As of 2nd March 2015, Magnusson welcomes Kristian Odebjer and Paulo Fohlin as partners based in Hong Kong. By adding Hong Kong to its geographical footprint, for the first time Magnusson expands beyond its Baltic Sea Region home base.
This expansion will focus on attracting Chinese investments to the Baltic Sea Region and offer assistance to companies from the region doing business in China. It also boosts Magnusson’s capabilities within international arbitration.
Magnusson will not advise on Chinese law matters.
“During the past decade our team has been developing the firm-wide China practice group. Our own base on the ground is a natural next step in the development of this practice”, says Partner Carl-Fredrik Hedenström, who has been heading up Magnusson’s China group since its start.
“By expanding to Hong Kong with Kristian Odebjer and Paulo Fohlin as our new partners, we are responding to demands from our clients to enhance our capacity within the China advisory work and international arbitration. We are very excited to make the Asia Pacific region accessible to our clients in a way that we believe is unique for the Baltic Sea Region’s leading law firm”, states Senior Partner Per Magnusson.
Kristian Odebjer is a Swedish lawyer and dealmaker who has been based in Hong Kong for more than a decade, and will join as Co-head of Magnusson’s China Group. Kristian’s expertise covers structuring, diligence, and execution of M&A transactions and different kinds of financings in China and beyond. Kristian’s professional background spans roles both as a lawyer and finance professional. He spent four years as an investment banker at UBS in the United States and also served as the group treasurer of a Hong Kong-based international trading firm. Kristian started his career with Swedish law firm Vinge and has most recently partnered with Paulo Fohlin in Advokatfirman Odebjer Fohlin law firm in Hong Kong. Kristian serves on the Board of Directors of several companies and non-profit organizations, and is well-versed in governance and compliance work.
Paulo Fohlin, who has been a resident of Hong Kong for eight years, will join as Magnusson’s Head of International Arbitration. Paulo was a long-standing partner at Vinge when co-founding Odebjer Fohlin with Kristian Odebjer, and he has more than 25 years of experience as a court litigator and arbitration counsel, covering commercial as well as investment treaty disputes. A Chartered Arbitrator, Paulo increasingly also sits as an arbitrator in international disputes. He is included on the Panels of Arbitrators of several arbitration institutes, including the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution of the American Arbitration Association, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, the Beijing Arbitration Commission, and the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre.
“I believe that going forward, by being able to serve its clients in China and Asia Pacific “closer to home”, Magnusson is adding a new dimension to its offering. I am very excited to be spear-heading this effort”, comments Partner Kristian Odebjer.
“I very much look forward to working together with our colleagues in other Magnusson markets and in particular contributing to further development of the international arbitration practice of the firm”, states Partner Paulo Fohlin.
Integrated with Magnusson, the Hong Kong business will, for regulatory reasons, operate under the name of “Magnusson in association with Odebjer Fohlin”, with both new partners registered as foreign lawyers with the Hong Kong Law Society.
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