Biglaw companies proceed to shutter their places of work in China prefer it’s going out of favor. At this time, we’ve information on the ninth massive legislation agency to shut the doorways of a Chinese language workplace in 2025.
As famous by Law.com International, Ok&L Gates — a agency that introduced in $1,327,801,000 gross income in 2024, placing it at No. 44 on the newest Am Legislation 100 — will shut its Beijing workplace, which it first launched in 2004. The agency plans to retain its Hong Kong and Shanghai places of work, with Shanghai absorbing Beijing’s work. A agency spokesperson issued the next assertion:
“The agency’s new management group has not too long ago undertaken a strategic evaluation of our international operations, together with our actual property footprint, with the final word objectives of aligning sources with consumer demand, strengthening our high-performance tradition, and staying efficient. As a part of this evaluation, we’ve determined to consolidate our Beijing office into our Shanghai workplace. We are going to retain our full-service capabilities in China, together with our sturdy company, regulatory, and IP practices, and stay dedicated to serving Chinese language shoppers and our international shoppers who’ve authorized wants in China from our Shanghai and Hong Kong offices and in collaboration with our broad community of offices throughout the Asian continent and past.”
Whereas some legal professionals at Ok&L’s Beijing workplace had been supplied the chance to relocate to a different workplace, different employees members have reportedly been supplied severance packages.
Which Biglaw agency would be the subsequent say zàijiàn to its places of work in China? You possibly can email us or textual content us (646-820-8477) when you’ve got any intel. Thanks.
K&L Gates Set to Close Beijing Office, Staff Offered Severance Packages [Law.com International]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Legislation, the place she’s labored since 2011. She’d love to listen to from you, so please be at liberty to email her with any ideas, questions, feedback, or critiques. You possibly can observe her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or join together with her on LinkedIn.
