2月17日晚，美国佳利律师事务所宣布，其将于今年7月起将北京业务与香港业务合并，关闭北京办公室，并将大中华区业务整合至香港。

“我们将一如既往地致力于为该地区的客户提供服务，并相信这一战略决策将使我们能够更高效地达成这一目标。”佳利在公告中指出。

佳利也成为2025年来，继泛伟（Fenwick）、摩根路易斯（Morgan Lewis）之后，最新一家调整中国布局的美国律所。

佳利网站显示，其北京办公室开设于2006年，主要从事资本市场类公司业务，包括国际证券发行、金融交易、并购、私募股权交易、项目融资等。其北京律师曾参与过一系列受市场瞩目的大型交易，包括开创性的合资、私募股权、融资等交易。

佳利北京目前有6位律师，包括1位合伙人及办公室主管萧婉婷律师，以及2023年刚刚从方达返回的顾问方炜律师。佳利尚没有公布他们的具体去向。

2023年10月，佳利北京刘逍律师以合伙人身份加盟了世辉律师事务所。

此次调整预计将扩充佳利香港办公室规模。网站显示，其目前有30位律师，包括5名合伙人。此外，萧婉婷律师也作为合伙人，位列香港员工名单之中。

Cleary Latest Firm to Restructure China Operations

On the evening of February 17, Cleary Gottlieb announced that it will merge its Beijing operations with Hong Kong, closing the Beijing office and consolidating its Greater China presence into Hong Kong.

"We continue our commitment to serving clients in the region and believe this decision will allow us to do so more efficiently," the firm said in a statement.

Cleary is the latest U.S. law firm to adjust its China operations in 2025, following Fenwick & West and Morgan Lewis.

Cleary’s Beijing office, established in 2006, focused primarily on capital markets and corporate work, including international securities offerings, financial transactions, M&A, private equity, and project financing. Its Beijing lawyers have participated in several high-profile deals, including groundbreaking joint ventures, private equity, and financing transactions.

Currently, six lawyers work in the Beijing office, including partner and office head Denise Shiu and counsel Wei Fang, who returned from Fangda Partners in 2023. The firm has not disclosed their future plans.

In October 2023, Jeff Liu, a former lawyer of the Beijing office, joined Shihui Law Firm as a partner.

This restructuring is expected to expand Cleary's Hong Kong office, which currently has 30 lawyers, including five partners. Shiu is also listed as a partner in the Hong Kong office.