Loeb & Loeb (Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM)

Loeb & Loeb has expanded its Hong Kong-based trusts and estates practice with a four-lawyer team.

The group, led by partners Erik Wallace and Laurence Ho, joins from Stephenson Harwood’s Hong Kong office where they advised high net worth individuals and families on tax, trust and estate planning matters. The team also includes associates Sarah Lai and Letao Tao; Wallace, Ho and Tao are all U.S.-qualified.

Wallace, Ho and Lai all joined Stephenson Harwood from Withers whereas Tao joined after earning an LL.M. from New York University. Wallace had been a partner with Withers for 13 years before joining Stephenson Harwood in 2016 to launch a U.S. private client practice for the U.K. firm. He practiced with Milbank earlier in his career.

Ho, who specializes U.S. tax law, became a partner with Withers in 2016 and joined Wallace at Stephenson Harwood the following year.

The team will work closely with Loeb’s U.S. trusts and estates team. New York partner and  trusts and estates co-chair Bruce Wexler said Wallace’s team will help strengthen the practice’s international capabilities.

The group’s departure from Stephenson Harwood’s Hong Kong office after the firm said it will overhaul its practices in the city and focus on litigation, mergers and acquisitions and asset finance. In May, Hong Kong-based restructuring and insolvency partner Jamie Stranger became the firm’s new head of Greater China, replacing longtime predecessor Voon Keat Lai.

Related Stories:

Stephenson Harwood Closes Beijing Office, Revamps Hong Kong Strategy

Law Firms Turn to Cost-Cutting in Hong Kong’s Challenging Market