China's JunHe Expands in US with Office in Seattle

Beijing-based JunHe, one of China’s elite domestic practices, has expanded its U.S. offering with an office launch in Seattle.

Its new outfit will be led by corporate partner Adam Li, who has been based in JunHe’s Silicon Valley office for over a decade. Li advises on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and outbound investments. He is qualified in mainland China, Washington D.C. and New York.

The office is the firm’s third in the U.S., alongside Silicon Valley and New York.

According to Warren Hua, JunHe’s managing partner, the Seattle office will focus on entrepreneurship-related business and legal needs. In a statement, the firm also cited global brands such as Boeing, Starbucks, Costco, Microsoft and Amazon being based and founded in Seattle, demonstrating the growth potential and demographic of companies that JunHe is targeting in the region.

“It is not only Seattle,” Hua told Law.com International. “It is about the West Coast and beyond. West Coast is about entrepreneurship and new technology.”

“We would focus on Asian clients, who have either tech or investment background but relatively new to the U.S. to explore, invest and grow,” Hua explained, adding that JunHe will also continue to provide Chinese law advice.

According to Hua, the growth and size of JunHe’s Seattle office would depend on its performance in the West Coast, which can be “determined by a lot of factors”. 

JunHe is one of China’s longest standing law firms, widely recognized as one of the country’s elite practices. The firm ranks 168th position on the Global 200 ranking by gross revenue, having brought in over $315 million in gross revenue in 2022. It has a headcount of over 700 lawyers across 13 global offices in mainland China and the U.S.

According to the firm’s statement, its launch in Seattle marks an extension of the firm’s internationalization strategy.

To some law firm leaders, the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China present opportunities. Last year, Beijing-based Han Kun Law Offices also launched its second overseas office in New York. Another Chinese firm Hylands Law Firm also planted a flag in San Francisco earlier last year.  

“There are many issues and doubts on U.S.-China trade,” said Hua. “That is exactly why lawyers are playing a more important roles to bridge the gap and ensure compliance.”