Maples and Calder has announced that trusts specialist Richard Grasby has relocated to its Hong Kong office from the Cayman Islands. Grasby is the first dedicated Cayman and BVI trusts specialist in Asia.

Grasby joined Maples' Cayman office in 2008 and spent six months working for the specialist trusts team. Previously, he had stints with Ogier in Cayman and SJ Berwin in London. Grasby advises institutional trustees and private clients on all areas of trusts law.

Christine Chang, managing partner of the Hong Kong office, said: "With the increasing demand for trusts legal services in Asia, particularly in this economic climate when wealth preservation and security are uppermost in everyone's minds, it's important to respond to clients' needs by providing the required expertise on the ground and in real time."