Shihui Partners has hired 12 partners and promoted two lawyers Wang Xiaodong and Liang Zhao to double the size of its partnership as the boutique seeks to transform into a full-service outfit.
The firm’s Shanghai office added six partners from Global Law Office: George Wang, Michael Weng, Karon Cheng, Jeanette Wang, Shelly Sui and Shirley Zhang. Joe Lin joined from Greenberg Traurig.
Shihui’s Beijing office added two partners: Bi Yun from King & Wood Mallesons, and Toby Li from Fangda Partners.
Global Law Office’s ex-partner Wang Rui, KWM’s Lai Yulong and Han Kun Law Offices’ Harry Xia joined the firm’s Shenzhen office, which opened in February.
Shihui now has 13 partners in its Beijing office, 12 in Shanghai, and three in Shenzhen.
Shihui partner Darren Liang told China Business Law Journal that this year marks the firm’s fifth anniversary, adding: “Our goal is to become a high-quality full-service law firm and the addition of partners is a step in that direction.”
With the rapid increase in the number of partners, the firm has taken several measures to control the service quality, such as implementing a lockstep management model, adopting legal technology to improve efficiency and maintain high standards in recruitment, Liang said.
In the past, Shihui Partners was focused on private equity and venture capital and capital markets. With the addition of the partners the firm has added capabilities in compliance, antitrust, dispute resolution and cross-border M&A, Liang said.
George Wang, who joined the firm’s Shanghai office, has nearly 20 years of experience and focuses on corporate affairs, M&A, real estate, private equity, and foreign direct investment. He has worked in Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, Jones Day, and Jingtian & Gongcheng.
Bi, who is based in the Beijing office, is experienced at antitrust. Her work covers concentration of undertakings, cross-jurisdictional filings, assisting clients with antitrust investigations and compliance and audits.
Lin, focuses on cross-border M&A, PE financing and foreign investment, with clients including BP and Fidelity Investment Group. He previously worked at Llinks Law Offices, Debevoise & Plimpton and KWM.
Wang Rui, Global Law Offices ex-partner, heads the Shenzhen office and focuses on PE, foreign funds, real estate financing and cross-border financing. Previously, she worked at a property investment company, Paul Hastings, and JunHe.
