CHINA

Chart of the Day: The Law Firms Leaving the Chinese Mainland

Published: May. 5, 2025 5:34 p.m. GMT+8

00:00

00:00/00:00

Listen to this article 1x

Since 2023, more than a dozen well-known foreign law firms, most of them American, have scaled back operations or exited completely from the Chinese mainland, according to incomplete data compiled by Caixin.

Rather than withdrawing completely, many U.S. firms have closed offices in Beijing or Shanghai while keeping operations in Hong Kong and consolidating their businesses.

You've accessed an article available only to subscribers

Subscribe today for just $.99.

VIEW OPTIONS

Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.

Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.

Share this article

Open WeChat and scan the QR code

DIGEST HUB

Digest Hub

Back

Explore the story in 30 seconds

Since 2023, over a dozen major foreign (mainly U.S.) law firms have scaled back or exited mainland China, often consolidating in Hong Kong.
The number of foreign law firm offices in China dropped from 244 in 2017 to 205 in 2022, rebounding slightly to 208 in 2023.
Southeast Asian and other foreign firms are expanding in China, especially in Shenzhen and Hainan, reflecting growing China-Southeast Asia economic ties.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a New York-based law firm that was among the first foreign firms to enter China, opening a Beijing office in 1981. The firm closed its Beijing office at the end of 2024, now having no mainland presence but maintaining its office in Hong Kong.

Dentons: Dentons, one of the world’s largest law firms, ended its eight-year alliance with Beijing Dacheng Law Offices in August 2023. The partnership, formed in 2015 to meet rising legal demand in China, was dissolved, with Dacheng updating its website to reflect its independent status. However, Dacheng remains a preferred law firm for Dentons in China.

Mayer Brown LLP: In May 2024, Mayer Brown LLP restructured its Hong Kong operations, with its partner team reviving the historical name Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM) and separating from Mayer Brown’s international business. The two sides now operate under a temporary association expected to end in late 2025. Mayer Brown will continue operating in Hong Kong through a new partnership focused on its international and Asia strategies.

Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM): Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM) is the historical name revived by Mayer Brown LLP's Hong Kong partner team in May 2024 after restructuring. Following the separation from Mayer Brown’s international business, JSM and Mayer Brown now operate under a temporary association, which is expected to end in late 2025.

Loeb & Loeb LLP: In September 2024, Los Angeles-based Loeb & Loeb LLP expanded its presence in China by acquiring a 17-member Beijing-based team of lawyers, paralegals, and intellectual property specialists from Perkins Coie LLP, along with Perkins Coie’s intellectual property agency in Beijing.

Perkins Coie LLP: In September 2024, Los Angeles-based Loeb & Loeb LLP acquired a 17-member Beijing-based team of lawyers, paralegals, and intellectual property specialists from Seattle-based Perkins Coie LLP, along with Perkins Coie’s intellectual property agency in Beijing.

Dorsey & Whitney LLP: Since 2021, the headcount at the Beijing office of Minneapolis-based Dorsey & Whitney LLP has more than doubled. Despite many U.S. law firms scaling back in China, Dorsey & Whitney is among those expanding their presence on the Chinese mainland.

Pinsent Masons LLP: According to the article, British law firm Pinsent Masons LLP is among 15 foreign law firms that have been approved since 2023 to establish representative offices in China. Their entry reflects a trend of increasing interest from non-U.S. firms, particularly from the U.K. and Southeast Asia, in deepening their presence in the Chinese market amidst changing international dynamics.

Holman Fenwick & Willan LLP: According to the article, Holman Fenwick & Willan LLP is a British law firm that, since 2023, has been approved by China’s Ministry of Justice to establish a representative office in the country. This move is part of a broader trend of new foreign law firms, including those from the UK and Southeast Asia, expanding their presence in China despite a general retreat by some Western firms.

Rajah & Tann LLP: According to the article, Rajah & Tann LLP is a Singaporean law firm that was approved to establish a representative office in China since 2023. This move reflects the growing economic and business ties between China and Southeast Asia, with Southeast Asian firms positioning themselves to serve clients as Chinese companies expand across the region.

Allen & Gledhill LLP: According to the article, Allen & Gledhill LLP is a Singapore-based law firm that, since 2023, has been approved to establish a representative office in mainland China. This reflects increasing interest from Southeast Asian law firms in the Chinese legal market, coinciding with growing economic and business ties between China and Southeast Asia.

AI generated, for reference only