原英国安永实律师事务所合伙人Steve Yu， 近日加盟了CMS联盟中国业务团队。他将担任CMS上海代表处的合伙人以及知识产权团队的负责人。

CMS是由9家欧洲主要律师事务所组成的律所联盟。十五多年来CMS联盟通过其在香港、北京和上海的代表处,  积极地活跃在中国市场上。在上海的代表处,  德国CMS德和信律师事务所与法国CMS法乐菲律师事务所以及英国CMS金马伦麦坚拿律师事务所通力合作,  为客户在中国的交易和投资提供法律咨询。

Joining the recent appointment frenzy is CMS China’s hiring of Steve Yu, as partner and head of IP for CMS Shanghai.

Yu leaves his position at Eversheds, where he was made partner last year. “There is a new paradigm regarding Chinese clients' expectations. They are no longer looking for mere technical expertise from their outside counsels,” said Yu.  As they expand internationally, they need advice that goes beyond legal and taxation aspects and includes business implications of legal decisions as well as corporate and local culture. This is what CMS China does and one of the reasons I’ve decided to join the firm,” added Yu.

As head of IP for CMS Shanghai, Yu brings along years of experience advising clients on cross-border IP licensing, establishment and operation of R&D centres, IP portfolio management, IP due diligence and enforcement of IP rights in civil and criminal actions. “We now see IP issues in almost every corporate transaction as well as all stages of doing business in China, and IP infringement remains to be one of the major concerns for western companies operating in China,” said Yu.

His appointment is also seen as part of the firm’s special focus on China. “Our strategic focus in China is not regional, but sectoral as the degree of specialisation among lawyers in China is relatively weak. We aim to roll out our specialised offerings in such sectors as Energy, Infrastructure, TMT and Hotels & Leisure,” said Steven Shone, managing partner of CMS Shanghai.

The firm’s Chinese team joined CMS‘s eight sector groups and is set to work and train alongside their international colleagues to develop sectoral knowledge and experience. “The days are gone when lawyers can advise everyone on everything. They need to focus,” said Shone.

CMS China is the name under which three members of the CMS group operate in China. The firm serves clients through offices in Shanghai and Beijing. Its Shanghai office includes CMS Cameron McKenna and its French and German alliance firms, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre and CMS Hasche Sigle.