Bird & Bird has hired John Shi and Shan Lai as corporate partners in Beijing. Both join from DLA Piper, where Shi was the China chief representative.

Shi has represented multinational companies in FDI, cross-border M&A and regulatory matters, with experience in sectors such as aviation, energy and TMT.

Lai, who was an of counsel with DLA Piper, has years of corporate practice in Australia and more than seven years of experience working in Beijing. She has worked on both inbound and outbound cross border transactions, particularly representing foreign investors in China.

“It is a pleasure to welcome both John and Shan to Bird & Bird. The pair have a long history of working together successfully, and we will be seeing their in-depth sector knowledge and China M&A expertise translate into opportunities across our Asia Pacific and European offices,” said Tay Beng Chai, head of Bird & Bird's Asia-Pacific corporate group, in a statement.

The firm has also hired Christopher Healy from Clyde & Co. as a senior foreign registered lawyer in its aviation team in Hong Kong.