Heller Ehrman promotes Palmer

Recent Hong Kong arrival Jonathan Palmer has been made the new managing shareholder for Heller Ehrman LLP's Asia practice. Palmer arrived in the Territory in March and takes over the reins from Richard Cassin, who will be returning to Heller Ehrman's Singapore offices to grow that market.

Palmer, who relocated from the firm's Seattle offices, focuses his practice on business dispute resolution and litigation. Under this practice, he has focused on antitrust and commercial litigation, while of the dispute resolution side Palmer's practice has included consumer class actions, insurance coverage, securities, environmental and trust litigation. His experience has also consisted of real estate, construction, licensing, trade secret and other complex business disputes.

The change at the top comes as Heller Ehrman has hit the expansion button in recent times. Along with Palmer's relocation to Asia, the firm also snagged Yang Ing Loong to lead the firm's ADR practice in Beijing, which opened in March 2004. These moves followed the August 2004 announcement that 10 attorneys from Denton Wilde Sapte would join the Hong Kong office.