This summer, Goodwin Procter launched a unique hiring program designed to ensure that within a few years, the firm will have a steady supply of native Mandarin-speaking, U.S.-trained lawyers for its Hong Kong office.

The program, dubbed Asia Track, is an attempt to create a pipeline of associates who meet two prerequisites: They should be native speakers of Mandarin Chinese who grew up in China, and home-grown Goodwin Procter associates familiar with the firm’s culture.