Zhong Lun has recently poached four veteran Sichuan lawyers as partners for its ready-to-launch Chengdu office as the firm gets ready for the flood of IPO work in the province that it is predicting.

After two years of looking for the right people, the Beijing firm will launch a Chengdu office — its eighth  — next month.

"We see a strong demand for legal services in Chengdu, especially in the area of corporate practices, and in a long run, there will be more IPOs of companies in Chengdu," said partner Wang Fei, who joined Zhong Lun in 1998. "Having an office in Chengdu, the Southwest financial centre, can significantly enhance our capability and flexibility of handling businesses in the local market," said Wang. 

All four newly appointed partners - Fan Bin, Shi Chunxiang, Yan Xiaochuan and Tang Qianhong - have over 15 years legal professional experience and extensive local expertise. Shi, previously the director of Sichuan Showme Law Firm, has counselled many local governments and enterprises including Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu Local Taxation Bureau and Bank of China Sichuan Branch. Tang, joining from Tahota law firm, focuses on international businesses and investments and corporate practice as well as litigation and arbitration.

According to this year's 2010 ALB China 20, Zhong Lun is the ninth largest PRC law firm; its 126 partners and 205 lawyers work across seven offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Tokyo. ALB

Notable Chengdu firms

Beijing firms in Chengdu

(By editorial intern ShuShu He)

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