McDermott Will & Emery has hired corporate lawyer and former Shanghai-based partner-in-charge of Jones Day Winston Zhao to lead its affiliated firm.

Zhao will build and oversee the China outbound transactions team at MWE China Law Offices, a separately managed firm from Chicago-based McDermott. He will also become a member of the China management committee of the latter.

Zhao is an experienced lawyer in advising major American and European companies on China-related businesses, such as the establishment of joint ventures, wholly foreign-owned enterprises, strategic alliances, real estate, venture capital, and private equity, securities, and intellectual property protection.

Zhao was one of founding lawyers of Jones Days’ Shanghai office and previously a partner at Clifford Chance.

Liu Zhen is North Asia senior journalist at ALB. Follow us on Twitter: @ALB_Magazine.

Other related stories:

• Jones Day nabs another from K&L Gates
• Bakers recruits new resources partner from Jones Day