| In a bid to extend its reach to markets in Europe and the Middle East, King & Wood Mallesons has announced its plan to merge with City firm, SJ Berwin. The combination will be unique insofar as it will create/represent the first global law firm headquartered in Asia. The UK based firm will renounce its name on November 1st and will become part of King & Wood Malleson’s Swiss Verein, which consists of King & Wood Mallesons Hong Kong, King & Wood Mallesons Australia and King & Wood Mallesons China.
The combined firm will create a titanic network consisting of 2,700 lawyers in 30 cities around the world including China, Hong Kong, Australia, UK, Europe, the Middle East, Japan and the US. The new firm will be ranked one of the world’s top five law firms by lawyer headcount*. According to Senior Partner of SJ Berwin, Stephen Kon, “the combination was the next logical step…and it positions clients, partners and people to engage fully with the Asian Century, representing an opportunity for us to build a law firm for the future.” Global Managing Partner of King & Wood Mallesons, Stuart Fuller, commented that the combination provided clients in the region with a first class platform… as well as the best gateway to Asia…. through a firm which understands local cultures. *According to The American Lawyer’s Global 100 Survey |
