Baker McKenzie celebrated this month its 30th anniversary in Beijing and 20th anniversary in Shanghai. The occasion was marked by a series of celebratory events with clients, alumni and employees in both cities.
One key event was the legal symposium where the Firm's clients and lawyers came together for an informative and interactive discussion on the legal, macroeconomic and policy issues that are impacting businesses, and on how organizations can reshape their China strategies to prepare ahead.
Stanley Jia, Baker McKenzie's Chief Representative in Beijing, said: "As one of the first international firms to establish an office in Beijing, we have witnessed first-hand China's extraordinary growth. We are extremely honored to have been part of this incredible journey and be synonymous with many headline deals and market-first transactions as we help our clients explore the abundant opportunities that China offers."
Howard Wu, Baker McKenzie's Chief Representative in Shanghai, said: "We are also very proud to have played a small but influential part in the development of the legal services sector in China, from through our collaboration with the relevant government authorities and universities to develop homegrown talent to the establishment of Baker McKenzie FenXun, China's first joint operation platform. Our joint operation office not only offers clients the seamless international and Chinese legal service experience they are looking for; it likewise provides our lawyers a platform where they can access more than 70 offices across the globe to further grow their practice and expand their client base."
Shih Yann Loo, Baker McKenzie's Asia Pacific chair, said: "Having been on the ground in Asia Pacific for 60 years, it is extremely gratifying to be recognized for having the longest-standing and the broadest practice than any other law firm, and that we are trusted by our clients for their inbound and outbound matters. This region is a tremendous base for us, as well as for many of our clients; and our steadfast commitment to this region is undisputable."
Shin Yann continued: "With the region forecasted to lead global economic growth this year, organizations are recalibrating their strategies to seize new opportunities while navigating a business landscape that has become much more complex, fueled by geopolitics, digitization, inflation, among other economic pressures. We remain unfaltering and will continue to bring our unique local insights and global perspectives, combined with our full transactional and advisory service offering, to help our clients make informed decisions."