Shanghai Partner Todd Bissett Joins Sheppard Mullin

LOS ANGELES, CA and SHANGHAI, CHINA--(Marketwire - April 1, 2009) - Todd Bissett has joined the Shanghai office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm's Corporate practice group. Bissett has practiced for the last several years in O'Melveny & Myers' China offices, most recently in Beijing. He will also be regularly spending time in Sheppard Mullin's Silicon Valley office.

Bissett practices in the areas of private equity and venture capital, equity and debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions and general corporate and business law. He has advised clients in various industries, including telecommunications and value-added services, infrastructure projects, education, semiconductors, financial services, software and medical products and services.

"Todd is a top-notch transactional attorney and an excellent fit with both our Corporate practice group and Shanghai office. His expertise in emerging company, private equity and mid-market M&A deals dovetails well with our China practice and the firm in general," said Guy Halgren, chairman of the firm.

Commented Bissett, "I am thrilled to be joining Sheppard Mullin and to be back in Shanghai. The firm's commitment to expand its China presence is very attractive to me. Sheppard Mullin has an amazing culture that spans practice groups and offices, and provides an excellent platform to grow my practice."

"Todd has a significant deal-making reputation in Asia. His arrival provides our formidable cross-border Corporate practice with an ideal leader in Shanghai and further strengthens the link between our offices in the U.S. and China. In particular Todd has an established presence in Silicon Valley and will leverage our office there to service client needs in the technology sector," said David Huebner, the firm's chief representative in China.

Bissett received a J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Georgetown University in 2001 and an B.A. from McGill University, Canada in 1998.

Sheppard Mullin's Corporate practice group includes over 100 attorneys firmwide.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 560 attorneys in 11 offices located throughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanghai. The firm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County, San Diego/Del Mar and San Diego/Downtown. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeed only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective legal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and international clients. Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to handle a full range of corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Contact Information: CONTACT: Todd Bissett (86) 21 2321 6008 Ralph Richardson (213) 617-5542