Legal Industry News & Trends Recap: July Week 1

Legal Industry News & Trends Recap: July Week 1

Legal Industry News & Trends Recap: July Week 1

1. Regulations: Shanghai Introduces First Guidelines for Humanoid Robots

Shanghai issued China’s first guidelines for humanoid robot governance. The guidelines, released during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), include risk control measures, emergency response systems, and user training on ethical and lawful use. The document, created by five Shanghai-based industry groups, also calls for global cooperation through an international governance framework and think tank.

Read the full paid article about China’s robotics regulations.

 

2. Business Moves

i. Eversheds Mulls Closure of Beijing Office and Re-Entry Into Singapore

Eversheds Sutherland is considering closing its Beijing office and reestablishing a presence in Singapore, subject to regulatory approvals. The firm exited Singapore in 2020 after ending a merger with Harry Elias Partnership. No final decision has been made about the Beijing office, which focuses on cross-border M&A, private equity, investment funds, joint ventures, and corporate finance, serving large Chinese enterprises. The Beijing office has four lawyers. In July 2022, Eversheds began a successful referral cooperation with King & Wood Mallesons China. Eversheds also has offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong, which are not under review.

Read the full article about Eversheds’ business plans.

 

ii. Baijus Launches Beijing Office Following Acquisition of RisingIP

Chongqing-based Baijus Law Firm entered the Beijing market by acquiring RisingIP Law Firm, marking the start of its national expansion strategy. Liu Kangkang, RisingIP’s founding partner, will lead the new Beijing branch with 20 staff members and plans to grow its team to 50 to 80 employees. Baijus focuses on intellectual property, criminal law, and civil and commercial legal services, particularly in the Internet, media, film, and entertainment sectors. Following the opening of its Kunming office in December 2023, Baijus plans to establish branches in major Chinese cities within three to five years, starting with a Shanghai office this month. Other firms, such as SGLA Law Firm and Wintell & Co, are also expanding their national presence with new offices and hires in Beijing and Shenzhen.

Read the full article about Baijus Law Firm’s Beijing branch.

 

3. People Moves

CMS, Facey, Simmons, Duan & Duan, Anli and Zhong Lun

CMS: CMS hired Paul Moloney as a partner for its funds practice in Hong Kong. Moloney, who joins from Mayer Brown, has over 20 years of experience in fund formation and regulatory issues across Asia, Europe, and offshore centres. His expertise includes advising on Hong Kong licensing matters and representing investors in private investment funds. Moloney also served as a partner at Eversheds and has worked with Akin Gump and Dillon Eustace. Joining him at CMS is senior associate Gigi Ma, who is also from Mayer Brown. This hire follows CMS’s recruitment of Mayer Brown’s shipping finance head, Conor Warde, in 2023.

Facey: Hong Kong law firm Facey & Associates appointed Nick Dealy as a partner and head of its commercial litigation and dispute resolution practice. Dealy, an experienced English barrister and Hong Kong solicitor with 20 years of experience has also worked at Gall and UBS. At Facey & Associates, he will focus on commercial disputes, regulatory matters, financial product mis-selling, cybercrime, and investigations by Hong Kong regulators. Dealy will also lead the firm’s contentious employment practice, representing both employers and employees. Facey & Associates now has two partners and two consultants.

Simmons: International law firm Simmons & Simmons appointed Kenneth Hui as Head of Hong Kong Regulatory, Greater China, effective 2 July. Kenneth brings over 14 years of financial services industry experience and close ties with industry bodies like the Asia Securities & Industry Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA). He will focus on Simmons’ regulation advisory services in the Asia Pacific and Greater China region. His expertise covers fintech, digital assets, and transaction structuring. Kenneth joins from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and will focus on developing Simmons’ APAC fintech practice. This appointment follows Simmons’ recent expansion of its dispute resolution team in Singapore.

Duan & Duan: Duan & Duan Law Firm recently added three experts, Peter Zeng, Liu Hongjun, and Vincent Zhu, as partners in its Shanghai office.

  • Zeng, who served as a partner at A&Z Law Firm, has 20 years of experience in labour and employment.
  • Liu specialises in commercial litigation, arbitration, real estate, construction engineering, bankruptcy and reorganisation. He has worked at King & Wood Mallesons and Shanghai Hongqiao Zheng Han Law Firm.
  • Zhu focuses on M&A, direct investment, litigation and arbitration. He founded A&Z Law Firm in 2004 and led its main legal team to join Duan & Duan this year.

Anli: Anli Partners hired arbitration expert Liu Jiong for its Beijing and Shanghai offices. Liu, previously with AllBright Law Offices, has extensive experience in domestic and international commercial litigation and arbitration, as well as internet and compliance. This hire is part of a series of partner-level additions made by Anli this year.

Zhong Lun: Zhong Lun Law Firm recently appointed four new partners in its Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu offices.

  • Ke Aiyan, who worked at Grandway Law Offices, is an intellectual property expert with nearly 20 years of experience.
  • Li Xiong, who worked at AllBright Law Offices, specialises in M&A, restructuring, and investment in various industries. These include pharmaceuticals, healthcare, circuits, logistics and high-end manufacturing.
  • Zhang Xiaoqin, who also worked at AllBright Law Offices, is experienced in litigation, arbitration, investment, M&A, corporate governance, criminal compliance and commercial crime.
  • Zhang Haijun, former deputy director at Zhonglun W&D Law Firm, focuses on dispute resolution. These include entertainment law, engineering and project development, debt restructuring and the reorganisation of distressed assets.

This marks Zhong Lun’s latest addition of partner-level hires this year.

Read the full article about CMS’s partner from Mayer Brown.

Read the full article about Facey’s practice head from Gall.

Read the full article about Simmons’s practice head from Freshfields.

Read the full article about Duan & Duan’s three partner-level hires.

Read the full article about Anli’s arbitration partner from AllBright.

Read the full article about Zhong Lun’s four partner-level hires.

 

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