Buzz

Rainer Burkardt, a veteran German lawyer with 11 years in China, joined Squire, Sanders & Dempsey Shanghai office. Earlier, Burkardt was the founder and head of Beiten Burkardt's Shanghai office. His practice focuses on foreign direct investments, M&A and real estate.

Eversheds announced six lateral partners will join its newly established Hong Kong office. Five banking and litigation partners from DLA Piper are King Tak Fung, Michael Yau, Ivan Ng, Ronald Sum and William Leung. Stephen Mok, corporate partner from Fried Frank, will also join the firm. Eversheds opened offices in Hong Kong and Singapore in the last six months.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert appointed its first ever Asia chief operating officer (COO) to oversee the firm’s practice in the region. Lisa Foley joins from Bestford Hong Kong where she was in charge of the financial functions and operational management. Based in Hong Kong she will work with partners in the firm’s Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai offices.

Lovells advised Gale International LLC on a Framework Agreement for a new state-of-the-art ecological city in Changsha, capital city of HunanProvince. Gale and the Changsha Municipal People’s Government of Hunan Province signed the agreement to plan, develop and operate Meixi Lake District, a 1,675 acre new ecological city.

Clifford Chance advised Aluminum Corp of China on its US$19.5 billion strategic partnership with the Rio Tinto group, the largest outbound investment ever undertaken by a Chinese company. The transaction involves the creation of joint ventures, as well as the issue of convertible bonds to Chinalco which when converted will increase their shareholding to 18 percent overall interest in the Rio Tinto group.

DLA Piper advised Datang Telecom Technology & Industry Holdings Co, Ltd in its acquisition of a US$171.8 million stake in Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC). The acquisition marks a further step in the development of China's semiconductor and mobile telecommunication industries, leveraging the country's rapidly developing TD-SCDMA third generation (3G) business.

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Voice

Gloomy

While most of the bad news of law firm lay offs comes from developed markets—particularly the US and UK, lawyers in China are experiencing the down turn. Initial salary and hiring freezes are now turning to reducing head counts at law firms in China. In these uncertain times, the question on all our minds is, ‘when will the sunshine come again?’

We share this evidence of what lawyers are saying and thinking about the prospects for legal services in China in 2009.

Law firm managers and senior lawyers pessimistic

Results of a recent poll of 29 participants attending the January AmCham Shanghai legal committee monthly roundtable revealed a decidedly pessimistic view. 59% do not expect the legal services market in China to hit bottom and trend up until December 2009—at the earliest.

Legal professionals lowering their expectations about their compensation in 2009

In LawInn’s annual salary survey, 16% reported that they expect a cut in salary in 2009. 31% expect to maintain their 2008 level of compensation in 2009. Half of the participants (53%) reported that they expect to increase their compensation in 2009.

The extraordinary increase in lawyer compensation (salary inflation) in recent years continued in 2008—but the trend is decelerating

Lawyers reporting their individual data through on-line collection for LawInn’s 2008 salary survey compared their 2008 compensation to 2007 earnings. This broad group (all levels; employed in international/PRC law firms and in-house) reported average 19.72% increase in compensation in 2008 above their 2007 earnings. This contrasts with the average 28% year-on-year (y-o-y) increase reported in our 2007 survey.

The lawyers targeted for LawInn’s salary survey are performing as elite business transaction specialists serving international clients in China. The 2008 survey includes data from 572 legal professionals.

For readers wishing to purchase the 2008 survey, please click HERE.

We express our thanks to readers who participated in the 2008 survey by sharing their personal data on-line. In appreciation we are sending you the survey data for your individual group/category. The mailing will be done as soon as the report is published.

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Fun

Things people actually said in court ...

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.

ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.

ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

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Vacancies

The LawInn team is constantly working to bring you the best choice of legal opportunities in China. Here’s just a small selection of the positions we are currently handling:

Employment Partner – Beijing – Ref: LPF05103
This is a well respected international law firm. With the growth of its China practice, the firm is seeking an Employment/Labor Law Partner to be based in Beijing. Contact David Atnip at (021) 6249-2300 or email.

Chief Representative/Partner – Shanghai – Ref: LPF09301
This is a reputable international law firm. The firm is looking for a Partner with corporate experience and practice in China to serve as Chief Representative to manage and develop its Shanghai office. Contact David Atnip at (021) 6249-2300 or email.

Senior Legal Counsel – Shanghai – Ref: LPC09001
This is a well-known global home improvement retailer. The company established its presence in Chinese major cities including Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Currently, the company is looking for Senior Legal Counsel, based in Shanghai. Contact Angel Xin at (021) 6249-2300 or email.

Senior Associate/Partner (Tax Group) – Shanghai – Ref: LPF04825
This is a reputable law firm that is strategically aligned with an international law firm with a network of more than ten offices in the United States and Europe . The firm's Tax Group is looking for Senior Associate / Partner to join its Shanghai office. Contact Jolie Hu at (021) 6249-2300 or email.

Senior Corporate Lawyer – Beijing – Ref: LPF08703
This is one of the foremost independent law firms in Europe. With the growth of its China practice, the firm is looking for a Senior Corporate Lawyer to join its Beijing office. Contact Ally Zhang at (010) 5869-4748 or email.

For more positions, please click http://www.lawinn.net/service2.asp

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