Senior securities and capital markets partner W. Clayton Johnson will be leaving Cravath, Swaine & Moore to join international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton as a partner this month.
Johnson is being brought on board to work on transactions for clients throughout Asia and to develop the firm’s China practice. He will work with Cleary Gottlieb partner Filip Moerman, who is based in Hong Kong and whose practice focuses on private equity investments, joint ventures and project finance. Johnson will initially divide his time between Hong Kong and the firm’s Beijing office, which is expected to open early next year.
From 1994 to 2003, Johnson was based in Hong Kong, where he helped establish Cravath’s office. He developed a capital markets practice in Asia, representing investment banks in securities offerings.
Before moving to Hong Kong, he spent six years as an M&A partner in Cravath’s New York office.
