Wintell & Co’s Shenzhen branch has expanded after taking over First Heart & Faith Law Firm and including 17 of its lawyers into the ranks.
Luan Qiwen, head of the Shenzhen branch, said the merger with the Guangdong-based boutique firm would help boost its development in Shenzhen and other Greater Bay Area regions.
The Shenzhen branch now houses nearly 30 lawyers after the injection of talent. Among them, five are equity partners, including First Heart & Faith’s co-founders Ocean Luo and Millers Miao.
First Heart & Faith, a relatively new law firm established in April last year, has represented clients across the internet, financial, real estate, energy and healthcare industries.
The boutique firm advised on compliance, intellectual property, design of equity structure and corporate charter, investment and financing, M&A, restructuring, and disposal of non-performing assets.
After its launch, the economic downturn hit First Heart & Faith. It also faced large and state-owned enterprises’ increasingly stringent requirements.
These difficulties prompted the boutique firm to seek a larger platform to accelerate its growth.
“As a startup law firm, our shortcomings are our brand and scale,” said Miao.
He added, “My team focuses on banks and the disposal of non-performing assets. Companies in these fields hold a relatively high expectation on law firms’ qualifications and scale.”
Wintell & Co’s strong team, knowledge and expertise in maritime law attracted the attention of the boutique firm’s co-founding partner Luo.
Luo expects that his team will further enhance its speciality in commercial dispute resolutions, M&A, real estate management, and cases that involve criminal and civil law.
Luo and Miao were both senior partners at Cheng Gong Law Firm before founding First Heart & Faith.
In October last year, Wintell & Co merged with Gongcheng Law firm launching a push to extend its reach beyond Shanghai into Bejing and Shenzhen. Wintell director Mervyn Chen, who is also a deputy director in National Lawyers Association, had told China Business Law Journal that the firm has prioritised its development in Beijing and Shenzhen.
Wintell & Co extends services to Shenzhen after merger
