Shenzhen, often referred to as “China’s Silicon Valley”, continues to attract foreign law firms, as Pinsent Masons, Perkins Coie and Appleby secured Ministry of Justice approval on 26 January to open offices in the city, which follows Rajah & Tann’s expansion last year.
David Bulley, Appleby’s Hong Kong and mainland China managing partner, told China Business Law Journal: “Other law firms opening up [offices] in Shenzhen is actually a good thing because it shows that they also see the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area as I do.”
Bulley will lead the new office once it opens, with the support of Appleby’s Hong Kong-based partner Chris Cheng, the Shenzhen branch’s general representative. The firm plans to hire more staff locally and expects the new outfit to launch on or before the second quarter of 2025.
The spike in international players in Shenzhen will not affect Appleby’s Shenzhen venture, said Bulley, due to the firm’s unique speciality in offshore law. The firm has garnered tech industry clients in that region, seeking advice on IPOs.
“We are seeing a pipeline of possible IPOs coming through, there are some from that region who are looking at primarily US IPOs rather than Hong Kong,” Bulley added.
Pinsent Masons’ head of China Lui Kanyi, who is now based in Beijing, will lead the new branch that is set to open in the Qianhai Free Trade Zone this year. He told China Business Law Journal that the firm is still in the process of confirming the new office’s headcount.
James Morgan-Payler, head of Asia-Pacific for the UK firm, said Pinsent Masons’ latest move demonstrated its commitment to the Chinese market.
“Our China practice will continue to focus on China-outbound investment and M&A into the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific.”
Morgan-Payler added, “We will also continue to support international corporations in their China inbound activities such as foreign direct investments and joint ventures in China.”
Pinsent Masons has been operating in China for 41 years, with offices located in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.
Perkins Coie, which closed its Shanghai and Beijing branches last year, is now one step closer to re-establishing its Chinese presence in Shenzhen. This follows the firm’s announcement last September that it would shift focus there after closing its doors in Beijing.
China’s Ministry of Justice said San Diego-based partner Ai Bing would be the chief representative of Perkins Coie’s Shenzhen office. He is currently the firm’s co-chair in post-grant practice.
Since June 2023, Shenzhen has welcomed international players including Holman Fenwick Willan, Morgan Lewis and Rajah & Tann. However, Morgan Lewis’ branch reportedly closed in January this year.
Aside from the Shenzhen trio, the Ministry of Justice has also given the green light to two other law firms. Switzerland-based Bionda Law Firm and Vietnam-based Duy Ich Law Firm received approvals to establish branches in Shanghai and Nanning, respectively.
