英国博凯立律师事务所近日宣布将关闭其驻北京代表处，博凯立也成为继罗夏信、文森·艾尔斯后，近期第三家关闭北京办公室的国际律所。
谈及背后原因，博凯立在一份声明中表示：“面对全球持续的经济不确定环境，律所将采取具有针对性的缩减措施，确保人才和资源得到更好调配，以满足客户需要。”
“做出这一决定并不容易，但我们相信，从长远来看，对人力资源进行有限调整对客户利益、商业目标和我们的员工最为有益。”该所联席主席Lisa Mayhew和Steve Baumer在声明中说。
与此同时，博凯立也宣布将调整此前采取的减薪措施：自5月1日起，该所全球范围内、年收入超过4万美元的员工减薪15%，自8月1日起，这一比例将调整到7.5%，直到2020年底。
律所在声明中表示，此举是出于“2020上半年度律所表现超过预期”。
博凯立北京办公室设立于2013年，是其全球办公室中规模最小的一家，只有1名合伙人及2名律师。北京办公室主要就基建、房地产、航运航空提供服务，合伙人金凯能（Jim Buchanan）、高级律师贺莎、律师陈燕分别是上述三领域专家。
博凯立北京办公室前身为英国博闻律师事务所驻北京代表处，2018年4月，英国博闻和美国博恩凯悟律师事务所合并，其亚洲各地办公室开启整合，博闻北京办公室也在新名称下继续执业。
不过，合并后的博凯立在亚洲的整合之路最初并不顺利：2019年3月，原博恩凯悟上海办公室的7名律师集体辞职，博凯立因此关闭了上海办公室；原博恩凯悟香港办公室合伙人施琦莲（Kristi Swartz）和Nigel Binnersley也在合并不久后，带领团队离开设立了自己的新律所。
北京办公室关闭后，目前博凯立在亚洲还开设有香港、新加坡两个办公室。
根据ALB此前的报道，自今年新冠疫情爆发以来，一系列国际律所调整了在大中华区业务。除上述3家关闭北京办公室外，奥斯本·克拉克和奥睿关闭了香港办公室，MWE也于不久前结束了和元达律师事务所在上海的合作。
BCLP becomes latest international firm to announce Beijing closure
Anglo-American law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has recently announced that it will close its Beijing office, making it the third international firm after Stephenson Harwood and Vinson & Elkins to declare its intention to exit the Chinese capital in the past two months.
Established in 2013, BCLP’s Beijing operation is the smallest of its offices globally, with only one partner (Jim Buchanan) and two associates (He Sha and Swallow Chen). It focuses on infrastructure projects, real estate and shipping and aviation, with partner practicing on above-mentions areas, respectively.
The Beijing office was previously the legacy UK firm Berwin Leighton Paisner’s (BLP) office. In April 2018, BLP merged with U.S. firm Bryan Cave, which led to the mergers of both firms’ offices in Asia and the Beijing office adopting the new name of BCLP.
However, the merger was off to a rocky start in Asia. In March 2019, all lawyers at the previous Bryan Cave Shanghai office left, ending the physical presence of BCLP in the city. Two partners from Bryan Cave’s Hong Kong office, Kristi Swartz and Nigel Binnersley, then left shortly after to establish their own firm.
With the closure of the Beijing office, BCLP now has two offices in Asia, in Hong Kong and Singapore.
“In the face of continued economic uncertainty around the globe, the Firm will undertake targeted reductions to ensure that talent and resources are best aligned to meet client needs,” said BCLP in a press release. “While a difficult decision to make, we believe the limited adjustments to our workforce are in the best interest of our clients, our business, and our people for the long term.”
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 this year, a number of other international firms have scaled down their China operations: Both Osborne Clarke and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe announced that they would be closing their Hong Kong offices, while McDermott Will & Emery ended its long-time partnership with Yuanda China Law Firm this month.
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