近日，诺顿罗氏律师事务所宣布与上海太平洋律师事务所建立非正式合作关系，两家律师事务所将以“好友”合作模式（“best friends”）展开业务合作。
诺顿罗氏发言人告诉ALB，此次合作“并非联盟。目前诺顿罗氏已以‘好友模式’在全球范围内多司法管辖区与律所展开合作。与上海太平洋的合作是对我们现有在华国际业务的补充。”
上海太平洋律师事务所是一家中国律所，提供一系列中国和国际商事相关的法律服务，专门为国内外企业、金融机构和中国国有企业提供投融资领域的法律服务，尤其擅长银行及融资、债券资本市场业务。我们同时就一系列跨境公司交易提供服务，包括并购、合资、私募股权投资和外商在华直接投资等。
谈及此次合作原因，诺顿罗氏指出，“我们的许多客户正在中国开展业务，我们已与上海太平洋达成合意，未来其将在相关专业领域内支持我们客户的需求”。与此同时，诺顿罗氏“也热切希望支持上海太平洋服务的中国客户，在它们开拓全球业务的过程中提供法律协助”。
“好友”合作模式起始于20世纪90年代，在此模式下，律所间更容易互相引流，在业务能力上实现互补，共同获得更多资源。
不过诺顿罗氏向ALB强调，律所目前尚未对在上海自贸区内建立联营律所提交任何申请，也尚未有相关计划。
根据ALB此前报道，截至2020年1月，共有七家国际律师事务所在上海自贸区内设立了中外律师事务所联营办公室。根据澎湃新闻报道，今年5月，上海自贸区临港新片区管委会发布新政，鼓励境外知名法律服务机构在新片区内设立业务机构，设立中外或港澳联营律师事务所，最高可申请一次性专项奖励100万元。
NRF in China ‘best friends’ arrangement with Shanghai Pacific Legal
Norton Rose Fulbright has entered into a “best friends” relationship with Chinese law firm Shanghai Pacific Legal, which it says will help better serve international clients interested in China, and also outbound work from the world’s most populous country.
Shanghai Pacific Legal providesprovides Chinese and international business law services across the country, with expertise in areas like banking and finance, bonds and capital market. It advises domestic and international corporates, financial institutions and Chinese state-owned entities on investments and financings into and out of China.
“Norton Rose Fulbright’s relationship with Shanghai Pacific is complementary to our existing international law China practice… many of our clients are carrying out business in China and we have agreed to work with Shanghai Pacific on PRC law matters where Shanghai Pacific has the relevant expertise to support our clients’ needs,” said a spokesperson for the Anglo-American firm. “We are also keen to help support Chinese clients of Shanghai Pacific who may have the need for legal support as they expand their businesses internationally.”
However NRF has no plan to set up a formal JOO under the Shanghai Free Trade Zone pilot scheme, the spokesperson added.
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