Enhancing Singapore's CRS squad with a pair of lawyers specializing in disputes from Mishcon, a well-known law firm.
Charles Russell Speechlys, a leading international law firm with offices in the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Asia, has bolstered its Singapore office by recruiting two experienced partners, Henry Winter and Gavin Margetson. The appointments are part of a strategic expansion aimed at growing the firm's disputes capabilities in the region, particularly in Southeast Asia.
**Background and Focus Areas:**
Gavin Margetson, with over 25 years of experience in international arbitration and cross-border litigation, brings extensive knowledge of disputes involving countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. He has been based in Southeast Asia since 2014 and previously worked in Tokyo and London. Before joining Charles Russell Speechlys, he was a partner at Mishcon de Reya and held senior roles at Herbert Smith Freehills and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, including leading a regional arbitration hub in Singapore. He is admitted to practice in England, Wales, and also called to the Singapore Bar.
Henry Winter specializes in cross-border dispute resolution, with a focus on international commercial arbitration, investor-state arbitration, litigation, and investigations. He has worked extensively with regulators in the Asia-Pacific region and has represented multinational corporates, foreign investors, and governments in complex disputes. Winter is admitted to practice in New South Wales, Australia, and is a registered foreign lawyer in Singapore.
**Expanding Dispute Resolution Capabilities:**
The recruitment of Winter and Margetson complements Charles Russell Speechlys’ recent establishment of its Singapore office in 2023 and follows other hires aimed at growing the firm’s regional presence. Their expertise particularly enhances the firm’s capacity to handle high-stakes arbitration and litigation matters involving ASEAN countries, thereby strengthening the firm's foothold in the increasingly important commercial dispute market in Asia.
The addition of Henry Winter and Gavin Margetson increases Charles Russell Speechlys' partnership in Singapore to nine. This move aligns with the firm's growth strategy, as stated by Simon Green, partner and head of Asia at CRS. The appointments of Winter and Margetson also mean that Charles Russell Speechlys' Singapore office now has nine partners.
Meanwhile, the departures of Margetson and Winter have left Mishcon's Singapore office with four partners. Another partner, Tun Zaw Mra, was hired earlier this year from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and is also part of Charles Russell Speechlys' Singapore office.
With a combined experience of more than 40 years in the Asia Pacific region, Winter and Margetson's areas of focus closely align with Charles Russell Speechlys’ own areas of focus. Their expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the firm's continued success and growth in Southeast Asia.
In the strategic expansion of Charles Russell Speechlys, the recruitment of Henry Winter and Gavin Margetson, both renowned for their expertise in cross-border dispute resolution and litigation, will bolster the firm's financial growth by strengthening its capabilities in high-stakes arbitration and litigation matters, particularly in Southeast Asia's finance and business sector. This move will undoubtedly improve the firm's competitive standing in the lucrative commercial dispute market within Asia.
