New
year,
new
departure!
U.S.-based
Biglaw
firms
are
continuing
to
reduce
their
presence
in
China.
Today,
we
have
news
of
the
first
Biglaw
firm
to
close
its
doors
in
Shanghai
in
2025.
As
noted
by
the
American
Lawyer,
Fenwick
&
West
will
be
shutting
down
its
Shanghai
office
—
its
first
international
office
—
which
was
opened
in
2014.
Fenwick
now
becomes
the
15th
U.S.
firm
to
shutter
an
office
in
mainland
China
since
the
exodus
began
in
2024.
It
seems
that
the
sole
attorney
working
at
Fenwick’s
Shanghai
office
is
retiring,
thus
prompting
the
closure.
Am
Law
has
additional
details:
Niping
Wu,
Fenwick’s
last
remaining
Shanghai
partner,
is
now
listed
as
partner
emeritus.
She
joined
the
firm
in
2015
from
legacy
Kaye
Scholer,
where
she
was
also
a
partner,
and
advised
on
cross-border
mergers
and
acquisitions
with
an
emphasis
on
private
equity
and
strategic
investments
in
Chinese
companies.
She
also
advised
on
debt
financing
transactions
as
well
as
outbound
Chinese
investments
and
issuances
in
the
U.S.The
technology
and
life
sciences
specialist
law
firm’s
website
no
longer
lists
Shanghai
as
an
office
location,
although
it
still
says
the
firm
has
a
China
practice
which
provides
corporate,
intellectual
property
and
tax
advice.
It
lists
one
partner,
and
two
associates
based
in
New
York
and
Silicon
Valley
as
part
of
its
China
offering.
The
firm
did
not
respond
to
a
request
for
comment
on
the
shuttering
of
its
Shanghai
location.
Which
Biglaw
firm
will
be
the
next
say
zàijiàn
to
its
offices
in
China?
You
can email
us or
text
us
(646-820-8477)
if
you
have
any
intel.
Thank
you.
Fenwick
Shutters
Shanghai
Office
[American
Lawyer]
Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
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