Biglaw
firms
continue
to
shutter
their
offices
in
China
like
it’s
going
out
of
style.
Today,
we
have
news
on
the
ninth
large
law
firm
to
close
the
doors
of
a
Chinese
office
in
2025.
As
noted
by
Law.com
International,
K&L
Gates
—
a
firm
that
brought
in
$1,327,801,000
gross
revenue
in
2024,
putting
it
at
No.
44
on
the
most
recent
Am
Law
100
—
will
close
its
Beijing
office,
which
it
first
launched
in
2004.
The
firm
plans
to
retain
its
Hong
Kong
and
Shanghai
offices,
with
Shanghai
absorbing
Beijing’s
work.
A
firm
spokesperson
issued
the
following
statement:
“The
firm’s
new
leadership
team
has
recently
undertaken
a
strategic
review
of
our
global
operations,
including
our
real
estate
footprint,
with
the
ultimate
goals
of
aligning
resources
with
client
demand,
strengthening
our
high-performance
culture,
and
staying
efficient.
As
part
of
this
review,
we
have
decided
to
consolidate
our
Beijing
office
into
our
Shanghai
office.
We
will
retain
our
full-service
capabilities
in
China,
including
our
robust
corporate,
regulatory,
and
IP
practices,
and
remain
committed
to
serving
Chinese
clients
and
our
global
clients
who
have
legal
needs
in
China
from
our
Shanghai
and
Hong
Kong
offices
and
in
collaboration
with
our
broad
network
of
offices
across
the
Asian
continent
and
beyond.”
While
some
lawyers
at
K&L’s
Beijing
office
were
offered
the
opportunity
to
relocate
to
another
office,
other
staff
members
have
reportedly
been
offered
severance
packages.
Which
Biglaw
firm
will
be
the
next
say
zàijiàn
to
its
offices
in
China?
You
can email
us or
text
us
(646-820-8477)
if
you
have
any
intel.
Thank
you.
K&L
Gates
Set
to
Close
Beijing
Office,
Staff
Offered
Severance
Packages
[Law.com
International]
Staci
Zaretsky is
the
managing
editor
of
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
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hear
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