Simplifying Complexities—The Future of Legal Practice in China

August 29, 2018 | BY

Jacelyn Johnson

The opening up of China's legal services market to international law firms in the free trade zones has brought with it the unique opportunity for clients to have access to legal advice on both PRC regulations and international law from a single source. Baker McKenzie partners Milton Cheng, Stanley Jia and Danian Zhang and partner Yingzhe Wang of FenXun Partners talk about the opportunities and challenges forming the very first Joint Operation Office between a global law firm and a Chinese law firm in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

Over the past five years, the launch of free trade zones across China has led to several rounds of relaxation of restrictions on foreign investment into the country. Law firms in China have benefited from the growing demand for legal work brought about by the regulatory easing.

But for some of these law firms, in addition to the increase of work volume, the FTZs have their own significance. Starting in 2015 in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, the foreign and domestic law firms joint operation program has opened the gate for more foreign firms to provide their clients with direct access to Chinese legal services, and for Chinese firms to build much stronger international networks. That program, according to partners at Baker McKenzie, has laid the foundation for the future of China's legal services sector, where foreign and domestic law offerings are integrated into a single platform, as the opportunities for both inbound and outbound investment into and from China continue to grow.

China Opens Its Doors Wider for Global Business

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