Charles Russell Speechlys bolsters Private Client practice in Asia with five‑strong team, appointing Kevin Lee as regional head

Charles Russell Speechlys today announces the appointment of Kevin Lee as Head of Private Client in Asia, joining the Firm as part of its continued strategic investment in our international private client offering and its Asia presence.

Kevin joins with his established team of fee-earners, including Partner Wei Kang, two associates and one Legal Executive from Stephenson Harwood, where he was a Partner and led the Private Client practice in Greater China.

Kevin is widely recognised as a leading adviser to UHNW individuals, families and institutional trustees. His experience spans the PRC, Hong Kong, Singapore, the US, Canada and the UK. Kevin’s client base includes prominent Asian families and institutional trustees, listed company founders, UHNWIs, family offices, entrepreneurs and more.

He advises clients on complex cross‑border tax and trust structuring, succession planning, asset preservation, cross-border transactions, family governance and multi‑jurisdictional private client matters, making him a sought-after advisor for clients navigating the intricacies of wealth management and corporate operations in Asia, Canada, the US and the UK.

Wei Kang will join the Firm as a Private Client Partner in Hong Kong on 30 May 2026. Wei is a private wealth expert, guiding high net worth families through complex estate planning and succession challenges. She advises high net worth families and trustees on intricate matters such as family trusts, Canadian tax, and succession planning across jurisdictions.

Her clients, ranging from entrepreneurs to listed company founders, rely on her strategic insight and practical solutions to safeguard their wealth and ensure smooth generational transitions. Wei's expertise includes private wealth structuring advisory work, multijurisdictional tax advisory, designing and implementing family governance structures, pre-immigration planning, and philanthropic foundation planning.

In addition to Wei, Kevin is bringing Private Client Associates Lulu Zhang and Chi Yan Ho who will be joining the Firm in July, and Legal Executive, Eileen Lai who will be joining the Firm in June.

Simon Green, Real Estate Partner and Head of Asia, said:

Kevin and his team’s arrival gives us a considerable market advantage as we now have the biggest Private Client team in Asia. The team will significantly enhance our ability to support clients with increasingly international needs, particularly in the UHNW and family office space where demand across Asia continues to grow.

Jeffrey Lee, Private Client Partner and Head of the Firm’s Singapore office, added:

Kevin and Wei’s appointments also reinforce our ability to provide integrated Private Client advice across Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, the US and Canada, working as one team to support families and founders wherever they and their assets are based.

Silvia On, Private Client Partner and Head of the Firm’s Hong Kong office, said:

We are thrilled to welcome such a talented and established team to our Private Client practice in Asia. They share our values and commitment to excellence, and their arrival reinforces the depth and breadth of advice we can offer to clients with sophisticated international structures and interests.

Kevin Lee, Head of Private Client in Asia, commented:

I am delighted to be joining the Firm to lead its Private Client team in Asia at such an exciting time. The depth of expertise across the practice, combined with the firm’s strong international platform, creates a compelling offering for clients. I am very much looking forward to working with colleagues across the firm to support private clients, families and family offices with their increasingly complex and cross‑border needs. With the team, we are committed to growing the Firm’s International Private Client offering.

Kevin and his team are the latest addition to the Firm’s Asia offices. Last year, the Firm appointed Partner Tun Zaw Mra in the Corporate team in Singapore in January 2025, international arbitration Partners Henry Winter and Gavin Margetson in Singapore in June and Jue Jun Lu in London in September 2025.

In May, the Firm also promoted nine lawyers to its Partnership, including six in Private Client across Italy, France and the UK.