Eversheds’ Partner Additions Reflect Further China Law Changes

China law landscape changes for western law firms

The changing legal landscape involving China has seen Eversheds Sutherland’s global branch absorbing former partners and staff from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) London office, including five partners and 18 other personnel. The move includes most of the London KWM team.

Under an agreement made in July, KWM’s Chinese legal operations are to refer all their legal work in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and South America to Eversheds’ international branch.

In return, Eversheds will send China-focused work to KWM. The partnership also resulted in the closure of KWM’s six offices in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, with select staff being invited to join Eversheds, based on practice requirements.

The five London partners involved in the move to Eversheds include three from the corporate team, namely Greg Stonefield, Joseph Newitt, and Barri Mendelsohn, and two commercial dispute resolution lawyers, James McKenzie and Wilson Antoon.

Lee Ranson, Eversheds’ chief executive highlighted the benefits already emerging from their cooperation agreement with KWM (China) and anticipated further successes with the new London team on board.

Eversheds’ Hong Kong office remains unaffected by this cooperation, along with its Beijing and Shanghai branches, as they do not provide Chinese legal advice.

law firms farewell China

The ‘China changes’ come in the wake of other international law firms reevaluating their China strategies. Linklaters announced headcount reductions in China due to an extended economic downturn, Latham & Watkins closed its Shanghai office in favor of consolidating in Beijing, and Dentons withdrew from mainland China, citing Chinese cybersecurity and data protection laws. Additionally, Morgan Lewis & Bockius and HFW have made moves to expand their presence in China in recent months.


Donald Trump’s Wild World Of Court Cases: – Here’s What’s Coming in The Trump Files

Donald Trump court cases

The Donald Trump Tower could stack his court cases as they continue to mount, which may leave many wondering just where we stand with the court cases at present.

Here’s a brief run down on the Trump Files:

The New York fraud trial: This week Trump will testify under oath about alleged asset inflation for loan approvals. The trial does not carry a felony charge and involve jail, but it could lose him the Trump Tower, his jewel in the crown asset. The $250 million lawsuit alleges that Trump and co-defendants committed fraud by inflating assets to obtain better loan and insurance deals.

The Colorado Insurrection case: In Colorado, a judge evaluates Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, events, which could affect his 2024 presidential eligibility. The groups, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington brought the legal action on behalf of six Colorado voters in an attempt to disqualify Trump from Colorado’s primary and general election ballots arguing that he is disqualified by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution’s “insurrectionist ban” by instigating the January 6, 2021, attack.

The DC election interference case: A DC federal appeals court temporarily lifted a gag order in his federal election subversion case. He pled not guilty in a case brought by special counsel Jack Smith following an investigation into the aftermath of the 2020 election.

The New York defamation: In May a federal jury in Manhattan found that Trump sexually abused former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and awarded her about $5 million. A separate defamation lawsuit has to determine how much he has to pay her.

The Florida Mar-a-Lago case: In Florida, a federal judge contemplates postponing a trial involving mishandling of classified material at Mar-a-Lago.  Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges brought by Smith over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

The Georgia criminal case: District Attorney Fani Willis is using racketeering violations to charge a criminal conspiracy against Trump and 18 others in their efforts to overturn Biden’s victory in Georgia.

The New York hush money case: Trump has been charged in Manhattan criminal court with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to his role in a hush-money payment scheme involving adult-film actress Stormy Daniels late in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Despite denying wrongdoing and pleading not guilty in all cases, Trump calls these trials a “witch hunt” and claims election interference. Each case has its own unique narrative. Stay updated on the complex legal battles involving former presidents as witnesses in their defense.

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