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 another in Beijing in 2010.
With more than 70 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 necessary.
Latham is one of only a few international firms in Asia with the ability to provide substantive United States (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 China and Throughout Asia-Pacific
Latham earned the "Innovative Firm in Asia" recognition for its work on groundbreaking deals in the Financial Times’ 2016 “Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers” report, and was named to Asian Legal Business’ “Innovation List” in 2016.
In the 2018 edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific, Latham received a number of commendations for practice areas based in Greater China, including:
- Banking & Finance – Interviewees praise the team's "ability to act commercially and identify commercial risks in addition to legal risks," adding that "the firm makes a decision and does not 'sit on the fence'."
- Capital Markets – "It's very pleasant working with them, an experienced team...Their Chinese language capabilities are very important to me." Feedback highlights the firm's deal-making approach, with a client noting: "I'm highly impressed with their technical knowledge and ability to appropriately manage corporate issuers towards a successful and commercially viable outcome." Clients also praise the group's level of organisation, with one saying: "A very outstanding team with strong co-ordination and collaboration. They demonstrate very high efficiency in execution and each team member has high standards of professional ethics and high levels of expertise."
- Corporate/M&A – "We are very impressed by Latham’s outstanding quality of services and professionalism. They have demonstrated a broad spectrum of capabilities and extensive experience across a wide range of practices such as M&A and corporate finance," one interviewee remarks, further stating: "The team is extremely competent and highly knowledgeable." Another market source lists the team's key strengths while acting on one recent matter: "They were very good and knowledgeable on US regulations, and were also aware of the differences and nuances within a Chinese environment."
- Private Equity – "The team is very strong and has good connections to subject matter experts in global offices where required,"
- International Arbitration – Clients are quick to highlight the team's dedication to service, with one source praising its "meticulous working attitude" and adding that it is "highly efficient and duly delivers on work, responds to feedback, collects all kinds of information, and follows up on the case." Certain sources highlight the "impressive bilingual capacity of the team" and describe the team as being "completely at home serving Chinese clients and understanding their strategic needs." Other commentators praise the firm for its ability "to produce innovative solutions to meet the demands of the case."
- Litigation – Clients commend the team's responsiveness and ability to meet their needs. "They always meet my expectations and sometimes even go a step further," one client reports, adding that "the response time to all queries is impeccable." Another interviewee adds: "They take care of our commercial needs and objectives."
- Restructuring/Insolvency – One client affirms: "Latham has been our go-to law firm for a diversity of matters over the years," explaining that this is because "they are very strong and solid in many subject matters and in various countries." Another source highlights its international capabilities, rating it as a "top-tier global firm that we can rely on when a situation involves multiple jurisdictions."
(The guide is based on client and peer feedback as well as the firm’s work during the last 12 months.)