Milbank LLP is pleased to announce that highly respected Capital Markets attorney Liang (Alex) Tao has joined the firm’s Hong Kong office as a partner, further strengthening Milbank’s Hong Kong and pan-Asia capital markets capabilities.
Ranked by Chambers Asia as a Leading Capital Markets partner in high yield and as one of China’s Elite 100 Lawyers (Foreign Lawyers) by China Business Law Journal, Mr. Tao focuses his practice on a wide range of international capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings and other equity offerings, high yield, investment-grade and convertible debt financings, as well as liability management transactions.
Mr. Tao regularly represents issuers, investment banks and other investors in the equity and debt capital markets space, including SEC-registered offerings, Hong Kong IPOs and Rule 144A/Regulation S debt offerings of companies in the People’s Republic of China and regional companies advising across a wide variety of sectors, including technology, media and telecom, real estate, consumer products, energy and oil and gas.
“We are delighted to welcome Alex to the team,” said James Grandolfo, head of Milbank’s Hong Kong office. “This is an exciting development for the practice. Alex’s addition to the Milbank team is testament both to our continued commitment to the Hong Kong and Greater China markets and our ability to attract top talent. Alex will help expand our China capital markets practice, support our growing regional capital markets and M&A practices and drive further growth.”
Scott Edelman, Milbank’s Chairman, added: “Alex enjoys tremendous respect in the market for his sharp legal acumen and deep sector and market knowledge. His unique experience and successful track record are well aligned with our practice strengths. His wealth of experience advising on all types of capital markets transactions will bring tremendous value to our clients.”
Milbank has one of the strongest capital markets practices in Asia, having represented clients in a wide range of leading capital markets transactions for more than four decades. The firm’s team regularly represents issuers, shareholders, investors and financial intermediaries in international and domestic capital markets transactions and has special expertise in international debt and equity offerings for both domestic and foreign issuers, project financing in the capital markets, sovereign offerings, financings for banks and other financial institutions, public utility financing and asset-backed securities financing.
“Milbank’s capital markets practice has an excellent reputation for advising on the most innovative, high profile and complex deals in the region and I look forward to harnessing the firm’s strong US and global platform and contributing to the firm’s continued success,” said Mr. Tao.
Mr. Tao joins Milbank from Allen & Overy LLP, where he was a partner. He received his LL.M. from The University of Chicago Law School in 2006 and was admitted to the New York Bar in 2007. He was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 2012 and passed the bar exam in the People’s Republic of China in 2004. Alex is a native speaker of Mandarin and Shanghainese and is fluent in English.
Milbank was the first US firm to open an office in Hong Kong and Asia continues to be a strategically important region for Milbank for almost a century. The firm covers the region through five active and integrated offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo. With an emphasis on cross-border transactions, Milbank advises its clients across a wide variety of financing transactions, including project, leveraged and acquisition finance, financial restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity capital markets and transportation finance. Team members have deep ties to the region, where each of Milbank’s Asia-based partners have been based for over a decade. The firm’s expertise and lawyers working in the region are regularly recognized by leading industry publications, including Chambers, Legal 500 and IFLR. The firm consistently receives awards from leading publications, including Asian-Counsel, Asian Legal Business, China Business Law Journal, China Law & Practice, Finance Asia, IJ Global, Project Finance International and International Project Finance.
