Signage is seen outside of the law firm Sidley Austin at their legal offices in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
总部位于芝加哥的盛德律师事务所向ALB证实，由于该所“正重新考虑办公室租约问题，以及部分律师提出调动或退休要求”，该所将不再续租上海办公室。
“2024年9月，我们将整合大中华区运营，上海员工将调动至盛德北京、香港及其他办公室。”
盛德也成为了今年以来，继博钦、奥睿、威嘉之后，最新一家整合或关闭中国内地办公室的美国律所。
盛德网站显示，其上海办公室创立于1999年，主要为跨国企业和中国企业客户提供外商直接投资、并购、私募股权、基金和资本市场法律服务。
盛德上海办公室目前有11名律师。包括两位合伙人唐正宇、季如春；一名资深顾问陈玲；两名中国顾问姚洁菲、陈盼成，以及7名律师。
唐正宇律师是盛德上海的首席代表，主要负责外商在华直接投资、中国并购和监管合规业务。他于2002年加入盛德，已在该所工作22年。
季如春律师专注于为生命科学、医疗和科技行业的投资者、战略和私募股权买家以及高增长公司提供法律服务，还代表客户处理涉及CFIUS的监管事务。他2015年加入盛德，在上海、加州帕罗奥图两地执业。
盛德表示：“我们继续承诺于在中国市场提供综合性服务，我们的客户不会受上海办公室关闭的影响。”
Sidley joins ranks of U.S. firms scaling back in China
Chicago-headquartered Sidley Austin will close its office in Shanghai, making it the most recent law firm to scale back its operations in China.
In an email, the firm confirmed to ALB that it will not renew its lease for the Shanghai office due to "review of office space and attorney requests to relocate or retire."
“We will consolidate our China operations in September 2024 with relocations to Beijing, Hong Kong, and other Sidley offices,” the firm said. "We remain committed to offering a full range of services in the China market and our clients will not be impacted."
Sidley’s move to downsize its China operations follows similar announcements by other U.S. law firms like Perkins Coie, Orrick, and Weil.
Established in 1999, Sidley's Shanghai office primarily provided legal services related to foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, funds, and capital markets to multinational and Chinese corporate clients.
The office currently has 11 lawyers, including partners Tang Zhengyu and Ji Ruchun, counsel Chen Ling, and Chinese advisors Yao Jiefei and Pan Cheng.
Tang, the chief representative of Sidley Shanghai, leads the firm’s inbound investment, M&A and regulatory compliance practice in China. He joined Sidley in 2002.
Ji focuses on advising investors, strategic and private equity buyers, and high-growth companies in life sciences, healthcare, and technology industries globally. He also represents clients on regulatory matters involving CFIUS. Ji joined Sidley in 2015 and spends his time between Shanghai and the firm’s Palo Alto office.
