Firm Profile
Morrison & Foerster is an international firm with more than 1,000 lawyers across 15 offices in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Founded in 1883, we remain dedicated to providing our clients, which include some of the largest financial institutions, Fortune 100 companies, and technology and life science companies, with legendary service. The firm is distinguished by its unsurpassed expertise in finance, life sciences, and technology; its legendary litigation skills; and an unrivaled reach across the Pacific Rim, particularly in Japan and China. We’ve been included on The American Lawyer’s A-List for seven straight years, and Fortune named us one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Our lawyers are committed to achieving innovative and business-minded results for our clients, while preserving the differences that make us stronger.
ASIA PRACTICE
We are one of the preeminent law firms in Asia, providing integrated U.S. and local law advice. We have handled major matters in Hong Kong and greater China for more than 25 years. Our Tokyo office is now the largest Japan office of any global firm and the firm is one of the largest law firms in Japan, domestic or international. We have the only international litigation team in Asia, with litigation and arbitration specialists handling matters in China, Japan, and Greater Asia. We have the largest intellectual property team in Asia and lead the region in outsourcing, licensing, and technology transactions. Our market-leading corporate finance and capital markets practice in Asia regularly represents issuers and underwriters in debt and equity financings, as well as in domestic venture capital and private equity investments.
CHINA PRACTICE
Morrison & Foerster was among the first U.S. law firms to establish an office or become locally qualified to practice in each of China’s major business centers: Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Having been handling major matters in greater China for more than 28 years, we have more than 70 multilingual U.S.-, PRC- and Hong Kong-qualified legal professionals, coupled with more than 1,000 international lawyers worldwide.
Morrison & Foerster provides comprehensive coverage for investment, finance and regulatory matters to a wide spectrum of clients in China, including many of the world’s largest multinationals, the most substantial and active institutional PRC companies, and promising startups in the Internet, technology, entertainment, telecommunications, cleantech and life sciences industries.
Combining corporate finance expertise with diverse technology, healthcare, life sciences, and real estate practices, lawyers at Morrison & Foerster’s Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai offices are very active in all aspects of the evolving private equity market in China. The firm is recognized as a leading law firm for private equity and venture capital in China and Hong Kong by independent ranking organizations such as Asia Pacific Legal 500, Asialaw, Chinalaw, Chambers Asia, Chambers Global, IFLR 1000, and Practical Law Company. We have been highly recommended as a leading advisor for private equity investments in Hong Kong and China by PLC Cross Border’s Private Equity Handbook every year since 2006. The 2010 edition of IFLR 1000 says, “Morrison & Foerster has one of the leading China venture capital practices in the market.”
Notable Practitioners
Thomas Chou
Xiaohu Ma
John Moore
Charles Chau
Sherry Yin
Charles Comey
