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 Asia 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 its 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. Since 2011 he has increasingly focused on Asia-Pacific transactions.
Before joining Simmons, James was a foreign legal consultant at Clifford Chance. After relocating to Hong Kong in 2017, he led the development of its 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 Hong Kong and APAC, James’ arrival provides us with a tremendous opportunity to grow our securitisation and asset-backed finance practice in Hong Kong, and internationally. As our firm continues to focus on key sectors, James will play a crucial role in developing services for our financial institution and asset management clients. This will enhance our leading financial markets practice in the region.”
On joining, James added: “I am very excited to be joining Simmons and look forward to working with the regional and international teams. There is so much activity and opportunity in the securitisation and asset-backed finance markets right now driven by several factors. Governments and regulators are also focusing on the importance of securitisation and asset-backed finance as part of broader policy initiatives. I am pleased to be able to bring my expertise to the team to complement the expanding financial markets practice in the region.”