Offshore law firm Harneys has set up a representative office in Shanghai, expanding its operations in Asia, and hired the head of rival Ogier’s office in that city to lead it.

The newly opened Shanghai branch is the firm’s fourth office in the region, as Harneys already has a presence in Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong. 

Kristy Calvert, the firm’s managing director, is heading the Shanghai office. Calvert’s experience in Shanghai amounts to more than 10 years, and apart from leading Ogier’s representative office, she has served as legal director for Rio Tinto.

“Together with the slow but steady liberalisation of the PRC’s capital markets, an increase in outbound work and more offshore funds being established from PRC’s key centres this bodes well for offshore business,” said Jonathan Culshaw, Harneys’ Asia managing partner, in a statement.