The office closure trend continues into the new year, marking the 16th U.S.-based firm to reduce its presence in China.
The post Yet Another Biglaw Firm Closes Up Shop At One Of Its China Offices appeared first on Above the Law.
The first month of the new year is nearly over, but it was just enough time for another Biglaw firm to shut down an office in China. This is the second large law firm to close the doors of a Chinese office in 2025.
As noted by the American Lawyer, Morgan Lewis & Bockius has shut down its Shenzhen office, which was first opened less than two years ago. Morgan Lewis now becomes the 16th U.S. firm to shutter an office in mainland China since the exodus began in 2024.
It seems that the firm’s office leader lateraled to DLA Piper back in November, and unable to fill his shoes, Morgan Lewis decided to shutter the office. Am Law has additional details:
Morgan Lewis confirmed the office closure. “We parted ways with our only two lawyers in Shenzhen and reestablished our China-based intellectual property practice in our Shanghai office, where it was initially established in 2017,” Lesli Ligorner, [of] Morgan Lewis’ Shanghai office said. …
“Our combined Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai offices provide corporate, capital markets, corporate investigations, investment management, employment, litigation, and intellectual property services to firm clients through almost 70 lawyers, supported by 46 professional staff, including our October 2024 addition of Bingna Guo in Beijing,” Ligorner said.
Which Biglaw firm will be the next say zàijiàn to its offices in China? You can email us or text us (646-820-8477) if you have any intel. Thank you.
Morgan Lewis Closes Shenzhen Office After Less Than Two Years [American Lawyer]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
