Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has hired Kirkland & Ellis funds partner Michelle Cheh in Hong Kong. Cheh advises on the forming and structuring of private investment funds across asset classes, including private equity, private credit and real estate. Earlier this year, Cheh represented Multiples Alternate Asset Management on the completion of its inaugural multi-asset continuation fund to continue its partnership with Vastu, APAC and Quantiphi. Last year she acted for GLP Capital Partners Limited on the sale of its international business and certain of its affiliates to Ares Management Corporation for $3.7 billion. “As Asia continues to see rising demand for sophisticated fund structures and increasingly complex fund-related transactions, Michelle’s dual expertise in fund formation and secondary transactions bolsters our ability to meet rising demands from clients in these areas,” said Adam Furber, co-head of Simpson Thacher’s Asia offices and head of the firm’s Asia investment funds practice, in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with her as we continue to scale in Hong Kong and across the globe.” Cheh joined Kirkland in 2015 and made partner in 2019. She was previously a lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills. She is the second partner to join Simpson Thacher in Hong Kong this year. In May, the firm hired former Dechert restructuring practice partner Daniel Margulies . Last month, however, the firm’s long serving capital markets partner Majory Ding , who has worked at the U.S. firm since 2011, moved on to join Chinese practice Zhong Lun Law Firm. With Cheh on board, Simpson Thacher will now count about 60 lawyers in the city, 15 of whom are partners. Three of those partners including Cheh focus on representing investment fund clients on the formation and structuring of funds. “Asia is central to the future growth of global funds and our continued investment in the region reflects its importance to our clients and our practice,” said Lauren King,co-lead of Simpson Thacher’s fund transactions practice, in a statement. “Michelle’s experience in the secondaries market adds exciting depth to our bench in Asia and enhances our ability to deliver strategic, forward-looking solutions to clients in a rapidly evolving market.” Cheh’s departure from Kirkland has been reported earlier by Law.com International. Kirkland has had almost two dozen partner leave its Asia practice in less than 18 months.