Big Law firm enters Asia-Pac market with strategic alliance

In another sign that China's legal market is maturing, US-based law firm McGuireWoods has announced it has entered into a strategic alliance with newly launched Chinese firm FuJae Partners.

The alliance is intended to create a referral network between the two firms, though managing partner Thomas Cabaniss explained that McGuireWoods has ‘no ownership interest’ in FuJae Partners. China has strict rules prohibiting foreigners from practicing law in the country, but Mr Cabaniss did not rule out the possibility that the firms could unite in some stronger way in future.

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FuJae launched on 1 December and is based in Shanghai. It will provide legal and business counsel to state-owned and private Chinese companies and foreign companies doing business in China. The founding partners – Richard Yao, David Dingfa Liu and Guangming Liu – specialise in mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and tax, which Mr Cabiniss explained ‘is what our clients want most.' Source: Bloomberg BNA

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