Hogan Shanghai chief quits for Ropes & Gray

The managing partner of the Shanghai office of Hogan Lovells legacy firm Hogan & Hartson has left to join Ropes & Gray.

Arthur Mok, who had been the managing partner of Hogan & Hartson in Shanghai since it launched in 2004, will join Ropes & Gray as part of the Boston-headquartered firm’s expansion in China.

Mok will join the firm’s life sciences, M&A and private equity practices in China. He will initially be based in Washington but is expected to launch Ropes & Gray’s Shanghai office once the firm receives approval from the Chinese government.

Ropes & Gray already has an office in Hong Kong where it opened in 2008, as well as an office in Tokyo, which was established in 2007.

“I’m delighted to be joining Ropes & Gray, where I have a unique opportunity to team with top-tier colleagues handling the most challenging transactions in China,” said Mok. “The firm is growing in a deliberate, forward-thinking way that fully embraces the importance of being able to serve clients with their China-related business interests.”

The move comes shortly after the head of Hogan Lovells’ legacy firm Lovells, Robert Lewis, left the firm to join Chinese firm AllBright Law offices (29 April 2010).