Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to Close Beijing Office, Joining Exodus of U.S. Law Firms from Greater China.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr has announced the closure of its Beijing office, becoming the 12th U.S. law firm to withdraw from Greater China in the past 18 months. The office, which currently has two corporate partners and two associates, is expected to cease operations by the end of November. This decision will leave Wilmer without any offices in Asia, as the firm concentrates its presence in the U.S. and Europe.

The firm cited a reevaluation of its global footprint as the reason for the closure but assured that it would continue to offer services in trade, sanctions, export control, anti-money laundering, and corporate transactions for clients operating in China and worldwide. The Beijing office, established in 2004 shortly after the merger of Hale and Dorr and Wilmer Cutler Pickering, focused on regulatory, transactional, mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investments, and intellectual property-related advice.

This trend of U.S. law firms retreating from the Chinese market extends beyond Wilmer, with other international firms like Dentons and Mayer Brown also decoupling from their Greater China-based partner firms. Additionally, Big Four accounting firms EY and KPMG have closed their affiliated Hong Kong law practices this year, signaling a broader shift in the legal and professional services landscape in the region.

Report by Law.com International