International firm HFW has defied fears over the stability of Hong Kong’s legal system, pledging its ‘deep commitment’ to the greater Chinese market and recruiting nine lawyers to its Hong Kong office.

As part of its expansion in Asia, HFW has poached a nine-lawyer corporate finance team – including a partner, two barristers and a senior associate – for its Hong Kong office from US law firm Locke Lord. The team joins partner Wing Cheung who joined HFW from Locke Lord earlier this month.

Patrick Yeung, head of the Hong Kong office, said: ‘Our continued investment demonstrates our confidence in, and long-standing commitment to, the Greater Chinese market. We’ve had an office here for more than four decades and have ambitious plans for the future.

’The fact we are continuing to strengthen and expand our practice in greater China illustrates our confidence in the market. Wing already has a strong pipeline of corporate finance matters, including several potential IPOs. …We remain deeply committed to the region.’

HFW has operated in what it calls Greater China – encompassing mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and the island of Taiwan – for more than 40 years and was one of the first international firms to open an office in the region.

Protests in Hong Kong have continued this week. Last week, in the wake of China’s attack on a Hong Kong court ruling, the Law Society of Hong Kong warned that ‘nothing should be said or done that will undermine judicial independence and the rule of law’.