By Reuters
美国威凯平和而德律师事务所正计划关闭其已开设20年之久的北京办公室——越来越多大型律所开始重新审视他们在中国法律市场的布局。
“和许多其他律所一样，威凯平和而德评估了我们的全球布局，决定关闭北京办公室。”该所在10月29日发布的一篇声明中说道。
该所表示，其将继续为运营于中国及全球的客户提供贸易、制裁和出口管制、反洗钱、公司交易相关服务。
该所发言人说，北京办公室预期于11月底关闭，并于2025年3月租期结束时完全结束运营。该所拒绝再透露进一步的信息。
威凯平和而德北京办公室是其在亚洲的唯一分支机构，根据其网站，这家在全球拥有1100位律师的律所在北京共有4名律师，包括2位合伙人。
该所北京办公室设立于2004年11月——彼时几个月前，波士顿律所Hale and Dorr和华盛顿律所Wilmer Cutler Pickering刚刚合并设立了威凯平和而德。彼时的联席管理合伙人说，北京办公室是“我们全球业务不可分割的一部分”。
过去两年，越来越多美国大型律师事务所选择缩减他们在中国市场的运营。
WilmerHale shutters Beijing office, joining US law firms' retreat
U.S. law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr is shutting down its Beijing office after 20 years, as major firms continue to reassess their presence in China's legal market.
"Like many others, WilmerHale has evaluated our global footprint and has made the decision to close our office in Beijing," the firm said in a statement on Oct. 29.
The firm said it will continue to work with clients operating in China and globally on trade, sanctions and export control, anti-money laundering and corporate deals.
A spokesperson said the firm intends to close the office at the end of November, with operations fully winding down by its March lease expiration. The firm declined to offer additional comment.
The Beijing office is Wilmer's only outpost in Asia, according to its website. The 1,100-lawyer firm lists four active attorneys in Beijing, including two partners.
The firm announced the opening of the Beijing office in November 2004, just a few months after the merger of legacy Boston-founded firm Hale and Dorr and Washington-founded firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering. Its co-managing partners at the time said in a statement that the Beijing outpost represented "an integral part of our broad international practice."
A growing number of major U.S. law firms have shrunk their footprints in China over the past two years, amid growing pressures on foreign businesses, economic uncertainties, muted deal activities, and geopolitical tensions.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom cited "shifting market dynamics" when it said earlier this month that the firm would close its Shanghai office. The firm will also reduce its China corporate practice headcount across offices.
Reed Smith, Perkins Coie, Dechert, Morrison & Foerster and Sidley Austin are among the other major law firms that have said they would close offices in Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong SAR since the spring.
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