Capital Markets: International Firms | Asia-Pacific

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton hosts a market-leading capital markets practice which remains consistently at the forefront of capital markets transactions in South Korea. The firm is well versed in representing Korean issuers in substantial debt and equity offerings, it also acts for major underwriters and arrangers. It is active on high-profile IPOs and a range of debt issuances, including green notes and convertible bonds. The law firm possesses expertise across foreign jurisdictions, with several partners being members of the New York Bar, and houses a number of native Korean-speaking US lawyers. LG Chem, Korea National Oil, The Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) and the Republic of Korea are among Cleary Gottlieb's notable clients.

Linklaters is home to an impressive capital markets department able to provide an integrated US and UK legal offering, allowing it to serve its wide-ranging client base which includes multinational banks as well as other financial service providers. The firm acts across a diverse range of issuances, with particular strength in debt offerings and hybrid products such as convertible, exchangeable and covered bonds. It is additionally known for expertise in US securities law compliance issues, and is well versed in advising on Regulation S and Rule 144A offerings. Linklaters' clients include HSBC, Merrill Lynch International and J.P. Morgan Securities.

The Paul Hastings capital markets team specialises in equity-related matters, with key areas of focus including high-value IPOs and GDR offerings. It also handles block sale transactions for international investment banks and US-registered offerings for Korean clients. The team possesses a growing list of issuer-side clients alongside a traditionally strong roster of underwriters such as UBS, HSBC and Goldman Sachs.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett boasts a respected team with a long track record of handling all types of private and public securities transactions. The firm represents multinational Korean corporations, banks and financial institutions, including major Korean issuers and international underwriters. It is known for its expertise as underwriters' counsel on major IPOs, and also handles a range of debt work, including note issuances and GMTN programme updates. Its key clients include BNP Parbibas, Citigroup Global Markets and Morgan Stanley.