Recently crowned International Law Firm of the Year at the 2008 ALB China Law Awards, Lovells signalled its desire for further growth today with the announcement that Thomas Man will join as a partner in its Beijing office. Man, a Shandong native, comes to the firm from Orrick, where he acted on high- profile M&As, divestitures, and joint venture projects. Widely known as a "greenfields" expert, Man was also formerly a corporate and securities partner in the Chicago, Beijing and Shanghai offices of Baker & McKenzie.

 

Man currently serves as one of only two foreign legal advisors appointed to the drafting committee of China’s Institute of Evidence Law and Forensic Science, which was commissioned by the Supreme People’s Court to draft the first Uniform Rules of Evidence for all Chinese courts.

 

Lovells’ Asia regional managing partner Crispin Rapinet was understandably thrilled with the move which comes on the back of recent additions to the firm’s corporate finance, competition law, dispute resolution and IP practises. According to Rapinet, Man’s hire will not only open up further opportunities but deliver the local knowledge that is the key ingredient to cracking the China market.

 

 “For our China strategy to be fully realised it is imperative that we have native Chinese partners, fully conversant in both the international and Chinese corporate environment…these are very rare qualities to find,” said Rapinet.

 

The move marks the third time this year that a high-profile partner has made the move to Lovells. Last month banking & finance guru Owen Chan joined the firm from Stephen Harwood & Lo and earlier this year corporate partner Fred Chang defected from White & Case.