Eversheds’ planned Beijing base to target financial services work
Eversheds is planning to open in Beijing in the coming year as part of a plan to expand its emerging markets presence.
Bryan Hughes
The firm has dispatched company commercial head Peter Halpin and head of international Stephen Hopkins to China; they are expected to return to the UK with a business case for a launch in the city. After that the firm will apply for a licence, a process that can take up to 12 months.
Eversheds chief executive Bryan Hughes told The Lawyer that the firm will target international financial services work, adding to the firm’s teams in Shanghai and Hong Kong, which are active in corporate finance and arbitration.
The office will fall under the remit of Asia head Nick Seddon, with the firm also considering external recruitment. While Hughes was unable to pinpoint the anticipated size of the Beijing outpost, he confirmed that it would be “more than a shop window”.
Eversheds recently recruited former Slaughter and May litigation partner Mark Yeadon to its Hong Kong office as part of a move to become a 50-lawyer practice there by next year (The Lawyer, 6 September).
