Blank Rome LLP, one of America’s largest law firms, has opened an office in Shanghai — its second office in Greater China. Blank Rome’s Hong Kong office opened in 2006 due to their affiliation with international law firm,Healy & Baillie LLP.

The firm’s Hong Kong liaison partner, Henry Kuller, is leading the Shanghai office, andsplitshis time between Hong Kong and Shanghai. Barry Genkin, recently appointed chair of Blank Rome’s business department,will work from the U.S, alongside Kuller, in spearheading the firm’s Asia effort, including their Chinese-based U.S. capital markets. 

Kuller believes that China has a robust economy and a growing consumer and industrial appetite for foreign products and technology.

“We continue to see increasing investmentand strategic alliances by Chinese companies in the U.S. and other foreign countries. These factors present unique opportunities and challenges for our clients, while our expanding Asia presence and expertise, enables us to better address our clients’ legal and government-relations needs,” said Kuller.

Another New York-based partner Jeffrey Rinde, who has more than 20 years of capital markets experience, will also spend a significant amount of time in Shanghai to help strengthen the China-based capital markets practice.

Blank Rome’s Shanghai office is recruiting additional partners and associates, and is expected to have five lawyers by the end of the year. It is currently located at Shanghai Citygroup Tower, alongside AllBright and Linklaters LLP, and is set to move to a new office in IFC Tower 2, neighbouring Zhong Lun, Shanghai.

International law firm Reed Smith, which has offices in Beijing and Hong Kong, is in the process of obtaining its license to operate in Shanghai. ALB

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