O'Melveny & Myers lures Berney to Asia

Kurt Berney has been appointed as a partner in the Asia Practice of O'Melveny & Myers, focusing his efforts on the China region. Berney will be based in Shanghai and joins an office of 35.

His departure from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati follows a similar move in 2003 when Carmen Chang left the Palo Alto-based firm's China-related operations for a rival firm. At Wilson Sonsini, Berney represented technology companies in mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings, and venture capital transactions.

Prior to this he practiced with Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York and Hong Kong over a nine-year stretch.

Aside from being a member of the state bar of New York, California and the American Bar Association, Berney is also a certified public accountant.