After eight years of operating independently, Guantao Law Firm’s Hong Kong office has entered into a partnership with Gallant, a Hong Kong peer with 130 employees, to enhance cross-border capabilities by increasing their scale of operations.
Grace Yan, the Hong Kong-based managing partner at Guantao, said the joint operation would enable the two firms to meet the growing demand for cross-border business, particularly in the Greater Bay Area. As of 1 April, Yan and Gallant’s managing partner, Philip Wong, have been appointed as consultants to each other’s firms.
To comply with the Law Society of Hong Kong, a non-local law firm must be associated with a local law firm for a minimum of three years before providing legal services in Hong Kong. Guantao fulfilled this requirement by completing a three-year association with Peter C Wong, Chow & Chow in 2016 and subsequently establishing its local operation under the name Guantao & Chow. The second affiliation is considered uncommon in the market.
With intensifying market competition, a growing number of lawyers, and an overwhelming influx of information on the internet, law firms must attain a certain scale to distinguish themselves, said Wong, addressing the second affiliation.
Maintaining offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Gallant has about 130 individuals, including 16 partners and 31 legal professionals. Meanwhile, Guantao has five partners and four consultants based in Hong Kong, along with 28 offices in the mainland and overseas, as well as a joint office with Ashurst in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
