BEIJING– LAWFUEL –Five lawyers in Beijing and Hong Kong have been added to Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.’s Asian presence as the international firm continues enhancing its strategic network of global offices and gaining recognition for its work.
Legal Consultant Yuping He joins Fulbright’s Beijing office from a large national oil company in China and Associate Joanne Du comes to Fulbright from another major international law firm. Meanwhile, Legal Consultant Lori Ji, has relocated from Fulbright’s Hong Kong office to round out the new additions in Beijing.
Additionally, Partner Steve Vogel has relocated to Hong Kong from Fulbright’s London office. Senior Associate Ben Smith joins the firm in Hong Kong from a major international firm in London and Counsel Alexandra “Sasha” Freeman has also joined from an international firm.
“We are growing and adding depth to our international offices in order to serve better our global clients,” said Steven B. Pfeiffer, Chair of Fulbright’s Executive Committee. “With our presence in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, we believe that we are strategically located where our clients need us to be. An important component of our firm’s international practice involves our representation of clients engaged in business in China.”
Fulbright was among the first international law firms to work in China. The global firm established an office in Hong Kong in 1990 and opened its Beijing office in 2006. Fulbright’s core practice areas in Asia include cross-border transactions, corporate mergers and acquisitions, energy and infrastructure projects and finance. Fulbright lawyers are also adept at handling disputes in and involving China.
“China continues to be a dynamic and important market for our clients as their global businesses expand,” said Jeffrey A. Blount, the head of Fulbright’s Hong Kong and Beijing offices and co-head of the firm’s international practice. “Our presence in Asia is key for our clients, as we continue our long history of cross-border work and build on our strengths.”
Fulbright’s growth in Asia continues the expansion of the firm’s experienced global energy and projects practice that has served the needs of energy industry and other clients for decades. In recent months, Fulbright has also expanded its offices in the Middle East and United Kingdom.
Chambers Asia and Chambers Global recently recognized Fulbright for the firm’s corporate work in and involving China and its projects and energy work in Asia.
“Enjoying more than 15 years’ experience in Hong Kong, this long-standing player has recently opened an office in Beijing to capitalize on its expertise … in energy and projects, but has also been making a concerted effort to broaden its bench,” Chambers Asia researchers wrote of Fulbright. “The firm offers ‘a good understanding of both western legal requirements and local law,’ and clients highlight its ‘knowledge and grounding in the Asian market’ as particular strong points: ‘The lawyers have seen it all.’”
Fulbright’s growth in Asia includes Yuping He, who worked as a lawyer at a large national oil company in China prior to joining the firm. Additionally, He served as in-house counsel for a major international oilfield service company in Beijing. From Beijing, He will assist with transactions arising in Asia’s energy sector, bringing experience handling mergers and acquisitions and all forms of operating arrangements relating to the oil and gas industry. His experience includes working on matters in China, Japan and Korea, as well as Thailand and Vietnam.
“Fulbright is a great fit given the firm’s strength and history providing legal advice to energy industry leaders worldwide,” He said. “Fulbright has long been at the epicenter of the energy industry and is recognized for its corporate work. It is an impressive global firm where clients come first and lawyers enjoy putting their hands to finding solutions to the world’s complex legal issues. I’m proud to be a part of such a well-regarded and experienced team.”
From Hong Kong, Smith will advise clients on energy matters ranging from LNG projects to pipeline expansion and acquisitions. Smith spent a number of years in London after previously practicing in Hong Kong and Tokyo. He will work closely with Freeman, who brings significant energy transactional experience, and other Fulbright lawyers who are part of Fulbright’s global LNG practice.
Also new to Hong Kong is Vogel, who for more than two decades has provided advice to Fulbright’s clients on a diverse array of commercial and tax planning matters. Vogel’s extensive international transactional work has included advising Middle East-based investors and acting in a general counsel capacity on behalf of U.S. companies in executing and coordinating their global legal requirements.
Du’s work centers on mergers and acquisitions, cross-border investments, corporate restructuring and reorganization, intellectual property protection, international trade, finance and other international transactions. Du earned her law degree from New York University School of Law following her undergraduate studies at China University of Political Science and Law. She was admitted to practice law in New York in 2004 and is fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English.
Ji first joined Fulbright’s Hong Kong office in 2005 after earning his law degree from Nanjing University School of Law, where he was also awarded his LL.B. Additionally, Ji has a Master of Common Law degree from the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law and is fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English. With a concentration on foreign direct investment, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and other general corporate and commercial matters related to China, Ji has represented non-Chinese parties involved with joint ventures and investments in China. He has represented clients in industries ranging from transportation and logistics to manufacturing, infrastructure and telecommunications.
“The added strength this team brings to Beijing and Hong Kong benefits our clients,” Blount said. “We are pleased to have assembled such a fine team of international practitioners who are familiar with the customs and business environment in Asia’s robust marketplace – a vital segment of our world’s economy.”
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
Founded in 1919, Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. is a leading full-service international law firm, with nearly 1,000 lawyers in 16 locations in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Munich, New York, Riyadh, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Fulbright provides a full range of legal services to clients worldwide.
The 2007 BTI survey of FORTUNE 1000 general counsel chose Fulbright as “The BTI Client Service 30” A-Team and Corporate Board Member magazine named Fulbright among the top 20 corporate law firms in the U.S. in their survey of board members of public companies. For more information, please visit: www.fulbright.com.
