贝内特琼斯律师事务所已成为第二家在华正式设有代表处的加拿大律所。该所于今年9月在北京成立了其在海外的第一家分支机构。

近年来中国企业不断增长的对加投资（尤其在能源和矿产领域），以及中加两国不断加深的经贸往来，促使贝内特琼斯律师事务所在华设立代表处。该所北京代表处，由Margaret Cornish（康丽诗）任首席代表，协助贝内特琼斯评估我们为客户与潜在客户就中加投资，贸易与其他交易往来提供法律服务的机会、并在北京起到联络职能。

贝内特琼斯总部位于加拿大阿尔伯塔省卡尔加里市，在多伦多、埃德蒙顿、渥太华和北京设有办公室，共有约380位律师执业人员，业务范围涉及能源、自然资源、基础设施、不动产、知识产权、高科技、制造业和金融的法律服务。

Having enjoyed many years of "monopoly" in China, Canadian firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon will have to face direct competition from a Canadian competitor in the China market for the first time. Calgary-based law firm Bennett Jones has recently opened a representative office in Beijing, its first location outside Canada.

Growing Chinese interest in investing into Canada, particularly in the energy & resources sector, is a main reason for the firm to set up an office in Beijing. According to a recent market research report, Chinese companies' acquisitions targeting Canada and the USA in the first nine months of this year amount to US$6.8bn, up 81% from the same period last year. The energy & resources sector alone accounts for 70% (US$4.8bn) of the activity.

Canadian firms have benefited from that shift in interest. Blake, Cassels & Graydon and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, for example, won mandates in the Sinopec-Syncrude deal in April this year - the largest Chinese acquisition of a Canadian company on record.

Bennett Jones' Toronto managing partner, Stephen Bowman, sees the Beijing office as a key development for the firm to participate in the rapid expansion of Canada-China business in sectors ranging from trade in goods and services to technology transfers, joint ventures, and investment.

The firm's senior advisor Margaret Cornish has been appointed as the chief representative in Beijing and will lead the Beijing team to serve both existing and prospective clients in Canada-China investment, trade and other transactions.

The firm has around 380 legal staff in its offices in Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa and Beijing.ALB

Related stories:

• North American firms to gain from surging outbound M&A (16 September 2010)