SHANGHAI, 6 March 2015—Duane Morris & Selvam LLP celebrated the official launch of its Shanghai office today with a gala reception highlighting the firm's international capabilities.

To mark the opening, the firm invited key stakeholders to a Passport to the World gala reception—anchored by the following keynote speakers: Duane Morris Chairman and CEO John J. Soroko; Duane Morris & Selvam partner Eduardo Ramos-Gómez; and key figures from several of Duane Morris' and Duane Morris & Selvam's offices around the world—to introduce the firm's considerable regional and global reach. The event forms part of the Duane Morris & Selvam Asia Lawyers' Meeting, in which Duane Morris and Duane Morris & Selvam lawyers and stakeholder groups share challenges, opportunities and key lessons from their experiences in navigating diverse business and legal cultures, translating these into useful insights for Chinese clients interested in expanding international operations. In conjunction with the Asia Lawyers' Meeting, the firm co-hosted the Latin America China Forum: Opportunities Across the Pacific on 3 March 2015.

As Duane Morris & Selvam's first step into Mainland China, the office will work closely with clients to achieve their investment and business goals, with a particular emphasis on facilitating outbound investment for Chinese corporations, as well as supporting inbound investment. Working as needed in conjunction with local law firm partners, the firm advises Chinese and foreign clients on foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, market entry, outbound investing, taxation, licensing and joint ventures, intellectual property matters, reporting requirements and regulatory issues.

The Shanghai launch marks the third international opening for Duane Morris and its Singapore-based joint venture, Duane Morris & Selvam, since the beginning of 2013. In March of that year, Duane Morris opened its first office in the Middle East through a joint venture in Oman. More recently, in September, Duane Morris & Selvam established an office in Myanmar, the first of any U.S.-based firm. Duane Morris previously expanded its global footprint in Southeast Asia with the formation of Duane Morris & Selvam LLP in Singapore in 2011, and prior to that in Vietnam, with Duane Morris offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The firm also has a presence in Sri Lanka.

Duane Morris' footprint and capabilities across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America—combined with its capacity to represent Chinese clientele in the U.K., Europe and across the U.S.—offer a first-tier resource for companies seeking legal representation for their investment initiatives. For clients based in China, Duane Morris' reach into emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region and around the world enhances the firm's established network in the United States, where 20 offices throughout the country give the firm unparalleled regional experience.

"Our Shanghai opening is another significant milestone in the firm's growth in Asia and complements our extensive experience handling China-focused matters for numerous multinational companies," said Soroko. "Shanghai is another step in our long-term strategy for our international operations generally and for Asia specifically. We intend to facilitate the growth aspirations of Chinese companies seeking to invest abroad. Additionally, many of our clients are themselves entering or expanding in the Chinese market, and we are now even better positioned to assist them."

Leon Yee, a managing director of Duane Morris & Selvam, serves as Chief Representative of the new office. He is assisted joined by Chong Eng Wee as resident director.

"This is a landmark development for us," said Yee. "China has, for many years, been a significant investor in and contributor to Southeast Asia. The expansion of our presence in China is a natural step following the great inroads we've made into the Southeast Asia region. We intend to support the interests of Chinese corporates globally and offer guidance to international clients seeking to tap into the rapidly developing Chinese marketplace."

Duane Morris has represented clients on China-related matters for many years, particularly in the technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, energy, banking and private equity sectors. Among the firm's China-related matters, it is currently representing a global diagnostics company in the negotiation of several collaboration and service agreements designed to expand diagnostic testing capabilities in the country. Duane Morris lawyers have also advised an international real estate investment, development and management firm in its acquisition and financing of a Shanghai office building. In the private equity sector, a Duane Morris team advised one of the world's largest residential apartment owner-operators and the fund manager in the establishment of a private equity fund in China. Duane Morris attorneys have also represented major investors in the financing of a leading Chinese Internet video company.

About Duane Morris

Duane Morris LLP, a law firm with more than 700 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally, is asked by a broad array of clients to provide innovative solutions to today's legal and business challenges.

About Duane Morris & Selvam LLP

Duane Morris & Selvam LLP is the joint law venture between Duane Morris LLP and Selvam LLC, with its headquarters in Singapore. With its global platform and extensive range of legal services, the firm helps companies conduct business in and out of Asia, the United States, Latin America, the Middle East, United Kingdom and beyond. Clients benefit from the cultural fluency and key relationships that the firm has developed over many years of practicing law throughout the region. The firm has a presence in the key markets of South and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sri Lanka and Yangon, as well as an office in Shanghai. Supporting these regional offices, the firm operates a series of country desks for India, Indonesia, Nepal, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia. It is regularly ranked among Singapore's leading law firms by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and IFLR1000.