DLA Piper today announced that Paul Chen has joined the Corporate and Securities practice as a partner. He will be based in the firm’s Silicon Valley office and will also have a significant presence in the firm’s New York office.

Previously a partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, Chen focuses his practice on cross-border transactions in the US and Asia, representing strategic and private equity buyers and sellers in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He also advises companies and underwriters in connection with raising capital in private placements and public offerings. His corporate and transactional work involves clients in a broad range of industries, including insurance, e-commerce, technology, healthcare, energy and aerospace, among others.

“Paul is highly skilled in the complex and intricate areas of multi-national M&A, private equity and corporate finance transactions involving US and overseas companies,” said Jay Rains, global co-chair of DLA’s Corporate practice. “His significant international practice and vast knowledge of the Asian business and legal communities will be a tremendous resource for clients operating around the world.”

In addition, Chen has extensive experience in complex global insurance industry transactions and will be an important complement to the firm’s growing Insurance and Reinsurance Sector practice.

“Paul’s international perspective and experience will be instrumental as we continue the strategic expansion of our global insurance and reinsurance capabilities,” said Michael P. Murphy, Global Head of DLA Piper’s Insurance and Reinsurance Sector Group.

Chen’s arrival follows a number of significant additions to DLA Piper’s insurance practice, including the February 2012 addition of Bill Marcoux, who leads the firm’s Global Insurance Transactions and Regulation Group, and the April 2012 additions of  Prakash Paran, Roger Loo and Melanie James to the firm’s London office, and Peter Rice to the firm’s Boston office.

“Insurance-related transactional activity continues to increase in Asia, with European, US and Asian insurers expanding in the region and Asian insurers looking to expand in the US and Europe,” said Marcoux. “Paul enhances our ability to serve clients involved in this inbound and outbound investment around the world. He is an extremely valuable addition to our team.”

Chen previously served as managing partner of Dewey & LeBoeuf’s Hong Kong office, where he assisted Asia-based and other international companies on cross-border and corporate transactions. Earlier in his career, Chen was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and was head of strategy and business development at an Asia technology company.

Chen earned a J.D. from the New York University School of Law and a B.A., cum laude, from Williams College.

www.dlapiper.com