Latham & Watkins has opened an office in Beijing, its fifth office in Asia and third in Greater China.

The firm had to wait three years before realising its ambitions in Beijing, due to local licensing regulations. “This is an ambition we’ve had for some time in having offices in the three regional centres for our China practice. Beijing was an important component and now we’ve got it,” said Hong Kong partner David Miles, who also sits on the firm’s executive committee. “[Before] we opened in Shanghai five years ago we discussed which office, Beijing or Shanghai, should come first. For various client reasons we decided on Shanghai but it’s always been our ambition to have an office in Beijing.”

A number of partners and associates have transferred (or are transferring) to the Beijing office and the firm has recruited local associates. The lawyers advise on capital markets, cross-border M&A and corporate finance transactions. “It will be a transactional office initially and in the course of time it may develop into a much broader practice,” said Miles, who did not specify potential practices. “There are various areas we’re thinking about and we’ll be looking at Beijing as we do with all our offices, along our idea of multidisciplinary offices.”

Lathams considers the growth potential of China and the Asia region as “immense”, and Miles said the firm will consider opening offices in jurisdictions that liberalise their legal markets. “At the moment we don’t have any further ambitions for Asian offices, but these are things we’re thinking about,” he said. “One of the constraints in Asia is that regulations in some countries mean international firms aren’t allowed but we’ll consider making a decision when those regulations and markets change.” 

Lathams last year received a major coup when seven corporate lawyers left Allen & Overy to join the firm’s Hong Kong office. More recently its China team advised on Ming An Holdings’ US$239m privatisation. 

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