Foreign law firms scale back China operations as outlook dims

Two U.S. firms latest to downsize amid slowing economy and regulatory uncertainty

20230815 China Foreign Business

Many foreign law firms in China focus on non-litigation business such as compliance, cross-border public listings and mergers and acquisitions, areas that are sensitive to changing business sentiment. © AP

ECHO WONG and PAK YIU, Nikkei staff writers

HONG KONG -- International law firms are cutting back operations in China as an economic slowdown and regulatory uncertainty cloud their business outlooks.

Latham & Watkins, one of the world's largest law firms by revenue, closed its Shanghai office this year, four sources said. Ropes & Gray, a Boston-based law firm, has plans to downsize its Shanghai office, three other people said.

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