US firm Bryan Cave LLP is consolidating its focus in Hong Kong on private client work following a full-scale review of its Far East practice.
The 12-lawyer Hong Kong office' decision has already resulted in the loss of two partners - Robert Jewkes and Eliza Chan recently left the firm to set up their own practice under the name of Jewkes Chan and Partners.
Lou Ann Pfeifer, senior business development manager based in the firm's St Louis, Missouri home office said Bryan Cave and Robert Jewkes and Eliza Chan are continuing their good working relationship and look forward to working together on certain client matters going forward in Hong Kong.
"Bryan Cave regularly evaluates its operations and practices as a course of doing business. The strategic review of our legal practices is ongoing and worldwide and, in that process, we are continuing our evaluation of the Asia practice," Pfeifer said.
Bryan Cave has a solid reputation for its private client practice manned by 34 lawyers worldwide. Led in Hong Kong by partner Mimi Hutton, the firm was short-listed last year in ALB's 'Tax & Trusts Law Firm of the Year' category.
Pfeifer said the firm's Shanghai office will continue to provide full service coverage in the PRC.
"We are very interested in building our practice in the PRC and are determining the best course of action there," she said. "We continue to develop our plan for the firm's Asia practice - it is possible that the Shanghai office could grow significantly."
Bryan Cave's Shanghai office covers a broad range of projects for business clients such as establishing branch operations, structuring cross-border investments, due diligence, negotiation and documentation of investments in Chinese domestic companies and joint ventures, acquiring assets and other M&A activity, supervising litigation in Chinese courts and representing clients in China-related arbitration. It also covers distribution, supply, processing and manufacturing arrangements, licensing, trademark protection and other IP activities and antidumping matters.