Former Shearman & Sterling Asia managing partner Matthew Bersani has left private practice after three decades to become a legal recruiter and consultant, spurred by major changes and challenges he anticipates for the legal industry—particularly foreign firms in Asia.

Bersani has joined Hong Kong-based legal recruitment firm Asia Search Partners, which was co-founded in 2007 by his wife, Molly Cliff. The couple plans to launch a New York-based recruitment and consultancy firm dubbed Cliff Group.