Maples and Calder has been selected by AsianInvestor as the best offshore law firm as part of its 2009 service provider awards. AsianInvestor covers asset and investment management news and developments across Asia. A panel chose the winner from written submissions by the law firm entrants. In a news release published by AsianInvestor, Maples and Calder is said to have retained the top spot for the third consecutive year "thanks to the sheer volume of deals it has worked on over the past 12 months. In Hong Kong it has advised on 158 new funds, of which 22 were for start-up managers. Some of the deals it details involve innovative transactions. It has helped private equity shops close new funds despite tough conditions, advised on the replacement of Cayman-based general partners of several real estate funds during the life of those products, advised on the launch of China-focused hedge funds, and helped set up Japanese retail structured funds".