RollOnFriday can reveal that Allens Arthur Robinson
has refused to deny rumours that its Bangkok and Phnom Penh offices will be closing by the end of the year. So, we'll assume that's a confirmation then.
This decision can't have been easy as Allens has been on the ground in Bangkok (in association with local powerhouse Siam Premier International Law Office) for nearly 13 years. And it's been in Phnom Penh in its own right for more than ten. However, it seems likely that the closures, first rumoured on legal website Firm Spy this week, won't represent a withdrawal from Asia - rather, a re-focussing of resources on Singapore, as many of its competitors have been doing.
Although there is speculation that the offices will turn away new work from November, the firm's website still indicates that the two offices remain going concerns - just. Each lists a Singapore-based partner as the main point of contact for the office - and in the case of Phnom Penh as the only point of contact.
Tip Off ROF
This decision can't have been easy as Allens has been on the ground in Bangkok (in association with local powerhouse Siam Premier International Law Office) for nearly 13 years. And it's been in Phnom Penh in its own right for more than ten. However, it seems likely that the closures, first rumoured on legal website Firm Spy this week, won't represent a withdrawal from Asia - rather, a re-focussing of resources on Singapore, as many of its competitors have been doing.
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The future greeting for Allens' Thai and Cambodian clients |
Although there is speculation that the offices will turn away new work from November, the firm's website still indicates that the two offices remain going concerns - just. Each lists a Singapore-based partner as the main point of contact for the office - and in the case of Phnom Penh as the only point of contact.