Beijing-based Guantao Law Firm has merged with Shanghai-based Zhongmao Law Firm after a five-year alliance.
The Chinese name of the new firm—观韬中茂—will be a combination of the two, while the English name will remain as Guantao Law Firm. Cui Liguo, managing partner of Guantao, will be co-president alongside Sheng Leiming, managing partner of Zhongmao.
Notably, the merger has integrated the Shanghai offices of both firms bringing the legal teams of Guantao’s Shanghai office together with Zhongmao, as well as Tian Bo’s legal team from Shanghai Zhonghua and Qian Yewen’s legal team from Shanghai Oushen.
The merger creates a legal team with over 100 partners and 500 lawyers, and the Shanghai branch will now be able to advise on infrastructure and real estate, M&A, PE & VC, banking and finance, restructuring and insolvency, capital markets, intellectual property, and disputes.
Guantao now has 14 offices in China and abroad, including in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong and Sydney. In Hong Kong, it can now advise on both Hong Kong and PRC law after it merged with Peter C. Wong Chow & Chow and localised as a Hong Kong solicitors’ firm under the new name of Guantao & Chow in February 2016.