美国律所德汇已经和中国本地律所胡光律师事务所结成「特别顾问」关系。胡光律所是上海一家专业性企业事务律所。该所主理合伙人胡光在离开邦信阳律所后于二零零八年成立了自己的律所，目前拥有二十名律师。

根据此项特别顾问协议，胡光律所将成为德汇律所的特别顾问，为德汇律所及其客户提供中国法律方面的顾问服务。德汇则成为胡光律所的特别外国顾问，将帮助胡光律所以及客户提供德汇有业务活动的司法管辖地区法律方面的顾问服务。

德汇律所亚洲业务团队联合主席Peter Corne说此关系将使德汇客户更容易获得为中国本土律所保留的大陆法律业务领域的优质服务，包括诉讼和本土仲裁、上海和深圳股票交易所的企业金融、破产程序以及法庭附设的重组，并能向德汇这家美国律所提供接触当地和中央政府机构的渠道。

这个特别顾问关系对德汇的中国业务来说是一个姗姗来迟的好消息。该所上海合伙人阎军和陈子熊分别转投礼德律所和霍金路伟，极大削弱了该律所在上海这个中国金融中心所设办公室的实力。如今Corne是该所在中国大陆的唯一合伙人。德汇在上海另外还有五名律师。

US law firm Dorsey & Whitney has entered into a ‘special counsel’ relationship with local PRC firm, Martin Hu & Partners (MHP). MHP is a boutique corporate practice based in Shanghai. The 20-lawyer firm was founded in 2008 after managing partner, Martin Hu, departed Boss & Young to establish his own firm.

Under the special counsel arrangement, MHP will be available as special counsel to Dorsey to advise the firm and its clients on mainland Chinese law. Dorsey, as special foreign counsel to MHP, will advise MHP and its clients with respect to the laws of the jurisdictions that Dorsey is permitted to practice in.

Peter Corne, co-chair of Dorsey’s Asia practice group said that the relationship will make it easier for Dorsey clients to obtain qualified legal representation in areas of mainland practice reserved for domestic Chinese law firms, including litigation and domestic arbitration, corporate finance on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, insolvency procedures and court sponsored restructuring, while providing the US firm with better access to local and national government authorities.

The special counsel relationship is some long-overdue good news for Dorsey’s China practice. The defections of Shanghai-based partners Jay Yan and Michael Chin to Reed Smith and Hogan Lovells, respectively, have decimated the firm’s office in the country’s financial capital. Corne is now the only partner based on the mainland. The firm has five other lawyers in Shanghai.