总部位于阿姆斯特丹的荷兰昊博律师事务所（Houthoff）近日任命万杨律师为其大中华区代表，并将万律师长期派驻上海。万律师2014年加盟昊博，此前常驻阿姆斯特丹，并担任该所中国项目经理。
万杨律师专注于公司法和并购领域，特别是在荷兰或其他欧洲国家的绿地投资和跨境收购交易。万律师参与了昊博许多与中国相关的项目，包括几项中国企业在荷兰的标志性投资项目。
万律师告诉ALB，她在中国将基于多年积累的客户关系进一步扩展该所中国业务，同时寻求与在荷兰投资或意欲在荷兰投资的新客户开展交流。未来她将负责该所在大中华区的业务。
昊博在中国的业务主要集中在跨境并购、争议解决领域。就行业而言，将重点关注科技传媒与电信（TMT）、生命科学、能源（可再生）、农业及物流领域。
昊博于1994年开设了中国相关业务，并于2004年组建了专门团队，“在过去20多年间共为数百家在荷中国企业提供了服务”。
谈及在后疫情时代向中国派出代表的原因，万律师指出：“在世界最大经济体之一的大中华区地区设立代表符合了昊博的全球化战略……在当下疫情的影响下，世界正经历飞速变化，许多新法律问题和新市场机会也油然而生。随着在中国业务上更进一步，昊博展现出了自己迎向转变、并致力于引领趋势的态度。”
在亚洲其他地区，昊博目前还在新加坡、东京派驻有代表。
昊博之外，其他国际律所也强化了在中国大陆的业务：2月，安理国际律师事务所中国联营伙伴上海朗悦律师事务所迎来诉讼合伙人王晓萌律师加盟；同月，达维律师事务所北京办公室宣布了其历史上在中国资本市场领域做出的唯一横向招聘，迎来许嘉律师加盟。
Dutch firm Houthoff makes endeavor into China
Dutch firm Houthoff has appointed Wan Yang as its Greater China representative and re-posted her to Shanghai. Wan joined the firm in 2014 and has been the firm’s China project manager, based in Amsterdam.
Wan specializes in corporate law and M&A, she has worked on many China-related projects in Houthoff, including several landmark Chinese investments in the Netherlands.
Building on Wan’s extensive experiences with Chinese clients, “we will strengthen the interaction with our existing clients in Greater China and further develop business contacts with new companies here who do business or want to do business in the Netherlands.” Wan Yang tells ALB.
Wan will cover the firm’s businesses in Greater China.
The main focus of Houthoff in China at present will be corporate M&A (cross-border acquisitions and green-field investments) and dispute resolution. From the perspective of sectors, they will focus on TMT (high-tech), life science, energy (renewable), agriculture and logistics etc.
Having launched its China practice in 1994, Houthoff formed a special China team in 2004. “After more than twenty years' endeavour, Houthoff has provided legal services to several hundreds of Chinese companies in the Netherlands,” Wan says.
Talking about the reason behind this move at this specific point of time, Wan points out: “Establishing a representative in one of the largest economies in the world (Greater China) is in line with Houthoff international strategy. With the current pandemic, the world is under rapid change, which gives rise to lots and new legal issues of new market opportunities. With taking our China practice a step further, Houthoff is welcoming the change and aims to lead the change.”
In Asia, Houthoff also has representatives in Singapore and Tokyo.
Houthoff is among the latest international firms that increased their presence in mainland China. Allen & Overy’s joint operation partner Shanghai Lang Yue Law Firm hired Melody Wang as dispute resolution partner in February, and Davis Polk made its first lateral hire in the history of a China capital markets partner by adding Jason Xu in Beijing.
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