Winston & Strawn LLP announced today that it is taking the next step in a remarkable period of expansion in China by opening offices in Beijing and Shanghai. The office expansion into mainland China was approved on October 21 by  the People's Republic of China's Ministry of Justice and follows the opening of Winston's Hong Kong office at the end of 2008.

The firm's Beijing office is led by Xiangyang Ge, a prominent corporate and regulatory attorney who was formerly with another major international firm. Ge's largely cross-border mergers and acquisitions practice focuses on natural resources and assisting multinational clients acquiring businesses or assets in China, as well as assisting large Chinese companies seeking opportunities outside of China. Ge also has significant experience advising companies on PRC government relationships and regulatory issues involving corporate, antitrust, environmental, energy, crisis management, product liability, and foreign investment matters. Ge has an active client base in Beijing and Shanghai, and will be spending significant time in both offices.

The new offices further bolster Winston & Strawn’s International Trade practice, which has a strong track record of helping Chinese companies, as well as China’s Ministry of Commerce, across the range of trade remedy cases, including anti-dumping, countervailing duties and safeguard proceedings.

In addition to introducing the corporate team in Beijing and Shanghai, Winston anticipates growing the Shanghai office significantly and, in fact, is moving into expanded office space by the end of 2009. Further growth is also planned for both Beijing and Hong Kong.

Ge has worked on high-profile transactions and matters, including IPOs of PetroChina Company Limited and Chalco, West-East Pipeline Project, PetroChina's US$2.5 billion acquisition of oil and gas assets in 11 jurisdictions, and Itochu’s US$ 700 million investment in Master Kong. Ge speaks fluent English, having been based in the United States for a number of years. Chambers Asia named Ge a leading lawyer in the field of competition/antitrust law. He was also recognized by PLC Which Lawyer as a recommended Chinese energy lawyer. Ge earned an L.L.M. from American University, Washington College of Law. He also received an L.L.M and an L.L.B. from Peking University Law School.