Morgan Lewis opens office in China
The firm’s presence in Shenzhen will expand its focus on tech industries in the region.
Morgan Lewis is set to open a new office in Shenzhen, following its approval by the China Ministry of Justice in June.
This move is aimed at enhancing the firm's connections with technology and life sciences companies in the region, while also expanding its full service and industry capabilities across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US.
The Shenzhen office will handle a wide range of IP cases, including litigation involving patents and trade secrets, as well as drafting and negotiating licence agreements, commercial contracts, and leading transactions and due diligence processes.
Shaobin Zhu, partner at Morgan Lewis, will serve as the office managing partner in Shenzhen.
Zhu commented on the establishment of an offshore presence in Shenzhen:
“Shenzhen is home to many of the world’s innovators and global technology companies. Having an onshore presence demonstrates that we are committed to serving all of our clients’ needs, including those clients that we already work alongside with interests in the region.
“We are committed to the wider business community as they increasingly look to grow their businesses globally and require a broader set of legal services.”
Firm chair Jami McKeon commented: “Shenzhen is a major hub of China's technology industry with the highest density of startups of all the mainland cities in China, and it is a staging ground for large high-tech companies from all over the world.
“Our lawyers are already working with dozens of clients operating in and connected to this market, and this further demonstrates our continued commitment to serving our clients in the technology and life sciences sectors, including biotechnology.”
“Our team on the ground will collaborate closely across our offices in Asia and with our global technology and life sciences industry teams to bring our cross-practice, cross-jurisdictional capabilities for inbound and outbound matters to the forefront for our clients,” McKeon continued.
Since the opening of Morgan Lewis’ first office in China 17 years ago, the firm now has four offices in China and eight offices in Asia.
Did you enjoy reading this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories sent like this straight to your inbox
