Following the departure of Lovells' former Beijing managing partner Robert Lewis and partner Fred Chang, Hogan & Hartson's former Shanghai managing partner Arthur Mok (pictured) becomes another senior practitioner in China to depart the firm as the merger comes into effect.

Mok has joined Boston-headquartered Ropes & Gray as a partner in the firm's private equity and life sciences practices. His departure from Hogan took place two weeks before the Hogan Lovells merger completed on 1 May. The main reason behind the move, he says, was the better compatibility between his practice focus and Ropes & Gray's. "Ropes & Gray is a very different law firm from Hogan Lovells. The firm is much more focused on private equity, M&A and life sciences industry, the areas where I specialise. And they have plans to expand in China, so the timing is good for me to join," said Mok.

Mok's appointment with Ropes & Gray will not only help increase the firm's offering to clients with interests in China but also expedite the firm's plan to open a new office in Shanghai. He helped launch Hogan's Shanghai office in 2004 and took on the role of the firm's Shanghai managing partner in 2009.

A number of associates will join him from Hogan. Prior to the establishment of the Shanghai office, they will be working out of the firm's Hong Kong office, which was opened in 2008, while Mok will be based in the Washington DC office and travel frequently to the region.

Mok says one of the main challenges for the development of international firms in the region is maintaining focus. "Even though the competition is intensifying, the problem that a lot of firms face is that they tend to lose focus and start chasing opportunities which don't make a lot of sense to their firms," said Mok. "We also face the same challenge. So what we have to do is to be disciplined and stay focused on the strength of the firm and its lawyers on the ground, which is in the private equity, M&A and capital markets areas."

Challenges aside, Mok also sees significant opportunities for his new firm in China. "One of the key areas of opportunities is to continue to serve the large private equity firms in their M&A transactions and investments in critical sectors in the country's economy, particularly in the life sciences, healthcare, clean technology and renewable energy areas. I see these areas as being absolutely attractive and the areas I intend to focus on," he said. Outbound investments and M&A transactions by Chinese companies, as identified by Mok, also present great opportunities.

Hogan Lovells, which became effective on 1 May 2010, has named IP partners Horace Lam and Douglas Clark as its Beijing and Shanghai office managing partner respectively.

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