 5 Anderson Mori & Tomotsune announced it will open its first US offices next spring, in Dallas and Houston. Asian Legal Business reports the offices, due in spring 2027, will be the firm's 16th and 17th, with the Dallas office in Plano and New York-qualified Koichi Saito as managing partner, and that the firm cited Japan External Trade Organization data showing 127 Japanese companies operating in Texas.

why it matters

It follows Mori Hamada & Matsumoto's own Dallas and Houston plans, announced in October, so Japanese outbound clients in Texas will soon have home-market firms on the ground. US and Texas firms that serve Japanese corporates should expect new competition for that referral flow.

sources The Firm to Open its First U.S. Offices Next Spring in Texas where Japanese Companies are Rapidly Expanding Anderson Mori becomes latest Japanese firm to say howdy to Texas
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practice launchNov 5 · Bae, Kim & Lee

Bae, Kim & Lee adds three antitrust lawyers and an economics and data centre

On Nov 5 Bae, Kim & Lee expanded its Center for Law and Economics into the Center for Economics and Data Analytics (CEDA), bringing lawyers, economists and data scientists together to assess competitive effects in merger reviews, cartel investigations and abuse-of-dominance cases. It is led by Richard Shin, a former economist at the US FTC and the DOJ Antitrust Division, and Jeon Seong-hoon, a former Sogang University professor. On Nov 6 the firm announced three lawyers joining its Antitrust and Competition Group: Lee Dong-ryul from Shin & Kim, Kim Chi-yeol from the Korea Fair Trade Commission, and Lee Jong-hun.

why it matters

Bae, Kim & Lee is selling economics and data as part of the antitrust offer, not a bolt-on. Competition teams elsewhere should be ready to explain who does their economic analysis.

sources BKL News & Insights Bae, Kim & Lee bolsters antitrust practice with 3 new lawyers, expanded data analytics center
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dealNov 11 · Allens

Allens advises Gildan on the A$700 million sale of HanesBrands' Australasian business

Allens advised Gildan on selling HanesBrands' Australasian business, including Bonds, Bras N Things, Berlei and Sheridan, to an entity associated with BB Retail Capital for about A$700 million (about US$490 million), subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Gildan announced completion on Oct 26; Allens publicized its role on Nov 11, with Tom Story leading.

why it matters

A household-name consumer brand list makes an easy credential story. Allens publicized it about two weeks after completion, which keeps the credit in front of buyers while the deal is still news.

sources Allens advises Gildan on $700m sale of HanesBrands' Australasian business Gildan Completes Sale of HanesBrands Australia
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ranking / awardNov 4 · Lee & Ko

Lee & Ko takes Tier 1 in every IFLR1000 category for the 15th year

On Nov 4 Lee & Ko said it was ranked Tier 1 in all eight of its IFLR1000 2026 categories, including banking and finance, M&A, private equity, and restructuring and insolvency, for the 15th consecutive year. 63 of its professionals were individually ranked, and Hyunjoo Oh was named an IFLR1000 Women Leader for the seventh year running.

why it matters

A clean sweep plus a streak is the kind of ranking line that travels into pitch decks. Korean rivals will need a sharper angle than tier counts.

sources Lee & Ko Ranked Tier 1 in All Categories in IFLR1000 2026 for 15th Consecutive Year Lee & Ko earns top IFLR1000 ratings across all practice areas for 2026
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lateral hireNov 4 · Ashurst Perkins Coie

Ashurst Perkins Coie's Risk Advisory hires two Deloitte financial crime partners

On Nov 4 Ashurst Perkins Coie said Lisa Dobbin and Josh Black join its Risk Advisory consulting business as Sydney partners from Deloitte. Dobbin, who most recently led Deloitte's Australia and Asia Pacific Financial Crime practice, leads the financial crime offering; Black built and led Deloitte's Australian Financial Crime Data & AI team. They are among seven partners to join the Asia Pacific Risk Advisory practice in the past year.

why it matters

A law firm is hiring Big Four consulting partners to sell financial crime work alongside its lawyers. Firms competing for AML and regulatory mandates should expect consulting-plus-legal bids.

sources Risk Advisory strengthens global financial crime offering with two new partners Legal appointments roundup: 5 November 2026
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lateral hireNov 10 · Rajah & Tann Singapore

Rajah & Tann Singapore hires Alex Toh as a technology partner

On Nov 10 Rajah & Tann Singapore announced Alex Toh's appointment as a partner in its Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice. Toh is qualified in Singapore and California, pursued a master's in law, science and technology at Stanford Law School, has worked at ByteDance, PayPal and Xilinx, and was named in ALB's Super 50 TMT Lawyers 2026. His focus includes data, AI, digital regulation, fintech and e-commerce.

why it matters

Rajah & Tann is pitching in-house tech experience as much as private practice. AI and data governance is becoming a lateral market of its own in Singapore.

source Rajah & Tann Singapore further strengthens TMT practice with the appointment of Alex Toh as Partner
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dealNov 7 · Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas act on Edelweiss Alternatives' INR 1,200 crore IPO

Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas advised EAAA India Alternatives (Edelweiss Alternatives) and its promoters on its INR 1,200 crore IPO, an offer for sale, with partner Nikhil Naredi leading. Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas was Indian counsel to the book running lead managers, led by partner Devaki Mankad, and Linklaters was international counsel to the lead managers.

why it matters

India's two Amarchand firms sat on opposite sides of the same IPO, one for the issuer and one for the banks. Capital markets rivals in India have to win mandates against both.

source Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Linklaters act on Edelweiss Alternatives ₹1,200 crore IPO

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