Stephenson Harwood and DLA Piper agree transfer of Bangkok office
International firm to take on DLA Piper’s Bangkok office, as part of the continued development of its Asian platform.
Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP is expanding its Asia footprint with the launch of an office in Thailand, via the acquisition of DLA Piper’s Bangkok office. It will be the firm’s 12th office.
The 40+ strong team, including four partners, strengthens the firm’s ability to support clients with interests in Thailand and the wider Southeast Asia region, offering comprehensive advice on both domestic and cross border matters.
The Bangkok team advises Thai and international clients on a broad range of debt restructuring, corporate M&A, finance and project transactions, employment, real estate and disputes matters. The team will become part of Stephenson Harwood’s Asia network, which currently includes offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul.
Eifion Morris, Chief Executive of Stephenson Harwood, said:
“Thailand is an important market within Southeast Asia, and the addition of the Bangkok team complements our existing offices in the region. The team brings local market specialism and experience that will support our clients where they require advice in Thailand, and on cross-border matters where we can draw on the strength of our offices across Asia and our international network. This move marks an important step in Stephenson Harwood’s growth strategy and its continued focus on being a leading firm across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.”
Jean Pierre Douglas-Henry, DLA Piper’s Managing Director, Asia Pacific, added:
“Our colleagues in Bangkok have made an important contribution to DLA Piper over many years. We believe this transition provides them with a great opportunity to continue developing their practice with Stephenson Harwood, while also providing continuity for our clients and colleagues. We thank them for their commitment to the firm and our clients, and we look forward to working together in the future.”
Waranon Vanichprapa, Country Managing Partner of DLA Piper Thailand, and future Bangkok Managing Partner of Stephenson Harwood, said:
“We are delighted to be joining Stephenson Harwood and embarking on a new chapter for our clients, our people, and our business and this is the first time in Thailand that a transaction of this nature has taken place. We have built one of Thailand’s leading international legal practices over the past 23 years, and we are confident that this move will enable us to develop our team and continue to deliver great value for our clients. We will continue to work closely with DLA Piper on their Thailand matters”
The four-partner team includes:
Waranon (“Warren”) Vanichprapa, has nearly 30 years of experience in Thailand, London, Singapore and Hong Kong with a focus on finance and restructuring. He currently serves as the Country Managing Partner of DLA Piper Thailand and Head of its Asia Finance practice group.
Thananan Sangnuan is a Corporate Partner in the Bangkok office. She has spent more than twenty-five years in Thai legal practice, beginning her career at Baker McKenzie Thailand in April 1998, where she was promoted to Partner in July 2011. After nearly twenty-five years with Baker McKenzie — including almost twelve years as a Partner — she joined DLA Piper as a Partner in March 2023.
Komson Suntheeraporn is experienced in all aspects of commercial dispute resolution, banking litigation, contentious employment, consumer protection, trade competition, restructuring and insolvency, and has assisted clients in complex disputed matters in arbitration and court proceedings for more than 25 years.
Santipap (“Peace”) Dumprapai leads on White-Collar Crime Investigation, Compliance and Crisis Management matters relating to Thailand, Southeast Asia and beyond. He has expertise in dealing with matters in the Consumer Goods, Food and Retail sector — particularly in Product Liability, Recall and Stewardship — and for Financial Services / Investment / M&A Disputes and Regulatory.
