International law firm Withers is delighted to welcome private client and tax attorney Laurence Ho back as a partner in its Hong Kong office. Laurence returns to Withers from Loeb and Loeb's Hong Kong team, having left the firm in 2017. He joins alongside a special counsel, a senior associate and an associate.
With the team's arrival, Withers strengthens its position as the law firm with the largest number of US-qualified private client and tax lawyers serving the region in Asia Pacific, including teams in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.
Laurence is qualified in New York and Massachusetts and works with individuals and families with a connection to the US on international tax, trust and estate planning matters. His clients are typically based across Asia and the US and include family offices, estates and fiduciaries.
Laurence regularly assists clients on matters involving personal estate and succession planning, tax-efficient structuring of US and non-US trusts and holding companies, US real estate investments, tax planning ahead of moving to or leaving the US, and post-mortem planning for international probate matters. He also advises US individuals and families on their tax compliance and foreign financial asset reporting obligations.
Jay Dinwoodie, CEO of Withers' private client and tax division, comments: "It's a great pleasure to welcome Laurence back to Withers. Laurence was a well-respected colleague during his previous tenure in the Hong Kong team, and his status as one of the region's leading lawyers for US tax matters has only grown in the interim."
"The addition of his team adds further strengths to our international US-qualified private client and tax practice. Across Asia we have 15 fee earners including 5 partners. Their collective expertise will be instrumental as we continue to lead in this complex area of law, serving an international clientele," adds Jay.
Laurence comments: "I very much enjoyed my years at Withers and am delighted to return to the Hong Kong team and the US tax team. Managing worldwide US tax issues remains a demanding area, and there are few firms that can offer clients and their families the experience and international reach that Withers does. The full-service offering of the Hong Kong office, focused on private capital and its expertise in serving family offices, funds, fiduciaries and founders, aligns seamlessly with my practice."
Katie Graves, regional divisional leader of the APAC private client and tax team, comments: "I am very much looking forward to working with Laurence again. The addition of his team to our firm will further solidify our position as the largest private client team in Hong Kong with the ability to advise on HK, US and UK tax matters."
Withers' US team in Hong Kong is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, enabling seamless communication with clients in both English and Chinese.