International law firm Bird & Bird has appointed Niel Liebenberg as a partner in its aviation team in Singapore. He joined the firm on 30 August. Liebenberg joins Bird & Bird from his role as general counsel of China Aircraft Leasing Company. He specialises in aircraft leasing and financing and has over 24 years of private practice as well as in-house legal experience. With his strong reputation as a senior figure in the Asian aviation market, and his in-depth knowledge of the industry, Bird & Bird’s describes Liebenberg’s appointment as a key part of strategy for the Asia-Pacific region (APAC),