Bridging Worlds, Building Business
Latham launched its Greater China Practice in 1994 with the opening of its Hong Kong office. In order to better meet the needs of clients, Latham opened an office in Shanghai in 2005 and further expanded its presence in Greater China by opening an office in Beijing in 2010.
With more than 60 lawyers in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Latham provides clients with local expertise and an intimate understanding of the local marketplace complemented by our global network. Latham’s vast geographic reach serves the global needs of clients, while the firm’s strong local practices ensure close ties with the world's key financial centers and on the ground support where it is needed.
Latham is one of only a few international firms in Asia with the ability to provide substantive US, English and Hong Kong law advice. Our team includes lawyers fluent in Mandarin and other Chinese dialects, as well as Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Tagalog and Thai.
Innovative Solutions for Clients
Latham’s Greater China practice advises Asian, European, US and Middle Eastern companies on all aspects of their transactions throughout Greater China and the rest of Asia. We also advise on a range of outbound acquisitions and divestments for Chinese buyers and understand the issues and commercial drivers for corporate and private equity players. We are familiar with all of the tools for mitigating execution risk and simultaneously managing financing.
Covering All Aspects of a Deal
Latham helps clients advance their business interests in the region, regularly advising clients in the following practice areas:
Recognized for Excellence in Hong Kong and Throughout Asia-Pacific
Latham was named the "Most Innovative Firm in the Asia-Pacific" by the Financial Times Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers in 2015, and also received recognition as the "International Deal Firm of the Year" by Asian Legal Business 2015, which recognizes the firm's impressive track record providing cutting-edge advice on some of the region’s most complex and innovative transactions.
In the 2016 edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Latham received a number of commendations for practice areas based in Greater China, including:
- Banking & Finance – "They're very practical-minded and commercial," and "Very useful when acting on cross-border deals."
- Capital Markets – "They are very efficient at responding and have been very commercial when addressing issues." Clients say, "We're happy with their response time, and they're very approachable and down-to-earth, and don't give overly academic solutions." The firm is “exceptionally strong” and is “much stronger than peers when there is a US-angle.”
- Corporate/M&A – “The team’s ‘service is very good, and the advice provided is timely and appropriate.” "They have a worldwide platform, with an ability to advise us on many levels."
- International Arbitration – "They have a range of both local and international clients in growing and competitive markets, especially in South-East Asia and China." "They've been most responsive to every enquiry, be it verbal or written, and their explanation and advice has always been relevant and timely."
- Litigation – Clients say, "I have found their input and feedback extremely productive and helpful. They look for solutions, and drill down to the heart of the matter very quickly." "The members of the firm all seem to have a passion for handling challenging work and for assisting clients vigorously and competently."
- Projects & Infrastructure – “Sophisticated project finance practice with deep expertise advising on multibillion-dollar oil and gas, power and mining projects.”
- Restructuring/Insolvency – “Clients benefit from its strong global footprint as well as its impressive local expertise, making it a go-to for cross-border instructions. Caters to a broad spectrum of creditor clients, including major banks and hedge funds, in addition to advising debtors in distressed situations.”
(The guide is based on client and peer feedback as well as the firm’s work during the last 12 months.)