文森•艾尔斯律师事务所近日为上海办公室新添一位资深合伙人以及三位新律师。新合伙人为Jay Kolb, 他是一位在能源业特别是液化天然气领域里拥有丰富经验的国际并购、融资和项目律师。Kolb曾在贝克博茨律师事务所任职长达25年，并作为合伙人管理该所在莫斯科、伦敦以及巴库的分所。
Kolb的加入旨在协助实施文森•艾尔斯上海代表处的下一步增长计划。该所计划在近年内将上海律师团队规模由目前的11人增加到20至25人。
The country's recent decision to speed up the process of turning Shanghai into a major international financial centre on par with New York or London, has made some forward-looking international firms hasten their growth plan in the city. Vinson & Elkins provides a point in case: it has recently added one partner and three associates to its Shanghai office.
The new partner, Jay Kolb, is an experienced international M&A and project development and finance lawyer with expertise in the energy industry, particularly the development of LNG and oil and gas pipeline projects. Kolb joins Vinson & Elkins from 4Gas in Houston, an independent company dedicated to the developing and operating of LNG import and regasification terminals. Prior to joining 4Gas, he was a lawyer at Baker Botts for 25 years, where he opened and served as the partner in charge of three of the firm's international offices – Moscow, London, and Baku.
Vinson & Elkins stated that the addition of partner Jay Kolb will support the next phase of the firm's growth in Shanghai, which will see the current headcount of 11 legal professionals to up to 20-25. In anticipation of this growth, its Shanghai office moved to a new, larger office premises late last year.
"The continued development of our Greater China and broader Asia practice requires a larger presence in Shanghai," said David Blumental, partner and chief representative of Vinson & Elkins Shanghai office. "Shanghai is a key regional centre for finance, trade, petrochemicals/chemicals, manufacturing, shipping and related infrastructure. A material portion of China's wealth and economic output is concentrated in the city and the surrounding East China area."
In addition to the new hires in Shanghai, Vinson & Elkins has also promoted Nicholas Song from senior associate to counsel in Beijing, while recruited two new associates in Hong Kong.
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