Asia PR News

HONG KONG and CHICAGO, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM), a leading Asian law firm, and Mayer Brown
LLP, a leading global law firm, have agreed to combine as of January 28, 2008.
The combined firm will provide a global service to clients through seven
offices in Asia, six in Europe and eight in the Americas, including a recently
opened office in Brazil.

"This is a truly transformational event that makes Mayer Brown unique
among global law firms," said Chairman James D. Holzhauer. "Our combination is
an ideal strategic fit and offers enhanced global service to our multinational
clients. JSM is the unquestioned leader among law firms in Asia, and the
combination extends our capabilities geographically and broadens our exposure
to the fastest growing economies in the world. The combined firm will have
more than 1,000 lawyers in the United States, 500 in Europe and 300 in Asia."

Mayer Brown is a leading international law firm with over 1,500 lawyers
and offices in seven U.S. cities (Chicago, Charlotte, Houston, Los Angeles,
New York, Palo Alto and Washington, D.C.), six European cities (Berlin,
Brussels, Cologne, Frankfurt, London and Paris), Hong Kong and Sao Paulo.
Mayer Brown clients include global industry leaders, a significant number of
the Fortune 100, FTSE 100 and DAX companies, and more than half of the world’s
largest investment banks. It is particularly renowned for its Supreme Court
and appellate, litigation, corporate and securities, and finance practices.

Elaine Lo, Chairman of the Partnership Board of JSM, said, "Not only is
the combination a good business fit, it brings together two law firms that are
highly compatible in philosophy and culture. Like JSM, Mayer Brown has a
business-minded, results-oriented approach to solving complex legal issues for
clients. And we enjoy a diversity of personal histories, cultures and
experiences, all of which contribute to the work we do with our clients. We
considered teaming with other law firms, but we viewed the Mayer Brown
opportunity as the perfect match. Our clients’ needs are increasingly
international in nature and we are now able to offer them a unique global
platform."

JSM is one of the oldest and largest law firms in Asia. It was established
in 1863 in Hong Kong and has full-service offices in Hong Kong, mainland China
(Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai), Thailand (Bangkok) and Vietnam (Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City). The firm has a multinational, multilingual team of 800
staff, including more than 260 lawyers who are qualified in local and
international jurisdictions. JSM has been named Hong Kong Law Firm of the Year
for the past eight years (2000-2007) by various leading legal publications,
including International Financial Law Review, Asian Legal Business and Who’s
Who Legal. JSM is also one of the top three foreign law firms in Thailand and
Vietnam.

Mayer Brown Vice Chairman Paul Maher said, "Further evidence of the
strategic fit is that our respective client bases are very complementary, with
few conflicts. We believe this gives the new organization significant
potential to develop these relationships, elevating Mayer Brown to an elite
international law firm. I do not believe many other law firms can equal our
record of success in completing and integrating international mergers and our
combined strength in the world’s three leading legal markets: the U.S., Europe
and Asia."

The combined firm will continue to be known as Mayer Brown outside of
Asia. In Asia, it will be known as Mayer Brown JSM. The Asian offices will be
managed by an Asia Board with Elaine Lo serving as Chairman of the Asia Board.

For more information, please contact:
Connie Yu
Johnson Stokes & Master
Tel: (852) 2843 2211
Email: connie.yu@jsm.com

Mayer Brown is a combination of two limited liability partnerships, one
named Mayer Brown LLP, established in Illinois, USA, and one named Mayer Brown
International LLP, incorporated in England and Wales.

SOURCE Johnson Stokes & Master; Mayer Brown LLP

/CONTACT: Connie Yu of Johnson Stokes & Master, (852) 2843 2211,
connie.yu@jsm.com/