International law firms set for launches in Shanghai and Beijing

Eversheds and NCTM are set to launch new offices in China as more international law firms target the rich potential of the country's legal market.

Italy's NCTM plans to launch in Shanghai this summer, with the firm's licence application due to be approved in the coming months. The launch will mark the Milan-based firm's first office opening outside of Europe, coming alongside its existing bases in Italy, London and Brussels.

Meanwhile, Eversheds is set bulk up its practice in China with a new base in Beijing, after the firm's Shanghai office passed its three-year probationary period. Under Chinese law, international firms can only open one office every three years.

Eversheds Shanghai managing director Peter Corne said: "We are definitely looking to expand into Beijing now that we are eligible to apply to open a second office, and as with all of our international expansion, it will be client-led.

"Beijing and Shanghai are very distinctive. Shanghai does not have the prominent position of Beijing, but at the moment most of our clients are here so we will probably only start with a small operation when we open."

NCTM's Vittorio Noseda, the partner in charge of the firm's operations in Asia, said: "We will be one of two large Italian firms to have a practice in China and we want to position ourselves as a full Italian legal practice there while still working closely with the local firm that we already have a relationship with. We are also looking to be more proactive in India and the Arabic nations without opening up further offices."

Fellow Italian firm Chiomenti has had a presence in Beijing since 2007 and in 2008 launched in Shanghai and Hong Kong via a merger deal with Sino-Italian firm Birindelli & Associati, which gifted the firm six new offices in Asia.

In February of this year Chiomenti formed an exclusive association with Hong Kong firm CdB and JC & Co, enabling the firm to offer M&A, private equity, restructuring and litigation services in the region.

Several other international firms are looking to bulk up their practices in China during the coming months. Spanish leader Garrigues has stated that it "would not discard the possibility of opening up in Beijing" in the near future.

Other law firms expected to make further moves in the China market include Ashurst, which opened in Hong Kong in 2008 but does not yet have a presence in mainland China, SJ Berwin, which launched in both Hong Kong and Shanghai last year, and US firm Goodwin Procter, which has one Asia base in Hong Kong.

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