Reed Smith is to lose 15 lawyers in Hong Kong as part of a 50-strong team leaving to join a trio of ex-former partners at newly formed firm Howse Williams Bowers (HWB).

The team, which includes 35 members support staff, will reunite with Reed Smith’s former co-head of professional indemnity Chris Howse, insurance litigation partner Kevin Bowers and corporate partner Chris Williams, who all quit in December to form HWB.