Morgan Lewis & Bockius is set to open an office in Beijing with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati partner Lucas Shen-Lun Chang and of counsel Xuting (Peter) Zhang.
Chang and Zhang resigned Wednesday from Wilson and joined Morgan the same day.
Morgan obtained its license to practice in Beijing three weeks ago, according to Philip Werner, managing partner of the firm’s practice. The new office will open in two weeks.
Heading the office in Beijing will be K. Karen Loewenstein, a Morgan Lewis partner who previously worked in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office and has also been working in China.
The firm’s strategy in China will be to build on the ties it already has with Silicon Valley companies and develop IP relationships with major Chinese companies.
Werner said Morgan Lewis is precluded under Chinese law from opening a second office in mainland China for three years, but the firm is “evaluating� Hong Kong.
Interviewed Wednesday night, Chang said he had been speaking to Morgan, Lewis for a year in a “low-key� fashion.
“Morgan, as you know, has launched its new Beijing office, which shows its determination for the China market,� Chang said. “Beijing is their 20th office. They are international and they have all the strength to do business in [Asia].�
— Marie-Anne Hogarth
August 21, 2006 at 1:32 am |
Time for Morgan to stamp out global competition. In every market?