Goodwin Procter has hired Douglas Freeman and Victor Chen as partners in the firm’s international private equity practice in Hong Kong from Paul Hastings.

Both advise on M&A and going-private transactions involving private equity firms. At Paul Hastings, the duo represented China Media Capital and FountainVest Partners on their share sale in IMAX China’s IPO in Hong Kong, as well as Fangdd.com’s $223 Series C round of financing.

Freeman and Chen joined Paul Hastings together in 2015 from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson – where Freeman was its Asia head – as the firm closed its Hong Kong and Shanghai offices. The pair also worked together at O'Melveny & Myers.

“Doug and Victor are outstanding lawyers who are joining our platform at a time when we are seeing increasing client demand for local, cross-border, in- and out-bound support on Asia transactions as well as interest from investors seeking more specialized sector experience,” said Yash Rana, chair of Goodwin’s Hong Kong office, in a statement.

Goodwin’s Hong Kong office opened almost a decade ago and is the Boston-based firm’s only office in Asia. The office focuses on private equity and venture capital companies that are forming funds and investing in Asian companies, especially in China and India, and currently has 14 lawyers, including five partners.

Last year, Goodwin lost several partners in Hong Kong, including Jay Chiu to K&L Gates, Christopher Yu to local firm Howse Williams Bowers, and Andrew Yang to Addleshaw Goddard.