NEW YORK, September 5 /PRNewswire/ --

Leading global law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges announced today its plans
to open an office in Hong Kong in October 2007. The Hong Kong office will
provide firm clients with transactional counseling throughout Asia,
broadening Weil Gotshal's presence in Asia from its substantial office in
Shanghai. The firm is also in the process of applying for a license to open
an office in Beijing in the near future.

Weil Gotshal also announced its initial strategy to staff the new Hong
Kong operation with deeply experienced transactional attorneys from both the
firm's New York headquarters and from Shanghai.

Akiko Mikumo, a senior corporate partner from the New York office and a
member of the firm's Management Committee, will become Managing Partner for
Asia and the head of the Hong Kong office. Ms. Mikumo has a diverse corporate
and securities law practice, with a focus on mergers & acquisitions for
corporate and private equity clients. She has been repeatedly recognized as a
leading practitioner in her field and was named "Dealmaker of the Year" by
The American Lawyer in 2004. Ms. Mikumo previously headed the US practice in
the firm's London office from 1998 to 2002.

In addition to Ms. Mikumo, two additional partners will be relocating to
the Hong Kong office: Peter Feist, a corporate partner from the New York
office who focuses on private equity and mergers & acquisitions, and David
Meredith, a corporate partner from the Shanghai office, specializing in
capital markets. Several of the firm's highly qualified associates, initially
Lindsay Germano and Roy Wiesner, will also relocate to the Hong Kong office.

About the announcement, Weil Gotshal Chairman Stephen J. Dannhauser said,
"We are delighted to announce the opening of our Hong Kong office. There are
considerable business opportunities in Asia and these opportunities continue
to create a need for the client-driven, commercially-minded attorneys that
are the hallmark of our firm. Coupled with our established presence in
Shanghai, our new Hong Kong office evidences our continued commitment to the
region. In line with that commitment, we are sending some of our best
partners and associates to lead this effort." Continued Dannhauser, "Hong
Kong will provide the platform for Weil Gotshal's expansion into other Asian
markets, including India and Japan, and with our offices strategically
located in Asia, we will have an exceptional platform to deliver the
incisive, best-in-class legal advice and service clients are asking for
throughout the region."

Ms. Mikumo stated, "I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the
firm's expansion in Asia. We will have an extremely talented team in Hong
Kong made up of lawyers who are excited about our opportunities in Asia, are
determined to expand our presence there and will bring sophisticated,
commercially-oriented transactional skills that will serve our clients well
throughout Asia. We are confident that the office will be a tremendous
success. Under the leadership of Steve Xiang, we already have a hugely
successful office in Shanghai, and we believe that Weil Gotshal will rapidly
expand from that base to become one of the premier firms in the region."

Steve Xiang, head of the firm's Shanghai office, said, "Akiko is an
outstanding attorney and wonderful leader, and she is bringing with her a
superb team. Peter Feist is one of the rising stars of our corporate
department in New York and David Meredith has already established a presence
in Hong Kong for capital markets. We look forward to this broader Asian
platform and the opportunity to build on our local experience and contacts."

The new Hong Kong office is to be located in Gloucester Tower in The
Landmark complex, located in the Central financial district of Hong Kong.

About Weil, Gotshal & Manges

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is an international law firm of 1,200 lawyers,
including approximately 300 partners. Weil Gotshal is headquartered in New
York, with offices in Austin, Boston, Budapest, Dallas, Frankfurt, Houston,
London, Miami, Munich, Paris, Prague, Providence, Shanghai, Silicon Valley,
Warsaw, Washington DC and Wilmington, and opening in Hong Kong in October
2007.