McDermott Will & Emery has secured its Asia launch after agreeing a strategic alliance with a breakaway group from leading Chinese corporate firm Allbright Law Offices.

The move, which was announced yesterday (29 January), sees Allbright founding partner John Huang and corporate partner Kevin Qian leave the firm to set up a new operation under the banner MWE China Law Offices.

MWE China will have around 27 lawyers and will be based in Shanghai. Huang was one of four partners who founded Allbright in 1998, while Qian previously chaired the firm's corporate practice and has served as a member of its executive committee.

Under current legislation, foreign firms are not permitted to merge with Chinese firms, meaning MWE China will maintain financial independence from Chicago-based McDermott.

The split leaves Allbright with four remaining offices and around 150 lawyers, all of whom are based in China.

McDermott becomes the latest US firm to debut in Asia after New York outfit Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson last month opened a base in Hong Kong after hiring a four-partner team from Simmons & Simmons.