Can’t move for pieces on the Mallesons and? King & Wood link up today
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Here’s the introduction FT’s angle and below we’ve provided links to the other articles we’ve come across in the last 24 hours
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A hiccup at the launch of Asia?s biggest law firm
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The merger of Chinese law firm King & Wood and Australia?s Mallesons Stephen Jacques? approved by partners last month and announced officially this week? hasn?t come without some hiccups.
John Shi, Mallesons? chief representative in Beijing since 2004, and another partner are leaving for a rival firm. And other competitors may be interested in poaching more of their former colleagues.
But the leaders of the two merged firms say they?re confident about the tie-up, and are already winning business that they might have missed before the deal.
The firm, now named King & Wood Mallesons (the Chinese firm won at ?arm-wrestling? over the new name, quipped Handel Lee, a partner at King & Wood), will be the largest international law firm headquartered outside the US or UK, with 380 partners and 1,800 lawyers.
The companies are joining up through what is known as a Swiss verein alliance (much like accounting groups such as Deloitte and PwC use), meaning they will share certain back office functionality, but remain legally independent entities with separate profit pools for partners.
That structure gives the King & Wood Mallesons network a commercial edge on the mainland.
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More at link above
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Also pieces by
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JD? Journal Merger of King & Wood and Mallesons Stephens Jaques Creates Largest Law Firm in Asia
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The Asian Lawyer King & Wood and Mallesons Confirm Ambitious Merger Plans
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Business Spectator BREAKFAST DEALS: Mallesons coup
