总部位于美国纽约的威嘉律师事务所（Weil, Gotshal & Manges）于近日表示，该所正逐步结束在中国内地的业务。威嘉也成为最新一家调整中国内地市场布局的美国所。
该所向路透社证实，其已于去年12月31日关闭了北京办公室，并正在“就上海办公室的去留进行讨论，以期整合其在香港的亚洲法律业务”。
威嘉的新闻发言人在一份声明中表示：“我们将在未来几个月内确定细节，也仍将继续致力于我们屡获殊荣的亚洲法律业务，并为该地区的客户提供顶级服务。”
然而，该发言人没有透露威嘉是否裁减了北京办公室的员工，也没有透露北京办公室共有多少名员工。据该所官网显示，目前其在上海办公室共拥有六名员工，包括一名合伙人，但其中两名还是香港办公室的成员。根据该所官网信息，香港办公室共有 20 多名律师和员工。
与此同时，另一家美国所奥睿律师事务所（ Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe ）也在上周表示，在其上海办公室的租约于今年 7 月到期后，将合并其在北京的中国业务。
由于外国企业在中国面临的压力日益增大，加上经济和地缘政治的挑战交织在一起，一些美国和国际律师事务所纷纷选择了撤出中国市场。
国际律师事务所 Dentons 去年结束了与中国大成律师事务所的合并。其他律所也都以市场条件为由宣布裁员或关闭在中国的办事处。例如英国的年利达（Linklaters）便在去年9月表示，由于中国经济“长期”低迷，需要法律咨询的交易活动减少，该所将裁减30名驻华律师。
据其他媒体报道，自去年 6 月以来，美国的艾金∙岗波（Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld）、瑞生国际（Latham & Watkins）、博钦（Perkins Coie）和 普士高（Proskauer Rose）等律所也都至少关闭了一家中国办公室。
此外，据Leopard Solutions的数据显示，在过去十年中，美国73家最大的律所中有32家缩减了其在中国的律师人数。在北京，48家最大的美国律师事务所中有26家自2018年以来缩减了在华业务。
US law firm Weil exits Beijing, 'in discussions' for Shanghai closure
(Reuters) - Weil, Gotshal & Manges has become the latest U.S. law firm to retreat from the Chinese market, saying on March 27th that it is moving towards ending its presence on the mainland.
The law firm confirmed to Reuters that it closed its Beijing office on Dec. 31 and is "engaged in discussions on the office in Shanghai with a view to consolidating its Asia operations" in Hong Kong.
"We will be working out the details in the coming months, but we remain dedicated to our award-winning Asia practice and to providing top service to our clients in the region," a Weil spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson did not say whether Weil laid off its Beijing staff or how many employees it had there. The firm's website now lists six employees, including one partner, in Shanghai, although two of them are also members of Weil's Hong Kong office.
Weil has more than 20 lawyers and other employees in Hong Kong, according to its website.
Another U.S. law firm, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, said last week that it will consolidate its Chinese operations in Beijing after the lease on its Shanghai office expires in July.
U.S. and international law firms have pulled back from the Chinese market amid growing pressures on foreign businesses there and converging economic and geopolitical challenges.
New Chinese government rules on data privacy and cybersecurity were among the reasons cited by global law firm Dentons last year as it ended its combination with Chinese law firm Dacheng, an 8,000-lawyer firm that accounted for its entire presence in mainland China.
Other firms have cited market conditions in announcing cuts or office closures in the country. UK-founded Linklaters in September said it was laying off 30 China-based lawyers due to the country's "prolonged" economic downturn, which has brought a drop-off in transactions and deal activity requiring legal advice.
U.S.-founded law firms Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Latham & Watkins, Perkins Coie and Proskauer Rose have also closed at least one of their China offices since June, according to media reports.
Reuters in November found that 32 of the 73 largest U.S. law firms in China shrank their attorney presence in the country in the last decade, according to data from Leopard Solutions, which tracks law firm hiring. In Beijing, 26 of the 48 largest U.S. law firms drew down their presence since 2018.
