K&L Gates Expands Corporate Offerings With the Addition of Two Partners in Brisbane

Brisbane – Global law firm K&L Gates has continued its expansion in Australia, welcoming Khilen Devani and Carl Hinze as partners and their team to the firm's Corporate practice. Devani and Hinze join the firm’s Brisbane office from Holding Redlich where Devani was a partner and Hinze headed the firm's China practice. 

K&L Gates' Regional Managing Partner, Australia, Jason Opperman stated: "We are excited to welcome Carl and Khilen to our Brisbane office, which continues the expansion of our M&A and Capital Markets offerings, furthering our 2024 growth strategy in Australia. Both Carl and Khilen (and their incoming team) bring significant sector experience, and the international nature of their practice aligns perfectly with our global platform and the growing needs of our clients."

Devani focuses on public and private M&A, complex joint venture arrangements, capital raising, and corporate governance matters. He regularly advises clients on Corporations Act and ASX Listing requirements and plays a pivotal role in complex transaction strategy and structuring, the management of due diligence, and the negotiation of transaction documents. He is a trusted advisor to his clients, providing practical and outcome-focused advice, and a trusted mentor to his team as a passionate advocate for the development of junior lawyers.

For the past two decades, Hinze has represented a variety of clients in foreign investment, cross-border corporate transactions, and complex alliance arrangements. Hinze previously worked in law and investment banking in China and has successfully advised clients in multijurisdictional international arbitrations across Asia within the energy, manufacturing, resources and construction and engineering sectors. Hinze speaks, reads, and writes Mandarin and is a leader in the field of Chinese business culture. A skilled negotiator, he regularly advises leaders of public and private companies on governance issues. 

“Khilen and Carl are highly accomplished and well-credentialed Corporate lawyers with an exceptionally strong client following," commented Chris Nikou, practice area leader of the firm's Corporate practice. "They each bring with them unique skills and extensive international experience to service our growing client base in transactional M&A and Capital Raising. They are a tremendous asset, and we are thrilled to have them and their team join us." 

Devani and Hinze will join with their team, comprising senior associate, Julie Ubbesen, and lawyer, Mitchell Riggs. They are the latest partners to join K&L Gates in Australia over the past six months following the arrival of Real Estate partner Justin O'Callaghan and Finance partner Claudine Salameh, with the number of Australian partners rising to 76.

K&L Gates’ Corporate practice is one of the most substantial in the legal industry, with more than 500 lawyers in offices on five continents assisting clients in the structuring, financing, and completion of domestic, international, and cross-border transactions. The group serves as counsel to a broad array of Global 500, Fortune 100, FTSE 100 corporations, privately held and venture-backed companies, partnerships, private equity firms, other investment funds, management groups, and entrepreneurs.