This inaugural ranking spotlights the top 15 lawyers across Asia who have outshone their peers in the field of private wealth, with impressive lists of clients among HNWIs, family offices and more.

Despite increased market volatility, the Asian region continues to see growth in terms of the number of wealthy individuals. According to Knight Frank, as the centre of gravity of the global economy shifts towards the East, the billionaire population of APAC will rise quicker than its counterparts elsewhere at 36.7 percent during the next half of a decade. By 2026, the region is projected to overtake Europe as the world’s second-largest wealth hub after the U.S., with more than a third of the world’s billionaires.

Unsurprisingly, top wealth management players including private banks, trust companies, family offices and ancillary service providers such as legal and tax advisors, have all been expanding their footprint in the region.

ALB has thus launched this ranking to spotlight the top legal professionals who have worked closely with high-net-worth individuals and families in the region and beyond in the matters of designing, planning and implementing investment strategies, succession planning, foundation establishment and administration, risk parameters monitoring, and assisting in the pursuit of responsible investment and philanthropic endeavours.

Ranking research has been conducted based on factors and considerations of significant private wealth-related work handled by the lawyer in their entire career, significant private wealth-related work handled by the lawyer in the past 18 months, clients that the lawyer has advised, new client wins in the last 18 months, and significant accolades and third-party awards and recognition received, as well as client recommendations. The lawyers have been chosen on the basis of the complexity, breadth and significance of their work.