A little more than a year since it opened an office in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, PRC firm Haiwen & Partners is preparing to set up a branch across the boundary, in Hong Kong.

The 120-lawyer firm, which also has offices in Beijing – its headquarters – and Shanghai, is known for its securities, M&A, private equity, IP and commercial dispute resolution work. 

Lu Guiping, the partner who opened the 10-lawyer Shenzhen office, is also in charge of opening the new branch. The Hong Kong office is planned to be of a similar size.

Despite the intense competition in Hong Kong, law firms are still opening offices in the city. In the past three months, offshore outfit Carey Olsen and German law firm CMS Hasche Sigle opened outposts there.