Guantao Ashurst (Shanghai Free Trade Zone) Joint Operation Office was officially approved by the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice on January 18, 2018, making it only the fourth of its kind in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone. ALB interviewed Cui Liguo, Chairman of the Management Committee and Founding Partner of Guantao, about his view toward the establishment of this Joint Operation Office (JOO).
ALB: What are the original ideas behind establishing this JOO and where does the JOO see itself on the market?
The joint operation between Guantao and Ashurst in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone is the coming-together between a leading Chinese firm and a top global firm on the basis of a close alliance. Since the beginning of our alliance in 2008, Guantao and Ashurst have been jointly exploring markets in various practice areas, achieving positive results.
To continue and reinforce the mutual trust and assistance we have built over many years of alliance, and seek business growth points for jointly serving our clients, we have chosen to forge an even closer partnership by establishing the JOO in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
We hope to take advantage of the JOO and leverage advanced technological capabilities to enable domestic and overseas clients to enjoy the most professional one-stop legal services via the global office networks and rich project experience of both firms.
ALB: What are the cooperation model and service features of the JOO?
The JOO has access to over 600 Guantao lawyers in 18 offices and close to 1,200 Ashurst lawyers in 25 offices worldwide, spanning a total of ten time zones, and is capable of offering clients the professional judgement and practice experience of both firms.
The seamless client experience that the JOO takes pride in can be summarized in the following four aspects:
• Global: Clients will have access to legal services and support of uniform standards at any location around the world by leveraging the global networks, joint operation networks and sophisticated local legal expertise of Guantao and Ashurst;
• Comprehensive: Clients can enjoy legal services of the highest standards across all practice areas and industries;
• All-weather: Regardless of the locations of clients’ projects and counterparties, our global team is able to provide all-weather assistance through the internal IT systems and back-office support of both firms;
• Provided as a single point of contact: The JOO is able to set up a stable client service team to act as the client’s single point of contact based on project location, practice field and the industry involved.
ALB: What are the plans and development strategies of the JOO going forward?
What distinguishes our JOO from the other joint operation models on the market is that we are committed to providing global legal services for the “go global” efforts of Chinese enterprises and responding to development needs of the “Belt and Road Initiative”. We strive to make foreign-related legal services available wherever Chinese companies present. Our goal can be best summarized by “two networks, one seamless service”. Guantao and Ashurst have lawyers who have years of experience in advising on large and complicated transactions, working with leading companies in many major industries in China, assisting local businesses in outbound investment and providing legal services for multinational companies to enter and operate in China. Clients can use our experience to their own advantages in any relevant market. With enthusiasm and teamwork spirit, the JOO is dedicated to assisting companies to flexibly grasp and control the market opportunities and risks that are close to their heart in China and beyond.
十年磨一剑，观韬中茂亚司特上海自贸区联营
观韬中茂亚司特（上海自贸区）联营办公室于2018年1月18日获得上海市司法局正式批准，成为上海自贸区第四家获批试点的中外律所联营办公室。此次ALB就此联营办公室的设立专访观韬中茂管委会主任、创始合伙人崔利国律师。
ALB: 请介绍一下设立观韬中茂亚司特（上海自贸区）联营办公室的初衷和定位？
观韬中茂与亚司特在上海自贸区的联营，是中国领先律所与国际顶尖律所建立在紧密联盟关系基础上的强强联合。双方自2008年开始建立联盟关系至今，在多项业务领域内共同开拓市场，取得了积极的成果。
为了延续和强化在多年的联盟合作过程中，双方已形成的互相信任和协助，寻找共同为客户提供服务的业务增长点，我们选择了更紧密的合作模式----在上海自贸区设立联营办公室。
我们希望以联营办公室为契机，使境内外的客户能够通过双方全球的办公网络和丰富的项目经验，结合先进的技术知识，得到最专业的一站式全球化的法律服务。
ALB: 可否介绍一下联营办公室的合作模式及服务特点？
联营办公室可以衔接观韬中茂的18间办公室，600余位律师，以及亚司特全球25个办公室，近1200位律师，总计横跨10个时区。联营办公室能够为客户同时带来两家所的专业判断力与业务经验。
联营办公室提供无缝连接的客户体验体现在：
• 全球：在全球任何地点，基于观韬中茂及亚司特全球网络、联营网络和成熟的本地法律顾问库，享受到统一标准的法律服务与支持；
• 全面：在各执业领域和行业中，享受行业最高标准的法律服务；
• 全天候：无论客户项目和交易对手身处何地，通过双方的内部IT系统及后台支持，我们的全球团队可以24小时不间断工作；
• 唯一接口：联营办公室可以根据项目地点、执业领域和所处行业建立一个稳定的客户服务团队作为唯一接口。
ALB: 可否谈一谈联营办公室的未来规划和发展策略？
观韬中茂和亚司特的联营办公室与目前市场上其他联营模式不同的是，我们立足于为中国企业“走出去”提供全球法律服务，响应“一带一路”战略发展需要，努力做到中国企业走到哪里，我们的涉外法律服务就跟进到哪里。我们的目标是：两个网络，一个整体的无缝服务体系。双方律师具有多年丰富的大型复杂综合交易经验，与众多中国主要行业的龙头企业合作，协助本地企业进行对外投资，也为跨国企业进入中国及在中国经营提供法律服务。客户可以借助我们共同的经验促其在任何相关市场的利益。结合热忱并具合作精神的企业文化，联营办公室致力于帮助企业灵活地掌握和把控他们在中国和其他市场中与企业息息相关的市场机遇和风险。
To contact the editorial team, please email ALBEditor@thomsonreuters.com.
