1 March, 2016
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP announced today that Chi T. Steve Kwok, former resident legal adviser for the U.S. Department of Justice at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, has joined the firm as a partner in the Hong Kong office. Mr. Kwok’s practice will focus on internal investigations, U.S. regulatory enforcement matters, and trial and appellate litigation in U.S. federal and state courts.
As the U.S. Department of Justice’s attaché in China from November 2013 to January 2016, Mr. Kwok represented the U.S. in discussions with Chinese law enforcement authorities on criminal matters, particularly corruption, money laundering and fraud cases pursued by criminal authorities in the U.S. or China. He has lectured on cross-border joint investigations and American criminal procedure before Chinese officials and defense attorneys, including at the National Judges’ College, the National Prosecutors’ College, the People’s Public Security University of China and numerous Chinese lawyers’ associations. Mr. Kwok was awarded the U.S. State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award in 2015 for his work advancing “rule of law, civil society, and good governance in the People’s Republic of China.”
From 2007 to 2013, Mr. Kwok served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he tried numerous felony cases to verdict and argued many appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. As a member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, Mr. Kwok investigated and successfully prosecuted a wide variety of securities, commodities and other investment fraud schemes. During his time in the Organized Crime Unit, Mr. Kwok secured racketeering convictions against organized crime leaders and corrupt union officials.
“Steve Kwok's extensive experience as a U.S. government official based in China will be a valuable asset to our clients doing business throughout Asia," said David M. Zornow, global head of Skadden's Litigation/Controversy practices. "Bringing in Steve — who will work alongside Hong Kong partner Brad Klein — underscores Skadden’s ongoing commitment to serving clients in their most challenging global cross-border investigations and complex litigation.”
"We are delighted to welcome Steve to Skadden," said Michael Gisser, leader of the firm’s Asia Pacific practice. "Investigations, regulatory issues and U.S. litigation are of growing concern for our clients across the Asia Pacific region, and Steve is well poised to help them navigate these issues.”
“Skadden uniquely combines top-notch litigation and investigations capabilities with a long and distinguished track record in Asia and a deep bench of talented attorneys committed to the region,” said Mr. Kwok. “I am thrilled to be joining a firm that provides such a perfect fit for my practice, which will focus on helping multinational companies respond to complex cross-border litigation and regulatory challenges.”
Mr. Kwok graduated summa cum laude in 1999 from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and in 2002 from Yale Law School, where he was executive editor of the Yale Law Journal. He served as a law clerk to the Hon. Anthony M. Kennedy, U.S. Supreme Court (2003-04) and to the Hon. Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2002-03).
Born in Hong Kong, Mr. Kwok reads and writes Chinese and speaks fluent Mandarin and Cantonese.
