New York law firm Kobre & Kim has appointed William McGovern to head a new Hong Kong office that focuses on Asian clients with disputes against US regulators or international banks.

McGovern was previously the executive director of the transaction management group at Morgan Stanley. In his new role, he will be instrumental to the growth of Kobre and Kim's dispute resolution practice in Asia, particularly after the global financial crisis spurred the rise in anti-bribery, antitrust and securities regulation activities.

"There is a real demand in Asia for a law firm willing to take an adverse position against larger companies," the company said in a statement.

Kobre & Kim represented the hedge funds that had been embroiled in the fraud case against the infamous Bernard Madoff.