总部位于纽约的美国宝维斯律师事务所向ALB证实：该所将于2024年底关闭其北京办公室。
根据ALB的统计，这是今年第13家选择调整中国业务布局的美国律所。
宝维斯北京办公室开设于1981年，是最早进入中国内地市场的外资律所之一。不过，其北京办公室近年保持了较为精简的规模，包括1名合伙人刘晓宇律师，1名顾问Jack Sun，以及两位律师Mavis Feng、Cedric Wang。
刘晓宇律师已在宝维斯工作近22年，该所并未公布其未来动向。不过根据香港律师会网站信息，刘律师同样注册于宝维斯香港办公室。
此后，宝维斯在亚洲将仅保留中国香港、东京办公室。该所告诉ALB：“我们仍旧承诺于在亚洲保持高度影响力，并通过全球办公室，继续为客户提供最高质量的服务。”
1981年，宝维斯在北京饭店开启了中国岁月。其创办人是曾筹建哈佛大学东亚法律研究中心的Jerome A. Cohen。宝维斯曾在中国参与众多历史性、开创性交易，服务领域集中于并购、PE/VC、对外投资、外商投资、资本市场、公司和项目融资、重组和内部调查。
Jerry Cohen and Zhou Enlai, first Premier of the PRC, 1972
其首位中国业务管理合伙人Jamie Horsley曾说：“在中国改革开放早期，同时经历了中美关系的起起伏伏，宝维斯律师一直在法律、经济、政治的变迁中为客户护航。我们一直扮演着连接中美人士的桥梁。”
目前宝维斯香港办公室有8位法律人士，包括2位合伙人、1位顾问。
Paul, Weiss Becomes the 13th U.S. Law Firm to Adjust Its China Operations This Year
New York-based law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison confirmed to ALB that it will close its Beijing office by the end of 2024. According to ALB statistics, this marks the 13th U.S. law firm this year to adjust its China operations.
Established in 1981, the Beijing office of Paul, Weiss was one of the first foreign law firms to enter the Chinese mainland market. In recent years, it has maintained a lean structure, comprising one partner, Greg Liu, one counsel, Jack Sun, and two associates, Mavis Feng and Cedric Wang.
Liu has worked at Paul, Weiss for nearly 22 years, but the firm has not disclosed his future plans. However, according to information from the Hong Kong Law Society website, Liu is also registered with the firm’s Hong Kong office.
Following this decision, Paul, Weiss will retain only its Hong Kong and Tokyo offices in Asia. The firm told ALB: “We remain committed to having a strong presence across Asia, and will continue to provide the highest-quality service to our clients in all of our global offices.”
Paul, Weiss began its journey in China in 1981 at the Beijing Hotel. Its founder, Jerome A. Cohen, who also established Harvard’s East Asian Legal Studies Center, led the firm in contributing to numerous historic and cutting-edge transactions in China. The firm’s practice areas in China have included M&A, PE/VC, outbound investment, inbound investment, capital markets, corporate and project finance, restructuring, and internal investigations.
Jamie Horsley, the first managing partner of Paul, Weiss’s China practice, once remarked: “Since the early days of China’s ‘Reform and Opening’ and throughout the vagaries of the U.S.-China relationship, Paul, Weiss lawyers have helped clients navigate the twists and turns of law, the economy and politics. Paul, Weiss will continue to serve as a bridge connecting businesses, individuals and other clients in the U.S., China and elsewhere.”
Currently, Paul, Weiss’s Hong Kong office comprises eight legal professionals, including two partners and one counsel.
