In this annual ranking, we honour the top technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) lawyers across Asia who have powered through the pandemic, continuing to grow their practices at a remarkable pace while adapting to new markets, disruptive technology and ever-changing regulatory regimes.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are essential to businesses for the opportunities they bring, and for the reputational and economic risks that arise from making the wrong decisions. In light of the growing interest and scrutiny in ESG matters from within Japan and abroad, the Japanese government has been pushing a range of measures to implement ESG initiatives.

In its inaugural list, Asian Legal Business introduces the emerging legal practitioners in Thailand’s new era. These practitioners have demonstrated great potential in the industry and have received high praise from their clients. The list is in alphabetical order, and features profiles of select lawyers.

After a slow start to Thailand’s dealmaking scene in 2023, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities are expected to tick up in the second half of the year, with businesses finally taking their feet off the brakes. But lawyers say that companies need to navigate not just tight monetary conditions and heightened geopolitical risks, but also a murky political situation in Thailand. 

Even as dealmaking slowed down in the first half of 2023, the Asian region still recorded a number of notable M&A transactions. In its annual Asia M&A Rankings, ALB spotlights the leading law firms for M&A work, shedding light on the top players driving the region’s most impactful and intricate deals.

The Thai Corporate Counsel Association (THAI-CCA) was launched in June with a mission to rejuvenate Thailand’s in-house community and expand its reach across the region. Sahachai Wibuloutai and Thitiwat Wisarath, co-founders of Thailand’s first corporate counsel association, share their vision for the organisation and how they are planning to tackle future challenges to achieve their goals.

Singapore was pegged by industry experts to become the cryptocurrency capital of the world. In 2021, the crypto market in Singapore grew to $1.48 billion, a ten-fold increase from the previous year, according to KPMG. Singapore lawmakers’ progressive attitude towards digital asset finance invited investors to its shores, setting up a rapidly expanding industry.

India recently passed a wide-ranging data protection law. Lawyers share what companies need to do to keep up.

The role of general counsel at pharmaceutical and healthcare companies has become increasingly complex, particularly with the increased focus on health and wellbeing following the COVID-19 pandemic. GCs today must possess a diverse skill set that stretches far beyond legal expertise, if they are to effectively help their organisations meet legal and regulatory requirements while driving innovation and ensuring the highest standards of patient care. 

South Korea’s major lenders are staring at a fundamental shake-up to their decades-long dominance of the country’s commercial bank sector, following the introduction of new rules. The South Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) said in July that regional banks and financial firms will be allowed to apply for nationwide commercial bank licenses. “The government will proactively consider new approvals if accompanied by sufficient financial resources and feasible business plans,” said Kim Joo-hyun, chairman of the FSC, in front of major financial groups in the country.