Recently, Sidley Austin announced that James Comber has joined the firm's Hong Kong office as a partner.

James Comber has extensive experience in commercial, regulatory, and financial disputes, with a practice spanning shareholder disputes, complex contractual claims, insolvency proceedings, and tax litigation. He has represented numerous major financial institutions, asset managers, and brokerages in investigations conducted by regulatory and enforcement authorities, including the Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police.

Prior to joining Sidley Austin, Comber spent more than a decade at Ashurst, where he was promoted to partner in 2016. Earlier in his career, he practised at Russell McVeagh and Allen & Overy, and also served with New Zealand Inland Revenue Department.

Comber's departure marks the second recent partner exit from Ashurst since the firm announced its planned merger with Perkins Coie. Earlier this year, Eric Tan, formerly a banking and finance partner in Ashurst's Hong Kong office, joined Hogan Lovells' Singapore office in May.