April 28, 2021
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that William Hallatt will join the firm’s Hong Kong office. Hallatt, formerly a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, will continue his financial services regulatory practice.
He will be accompanied by an experienced financial services regulatory team comprised of associates Emily Rumble, Becky Chung and Arnold Pun. All three were also formerly with Herbert Smith Freehills.
“Will is a terrific addition to the firm,” said Ken Doran, Chairman and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. “He has built a leading cross-Asia practice as a trusted advisor on financial services regulatory issues, and his deep experience, strong relationships and market knowledge will integrate seamlessly with our leading global regulatory enforcement platform.”
“We’re excited that Will is joining our Hong Kong team,” said Kelly S. Austin, Partner in Charge of the Hong Kong Office. “With Will’s regulatory investigations and advisory expertise, we will offer a market-leading, full-service financial services regulatory offering in the Asia-Pacific region that will closely link to our premier global platform in the U.S. and Europe. The addition of this team further builds on the expansion of our litigation, investigations, and compliance practices in Asia over the last several years.”
About William Hallatt
Based in Hong Kong and covering the broader Asia Pacific region, Hallatt provides comprehensive contentious and advisory regulatory support for the world’s leading financial institutions. His clients include major investment banks, wholesale and retail banks, hedge funds, private wealth managers, investment managers and fintech start-ups.
He has extensive experience in handling both internal and external regulatory investigations, in particular high-stakes enforcement matters brought by key financial services regulators, including the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), covering issues such as IPO sponsor conduct, anti-money laundering and terrorist financing compliance, systems and controls failures, and cybersecurity breaches. He routinely advises on new regulatory developments, compliance advisory matters, fintech, and culture and conduct issues, as well as the extraterritorial impact of third-country regulation, such as MiFID II and the EU Benchmark Regulation, on financial services firms operating in Asia. He has also led the industry response on a number of the most significant regulatory reform issues in recent years, working closely with both senior figures from the regulators and leading industry associations, such as Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA).
Before joining Gibson Dunn, Hallatt served as a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, where he was head of the firm’s Financial Services Regulatory practice in Asia. He began his legal career at Linklaters.
Hallatt received his law degree from the University of Leeds in 2001. He is admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and as a Solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong.
About Emily Rumble
Rumble focuses on advising international financial institutions on a wide range of contentious
and non-contentious regulatory issues, including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, licensing and market misconduct, and the implementation of senior management accountability regimes. Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills in 2014, she was an associate to Judge Annabelle Bennett in the Federal Court of Australia. She received first class honors degrees in Law and History from the University of New South Wales, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University, and a Bachelor of Civil Law with distinction from the University of Oxford. She is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and New South Wales, Australia.
About Becky Chung
Chung’s practice focuses on both contentious and non-contentious regulatory matters, including in relation to cross-border investigations and market misconduct, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, and regulatory and compliance issues affecting financial institutions in Hong Kong, such as the potential impact arising from the National Security Law. Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills in 2018, she practiced at Linklaters. Chung began her career in the Enforcement Division of the SFC in 2008, and after qualifying as a solicitor she joined the Legal Services Division and became Assistant Counsel. Chung received a law degree from Kings College London and a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the City University of Hong Kong. She is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong.
About Arnold Pun
Pun advises financial institutions on a broad range of complex contentious and non-contentious regulatory matters, including in relation to SFC and HKMA investigations involving market misconduct, mis-selling of investment products, IPO sponsor conduct and systems and controls failures. He also advises clients on fintech and virtual asset regulations, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, financial services licensing, and other regulatory matters. Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills in 2018, he practiced at King & Wood Mallesons. Pun graduated from The London School of Economics and Political Science with a first class honors degree in Economics, he received a J.D. with first class honors from The University of Hong Kong where he graduated top of the class, and he received a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from The University of Hong Kong. He is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong.