South Australian commercial law practice DMAW Lawyers has appointed a new special counsel, Yumin Liu, to its line-up.
After spending 15 years practising across numerous jurisdictions (Hong Kong, the UK, China, and the US), Yumin Liu has joined Adelaide-based firm DMAW Lawyers in its transactions team as special counsel.
Liu, a former associate at white shoe law firms Paul Weiss and Freshfields, joined the firm’s transaction team led by Matthew Fisher, who was appointed to the helm of the team late last year, as reported by Lawyers Weekly.
Her experience covers a wide range of industries, the firm said in a statement, including residential and commercial real estate, hotels and hospitality, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, mining and renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, media and entertainment, information technology and e-platforms, telecommunications, retail and consumer goods, food, dairy and agriculture, insurance and financial services.
She recently ended her eight-year tenure as legal principal director for Australia and New Zealand at Fosun International Limited.
According to the firm, Liu provided strategic advice to senior management and worked closely with the company’s functional teams to oversee investments and operations in Australia and New Zealand, while also supporting Fosun’s corporate governance and other global investments.
The CEO of DMAW Lawyers, Bernice Witkowski, said: “Yumin’s business network will offer great value to the firm and its clients.”
Witkowski spoke about the role that their growing practice can play to support international businesses looking for investment opportunities in Australia and South Australia.
She added: “Her broad experience, exposure to company management and investment strategies, and deep insight into the APAC regulatory environment mean she is exceptionally positioned to provide senior leaders and boards with trusted legal advice that is well-informed, pragmatic, and client-focused.”
Liu was admitted in Hong Kong, England and Wales, New York, and South Australia. This broad understanding of commercial law in a variety of global contexts is the reason the CEO of DMAW Lawyers said she is “exceptionally positioned to provide senior leaders and boards with trusted legal advice that is well-informed, pragmatic, and client-focused”.
According to the firm, Liu brings a valuable understanding of the Asia-Pacific regulatory landscape as well as “cross border M&A and private equity transactions, debt capital market, and equity capital market deals”.
Liu said her international experience has given her a unique perspective into “business strategy, long-term investments and decision-making, media and geopolitical factors”, adding that through this, she can “better understand the landscapes and complexities many clients are facing in today’s business environment”.
“From very early interactions with the team, I knew the firm was committed to delivering innovative and effective legal solutions, while maintaining a down-to-earth collegial environment.”
DMAW Lawyers’ newest addition expressed that she was drawn to the team because of their strength in core practice areas.
She hopes that her “international network will enable DMAW Lawyers’ existing and future clients not only manage risk but also capitalise on opportunities with greater confidence and stay at the forefront of their industries.”
This move came after DMAW Lawyer’s recent acquisition of new disputes principal, Patrick Kerin, as reported by Lawyers Weekly earlier this year.
