White and Williams Forms Strategic Alliance With Shanghai Firm

Philadelphia, PA - Effective April 1, 2007, White and Williams LLP formalized a strategic alliance with the Xue Law Firm, a ten attorney commercial practice firm based in Shanghai, China.

Since the summer of 2006, White and Williams has been working on a cooperative basis with the Xue Law Firm. White and Williams Associate Chunsheng Lu, born in Shanghai and holding law degrees from both China and U.S. based Universities, spent 10 weeks in July and August of 2006 working out of the Xue Law Firm’s Shanghai office.  Lu is a member of both the Pennsylvania Bar and the China National Bar.

Following China’s cultural revolution in the 1970’s, Managing Partner of the Xue Law Firm, Weiyong Xue, became one of the first legal practitioners in China. Xue was a member of Shanghai First Law Firm, the first law firm established in China, until he founded the Xue Law Firm in 2001. Xue's practice includes civil litigation and complex business transactions. He represented the Shanghai government in its first joint venture negotiation with a German automobile company.

“Gary was first in his class when he earned his degree in Economics and he has keen interest in the global economy," said George J. Hartnett, Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee.  "He watched the economies in Asia very closely and started to build his China practice long before most lawyers even thought about that part of the world.”  White and Williams established its China Practice Group in 2003 and the Shanghai alliance is a necessary step in the expansion of the Firm’s China-related services.  “We have been assisting our U.S. clients in pursuing business opportunities in China for some time”, commented Gary P. Biehn, Chair of both the Business Department and the China Practice Group at White and Williams. “Our alliance with the Xue Law Firm is a natural progression for us – we need to have attorneys in China on a continual basis.”

The Shanghai alliance provides White and Williams’ clients with a respected law firm in the Chinese marketplace. Not only will this alliance allow the Firm to better serve U.S. companies going to China, but it will provide a venue for serving China-based companies seeking to make investments in the United States. “We have been assisting our U.S.-based clients with their China operations and the Shanghai alliance will provide us with a vehicle to serve Chinese companies looking to the U.S,” said Hartnett. “We believe the Shanghai alliance will make the Chinese market a two-way street for us – we and the Xue Law Firm can help companies coming and going.”

With over 230 attorneys, White and Williams LLP represents clients in transactional matters and all aspects of civil litigation and appellate practice in state and federal courts. The Firm’s business practice includes such matters as the formation, governance and operation of corporate organizations, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance and bankruptcy related matters. The Firm’s litigation practice encompasses such areas as business and employment issues, products liability, medical malpractice, toxic and mass torts, and insurance coverage and reinsurance matters.

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