TMT lawyer Amita Haylock arrives from Mayer Brown to take up post at the helm of the firm’s Asia technology and IP practice.
Stephenson Harwood has hired Amita Haylock as partner and head of its Asia-based technology and intellectual property (IP) practice, effective 1 October.
Haylock, who arrives from Mayer Brown, will split her time between the firm’s Hong Kong and Singapore offices. She brings almost two decades’ experience in intellectual property, competition, and technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) law, with a practice focused on complex multidisciplinary issues spanning commercial regulation, strategy and dispute resolution.
In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Haylock said she looks forward to “continuing to help clients navigate the rapidly evolving technology landscape and build on Stephenson Harwood’s well-established platform across Asia, the Middle East and Europe”.
Haylock joined Mayer Brown as a senior associate in 2016 after three years at Bird & Bird. She quickly climbed the ranks, making partner in 2020 following a 2018 counsel promotion.
Stephenson Harwood global IP, technology and data head Dan Holland said Haylock’s “valuable combination of skills” will serve to differentiate the firm’s services “in a highly competitive Asia market”.
“Amita is one of the leading TMT lawyers in Asia and we are very pleased that she will be joining us to lead and grow our practice there, in line with our regional and global strategy,” Holland continued. “As well as IP, technology and data matters, Amita is able to advise on regulation and competition law, strengthening our ability to advise our clients on their most complex IP, technology and data challenges.”
Holland added that Haylock’s fintech experience will “be of huge benefit” as the firm seeks to “match [its] clients’ investments in the growing intersection of technology and finance”.
The news comes amid rumours that Stephenson Harwood is in the early stages of merger talks with European law firm Taylor Wessing, which split from its UK arm earlier this year.