近日，德恒香港办公室与联营的钟氏律师事务所正式合并为一家香港本地律师事务所，合并后成为德恒律师事务所（香港）有限法律责任合伙。
德恒2020年初正式开设香港办公室，根据香港监管要求，需完成三年联营后方可转而申请为本地律师事务所。去年底以来，已有汉坤、安杰世泽等律所香港办公室先后“转正”。
ALB与德恒香港展开独家对话，希望了解其下一阶段的发展目标。
ALB： 德恒香港与钟氏律师事务所日前实现合并。德恒如何评价过去三年两家机构间的合作？合并将为德恒未来在香港市场的发展带来怎样的优势？
德恒香港：过去三年，德恒与钟氏通过联营所的形式进行合作，充分利用了德恒作为全球化律所的平台优势以及钟氏在香港法律服务市场的良好声誉，在香港企业上市、境外发债以及争议解决等众多领域获得了显著突破，在律所文化建设以及人才交流方面取得了长足发展，凭借杰出的专业服务完成了多个具有重大影响力的项目。
通过合并，德恒香港将成为连接内地与国际法律服务市场的桥梁。展望未来，德恒香港将继续发挥香港独特的国际化优势，打造中国内地及香港法律服务一站式平台，发展广泛的客户群体，加快德恒全球国际化品牌的建设。
ALB：德恒香港未来将由谁领导？共拥有多少位合伙人/律师？
德恒香港：德恒香港由北京德恒管委会派驻律师代表和原联营所香港律师代表共同管理。目前德恒香港拥有超过70名同事，其中包括合伙人11人，注册外地律师12人，香港执业律师31人。
ALB：未来德恒香港将重点关注哪些业务领域/行业客户？
德恒香港：未来德恒香港将继续扎根于香港市场，服务中国内地及全球客户，重点发展企业上市、债券发行、争议解决、收购兼并、投资基金、私募股权、家族财富等领域，继续为各行各业的客户提供全面、优质及高效的法律服务和创新的解决方案。
DeHeng HK transforms into local firm: building a bridge between Mainland and international legal markets
DeHeng Law Offices’ Hong Kong office has completed its merger with the firm’s associated Hong Kong partner – Chungs Lawyers, and therefore officially became a local law firm. Upon this merger, the new firm will change its name into DeHeng Law Offices (Hong Kong) LLP.
DeHeng opened its Hong Kong office back in 2020. According to the city’s regulations, Mainland firm needs to complete association with a local firm for three years before applying to be a local player itself. Since the end of 2022, firms like Han Kun, AnJie Broad have also fulfilled this required period and became local firms.
ALB speaks to DeHeng Hong Kong in terms of their merger and next-step strategies on the market.
ALB: How do you evaluate the cooperation between DeHeng Hong Kong and Chungs Lawyers over the past three years? What advantages will the merger bring to DeHeng's future development in the Hong Kong market?
DeHeng Hong Kong: In the past three years, DeHeng and Chungs have cooperated in the form of an associate firm, making full use of DeHeng's global platform as well as Chungs’ reputation in the Hong Kong legal market. We have made significant breakthroughs in many areas such as Hong Kong IPOs, offshore debt issuance and dispute resolution, and have made brilliant development in the construction of firm culture and talent attraction and retention. Therefore, we have completed a number of high-portfolio projects with our outstanding professional services.
Through the merger, DeHeng Hong Kong will become a bridge between Mainland and international legal markets. Besides, DeHeng Hong Kong will continue to leverage Hong Kong's unique international advantages to build a one-stop platform for legal services, to develop a wide client base and to accelerate DeHeng's transformation into a global brand in the future.
ALB: Who will lead DeHeng Hong Kong? How many partners/lawyers does the office have?
DeHeng Hong Kong: DeHeng Hong Kong is jointly managed by the representatives of DeHeng Management Committee from Beijing and the Hong Kong lawyer representatives of the former associate firm. At present, DeHeng Hong Kong has over 70 colleagues, including 11 partners, 12 registered foreign lawyers and 31 Hong Kong lawyers.
ALB: What practice areas/industry clients will DeHeng Hong Kong focus on?
DeHeng Hong Kong: In the future, DeHeng Hong Kong will continue to be rooted in the Hong Kong market and serve clients in Mainland China and globally, focusing on the development of IPO, bond issuance, dispute resolution, mergers and acquisitions, investment funds, private equity, family wealth and other areas. What’s more, DeHeng Hong Kong will continue to provide comprehensive, high-quality and efficient legal services and innovative solutions to clients from various industries.
