Beijing-Hong Kong merger creates Chinese heavyweight

Beijing-based Jun He Law Offices has become the third Mainland China-headquartered law firm to open in Hong Kong.

The firm has opened through a merger with Hong Kong firm XJ Wang & Co, and will operate in Hong Kong under the Jun He name.

Jun He’s Chinese operation recently worked alongside international firms Allen & Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Shearman & Sterling and Sullivan & Cromwell to provide local law advice on the $9.7bn (£5.2bn) initial public offering of Bank of China.

China’s Ministry of Justice earlier this year lifted a long-standing ban on mainland firms operating offshore.

China’s largest firm King & Wood was the first mainland firm to be approved by the Law Society of Hong Kong as a registered foreign firm.

Shanghai-headquartered firm Chen & Co became the second Chinese firm to be granted a foreign law firm licence earlier this month.

The firm will now house more than 200 lawyers across seven offices including New York. It has 48 partners.