Partner Michelle Taylor joins Stephenson Harwood

Law firm Stephenson Harwood has strengthened its Finance practice in Asia with the arrival of partner Michelle Taylor, who joins the firm in Hong Kong with her team, including David Law, Of Counsel.

Michelle is a structured finance and securitisation specialist with more than 30 years of experience advising clients on complex cross-border financings in Asia-Pacific and Europe. She advises on a broad range of asset-backed and receivables debt capital markets transactions, including securitisation, structured bonds, complex security packages, development bank financings, credit derivatives, trade and real estate finance and cross-border tax-driven structures.

Michelle has particular expertise in cross-border securitisation techniques, including future receivables financing for airlines and shipping companies. She and her team are well known for their securitisation of Korean assets, where Michelle structured some of the first securitisation deals. Michelle joins the firm from TN Partners (a PwC network law firm in Hong Kong), where she was Managing Partner.

Alongside her fee-earning work, Michelle has held key industry and policy roles, and was a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Securitisation Association. She is active in legal innovation, speaking on AI in law and collaborating with universities on related programmes.

“We’re seeing strong growth in structured finance markets both in Hong Kong and throughout Asia,” said Evangeline Quek, Stephenson Harwood’s Greater China Managing Partner. “Alongside the recent arrivals of corporate and IPO specialists Sammy Li and Samson Suen, Michelle’s market-leading expertise and collaborative style will enhance our finance capability, as we continue to deliver comprehensive, high-quality finance support to our clients in Hong Kong and Asia.”

“Michelle’s extensive experience in structured finance and securitisation, particularly in the transportation, private capital, and technology sectors, aligns with the firm’s areas of focus, and adds bench strength to our finance practice in Asia,” said James Linforth, Head of Finance at Stephenson Harwood. “As clients across the region seek sophisticated solutions for complex financings and new funding models, Michelle’s expertise will be invaluable.”

Stephenson Harwood’s international finance practice acts for international banks, investment companies, corporates, lessors, funds and other stakeholders on complex transactions, supporting both sponsor-side and lender-side offerings across general debt finance, projects, funds and corporate work.