Biglaw companies are desperate to get out of China whereas the getting remains to be good — or on the very least, consolidate their choices there — and the most recent companies to take action are on the tippy high of the Am Legislation 100.
As reported by Law.com International, Weil Gotshal is now within the strategy of closing its Shanghai workplace after first thinking of doing so back in March, whereas Sidley has now shuttered its Shanghai workplace. Listed below are some extra particulars:
Sidley has relocated a few of its attorneys, together with its two Shanghai companions, to its Beijing and Hong Kong workplaces, in line with one lawyer on the U.S. regulation agency.
Weil’s solely Shanghai accomplice, Charles Ching, has additionally moved to Hong Kong and the agency is within the midst of winding down its Shanghai workplace, in line with somebody with information of the matter.
Weil mentioned in a press release that its workplace is technically nonetheless open and that its present standing is mirrored on its web site.
A Sidley spokesperson supplied a press release on the agency’s closure of its Shanghai workplace, which was first opened in 1999: “As a part of our overview of workplace house and legal professional requests to relocate or retire, we is not going to be renewing our Shanghai lease. We’ll consolidate our China operations in September 2024 with relocations to Beijing, Hong Kong and different Sidley workplaces. We stay dedicated to providing a full vary of providers within the China market and our shoppers is not going to be impacted.”
Each companies will keep single workplaces in mainland China that can stay open: Sidley nonetheless has an workplace in Beijing, and Weil’s nonetheless has an workplace in Hong Kong.
Which Biglaw agency would be the subsequent say zàijiàn to its workplaces in China? You may email us or textual content us (646-820-8477) in case you have any intel. Thanks.
China Closures Continue as Sidley Shutters and Weil Winds Down Shanghai Offices [Law.com International]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Legislation, the place she’s labored since 2011. She’d love to listen to from you, so please be at liberty to email her with any ideas, questions, feedback, or critiques. You may observe her on X/Twitter and Threads or join together with her on LinkedIn.
