Allen & Overy has launched a joint operation with a Chinese law firm in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, allowing the Magic Circle firm to access Chinese law advice.

Through a joint operation with Shanghai-based Lang Yue Law Firm, the British firm is the latest global player to take part in the government sanctioned scheme to provide clients with one-stop-shop services of both international and Chinese law offerings.

Victor Ho, Allen & Overy's managing partner for Beijing and Shanghai offices said the two firms have successfully worked with on a significant number of client matters and the alliance will take the firm's China offering to the next level.

"Growing our China practice remains one of our global strategic priorities," he said. "The joint operation will give our considerable roster of international and Chinese clients an even deeper and broader set of capabilities to support their activities in China and globally."

Lang Yue has about 20 lawyers, according to official records. The firm focuses on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions as well as Chinese law regulatory and compliance work. The firm is led by partner Wenxin Zhou.

Allen & Overy's FTZ joint operation came following that of Herbert Smith Freehills which launched its tie-up in August with Shanghai-based Kewei Law Firm. In 2018, Linklaters was the first Magic Circle firm to ink an FTZ deal in China. Both Kewei and Linklaters' alliance partner Zhao Sheng Law Firm have made significant hires from leading Chinese firms since the FTZ launch.

Seven firms now operate with Chinese law firms in the Shanghai FTZ. Others include Hogan Lovells, Ashurst, Baker McKenzie and HFW.

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