International law firm Simmons & Simmons has strengthened its Hong Kong financial markets team, with James Pedley joining the firm as a partner.
International law firm Simmons & Simmons has announced that James Pedley has joined the firm as a partner. James joins the financial markets team as a dedicated securitisation and asset-backed finance specialist covering the Asia region and focusing on the Hong Kong and regional cross-border market. The appointment has boosted the firm’s existing financial markets practice and will further enhance the expertise of their market leading finance practice in the region.
James has over a decade of experience advising banks, asset managers and corporates on securitisation and structured finance matters in the UK and Hong Kong and since 2011 has increasingly focused on Asia-Pacific (APAC) transactions.
Prior to joining Simmons & Simmons, James was a foreign legal consultant at Clifford Chance. After relocating to Hong Kong in 2017, he led the development of their APAC structured debt practice and advised clients including banks, funds and corporates on securitisation and asset-backed finance legal matters.
Jason Valoti, co-head of the firm’s structured products and derivatives group commented: “We are thrilled that James is joining us. As a leading securitisation lawyer in the Hong Kong and the APAC market, James’s arrival provides us with a tremendous opportunity to grow our dedicated securitisation and asset-backed finance practice in Hong Kong and internationally. As our firm continues to progress a sector focused strategy, James will play a crucial role in the further development of services for our financial institution and asset management clients. This will enhance our leading financial markets practice in the region.”
On joining Simmons & Simmons, James Pedley added: “I am very excited to be joining Simmons & Simmons and look forward to working as part of the regional and international teams. There is so much activity and opportunity in the securitisation and asset-backed finance markets right now. Some of the key drivers for this include factors such as contracting bank and asset manager balance sheets, attractive capital markets funding and investors hunting for yield in volatile markets. Governments and regulators are also focusing on the importance of securitisation and asset-backed finance as part of broader policy initiatives, like here in Hong Kong as part of the Greater Bay Area and also in the region to support SMEs and trade. I am pleased to be able to bring my expertise to the team to complement the expanding financial markets practice in the region in supporting our clients.”