The firm first entered the Greater China legal market in 2008, with offices in Hong Kong and Beijing
US law firm Reed Smith announced plans to close its Beijing office as part of a strategic consolidation in China.
According to a Reuters report, the firm will focus its efforts on its Shanghai office, which works closely with its offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. The decision comes amid growing pressures on foreign businesses in China, economic uncertainties, and shifting geopolitical tensions. While the firm will close its Beijing location, Reed Smith emphasized its continued commitment to the Chinese market.
"We remain deeply committed to the China market," the firm’s spokesperson said. Reed Smith currently lists seven legal professionals in Beijing, including two partners, some of whom will transfer to Shanghai. According to an insider familiar with the situation, the firm is offering assistance to those who are not relocating.
Reed Smith first entered the Greater China legal market in 2008, with offices in Hong Kong and Beijing. It expanded its presence by opening a Shanghai office in 2011 and a Singapore office in 2012. Reed Smith’s Hong Kong office is the largest of its Asian locations, with 90 lawyers listed on the firm’s website.
The firm, headquartered in Pittsburgh, has more than 1,500 lawyers globally and is the latest international law firm to downsize in China. Several major law firms have reduced their presence in the country over the past year, citing economic and regulatory challenges.
Other prominent law firms have also closed offices in China in recent months. Dechert announced plans in July to close both its Beijing and Hong Kong offices by the end of the year. Morrison & Foerster said in June that it would wind down its Beijing office. Sidley Austin closed its Shanghai office in May, and Mayer Brown announced the separation of its Hong Kong operations shortly after.
Last year, Dentons cited new government rules on data privacy and cybersecurity as part of its decision to end its combination with China’s 8,000-lawyer firm Dacheng.
Despite the closures, many firms, including Reed Smith, have stated they will continue to serve clients in China through other offices in the region.
