Two Latham Counsel Named Rising Stars by Asian Legal Business

Latham Singapore counsels Esther Franks and Michael Rackham have been named among Asian Legal Business' Singapore Rising Stars 2024. The list highlights lawyers with great potential in their industry.

Franks leads the Data and Technology Transactions Practice in the firm’s Singapore office, and advises clients on complex multi-jurisdictional data privacy, regulatory, and IP issues with an Asia nexus. Franks advises the full spectrum of tech companies, with a focus on social media, gaming, AdTech, artificial intelligence, and automotive industries. She regularly writes articles and speaks on data and tech matters, including recently contributing to the Global Privacy Law Review with an article on China’s new AI regulations, as well as speaking on privacy enforcement trends, children’s privacy, AdTech regulations, and AI issues at the Tokyo Video Game Law Conference 2023, and on data breach notifications at the Global Legal ConfEx Singapore 2024.

Rackham is an experienced adviser to private equity investors and corporations on complex, cross-border corporate matters in the Asia-Pacific region, including mergers and acquisitions, disposals, auctions, private equity and leveraged buyouts, take-privates, spin-offs, and joint ventures. His recent highlights and market-defining work in Southeast Asia include advising EQT Private Capital on Vistra’s merger with Tricor; Temasek-backed ST Telemedia Global Data Centres on its S$1.75 billion investment from KKR and Singtel; and CVC on its acquisition of a majority stake in The Medical City, a Philippines-based network of private hospitals and clinics. Rackham was recognized as Rising Star Lawyer of the Year at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2019 and was recently shortlisted for the Young Lawyer of the Year award at the ALB SEA Awards 2024.