Cooley has expanded its presence in China with the launch of a Beijing base.

The office – which will focus on private investment funds formation and structuring – is the US firm's second in China, after it opened in Shanghai in 2011.

It will initially be staffed by three lawyers. Ropes & Gray counsel Xun Zeng (pictured) is joining as resident partner, and will work alongside associates Jingyi Xu and Bin Wang, who are relocating from Cooley's Shanghai base.

Zeng has advised China-based institutional investors such as Bank of China International, Citic Capital and HOPU Investments on fund formation, structuring and related governance matters. She has been at Ropes in Hong Kong since June 2014, before which she was an associate at Latham & Watkins and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison.

Beijing will add on-the-ground legal resources to Cooley's international capabilities, according to Mike Lincoln, global chairman of Cooley's business department.

"We have a history of achievement across the Asia-Pacific region and, in particular, have worked with private investment fund clients over three decades," Lincoln said in a statement. "China is a critical part of Cooley's global growth strategy."

Lincoln said Cooley is fund formation counsel to more than 50 fund managers, with their primary operations in China.

Cooley now has 14 lawyers between its offices in Shanghai and Beijing, including five partners. The firm has no other offices in Asia, and its only other office outside the US is in London.

The Shanghai office, its first outside the US, opened in 2011 when partners Bradley Peck and Patrick Loofbourrow relocated from San Diego. Peck, who is now retired from the partnership, returned to San Diego a few years ago, while Loofbourrow remained in Shanghai.

The office, which focuses on life science and funds practices, is now headed by partner Christina Zhang, who joined the firm in 2012 from Johnson Controls, where she was Asia-Pacific general counsel.

Cooley's Beijing office opening comes on the heels of the announcement by US firm Troutman Sanders that it is closing its three Greater China offices – in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong – due to the firm's decision to shift away from Hong Kong securities and M&A work. In 2016, both Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft and Winston & Strawn also closed offices in Beijing.