Wins major coup in recruiting senior PRC partner for Beijing
China – Global law firm Clifford Chance has demonstrated its ongoing strong commitment to China with the appointment of a leading PRC and US qualified senior China partner, Rupert Li, who joins the firm’s China Corporate practice from US firm Morrison & Foerster effective 1 July 2006. Rupert will be focusing on corporate, M&A, private equity, real estate and securities work in the Greater China region, based initially in Hong Kong and then Beijing.
Well-known and highly regarded in the PRC market, Rupert was born and university educated in China and he also holds a BA from Columbia University and a JD from New York University in the US. He is an international commercial lawyer with 19 years’ experience in the US, Hong Kong and China, specialising in M&A, private equity, capital markets securities and real estate matters. He started his international career at leading firms in San Francisco and New York, and has been a partner at US firms Coudert Brothers and, most recently, Morrison & Foerster in Hong Kong.
Jim Baird, Clifford Chance’s regional managing partner for Asia, comments:
“China continues to command attention – it is one of the world’s leading economies and is a high priority strategic focus of many of Clifford Chance’s global and major regional clients. Accordingly, China remains a key focus for our firm – and Rupert Li’s appointment is a further demonstration of our commitment to our clients in the China market, our strategy of strengthening our capability in mainland China and expanding our international and PRC client base.”
Roger Denny, Clifford Chance’s Asian head of corporate and M&A, comments:
“It is crucial that we continue to recruit such senior PRC background lawyers with significant international experience. Particularly with China clearly emerging as one of the larger, more active M&A, private equity and securities markets in the region, our clients will undoubtedly benefit from Rupert’s expertise.”
Stephen Harder, managing partner of Clifford Chance’s Shanghai and Beijing offices, said:
“Rupert has an outstanding track record in the region that will bolster our China practice. His combination of PRC and US qualification and experience, his corporate and capital markets expertise, and his PRC client base make him an exceptional asset for Clifford Chance. It is an honor to be his partner and I very much look forward to working very closely with him to build upon our existing China platform”.
Rupert Li added:
“I’m very excited about the new challenge and the opportunities that Clifford Chance offers me to further serve our clients in China.”
