Interesting article in The Recorder ( Law.com Company) about US law firms creating links between high tech business in Silicon Valley and China
Here’s the introduction to the piece
Law Firms Trying a Different Path to China – After establishing solid presences, Morrison & Foerster and Pillsbury are calling experienced partners back to the United States
Morrison & Foerster is no stranger to China.
Since 1983, it’s opened offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. Now, the firm is taking its approach to China business one step further: It’s moved corporate partner Charles Comey back to Palo Alto after a 16-year stint in Asia, with the goal of strengthening ties between the firm’s China practice and its U.S. clients.
“We already have the critical mass here [in China],” said Venantius Tan, managing partner of MoFo’s Hong Kong office. “[Comey] will focus more on connecting the dots for us. It’s important to have that person stateside to do that for us.”
MoFo isn’t alone. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman brought Thomas Shoesmith, head of the firm’s China practice, back to its Silicon Valley office from Shanghai in June.
There’s no doubt that firms are still making a big push into China. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, for example, last week announced plans to open an office in Hong Kong, while earlier this month Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher relocated partner Joseph Barbeau to open its Hong Kong office.
But MoFo and Pillsbury are trying a new approach. After already establishing a solid presence in China, bringing an experienced partner such as Comey back to Silicon Valley “was just a natural thing for us to do,” Tan said.