The Legal 500

The firm

Salans was founded in Paris by three French and American lawyers, Carl Salans, Jeffrey Hertzfeld and Eliane Heilbronn, all intent on creating a multinational law firm combining the skills of lawyers trained in European civil law and Anglo-American common law. It is an international firm with 22 full-service legal offices in 17 countries and 750 legal professionals, with associations or affiliations with law firms in several additional jurisdictions.

Salans in Greater China was founded as one of the first international law practices licensed in Shanghai. The Salans Greater China practice offers clients the expertise of a China-specialised team of 30 highly experienced practitioners, including international lawyers based in Salans’ worldwide offices and six partners based on-the-ground, working closely with practitioners throughout the firm’s offices.

Areas of practice

Litigation and arbitration: Salans has extensive experience in formulating litigation and arbitration strategy for its clients, and managing the process both within and outside of China. The firm provides guidance to clients who are not usually familiar with litigation in China and ensures that they find the Chinese court process as accessible and as transparent as possible. In arbitration, it assists clients both at the contract drafting and structuring stage, through pursuit of arbitration and subsequent enforcement, should a dispute arise. The team is experienced in arbitration under the rules of all of the major institutions relevant in the region. Head of Salans’ international arbitration practice, Brenda Horrigan, is resident in Shanghai and co-manages a team of more than 50 arbitration specialists.

Banking and finance: Salans’ China banking and finance group offers comprehensive services to banks and other financial institutions, and to local and international industrial enterprises in such sectors as aviation, automotive and machine manufacturing. The firm advises clients on regulatory and compliance issues, secured and unsecured debt financing, lease financing, real estate finance and loan workouts.

Corporate M&A, restructuring, reorganisation and insolvency, corporate finance: in China’s current economic and regulatory environment, Salans’ M&A experience largely includes deals between foreign-owned businesses, and between Chinese and foreign-owned businesses, including sale of distressed assets. Salans’ lawyers also cover a full range of issues that are likely to arise in M&A transactions in China, including tax and regulatory issues. The firm is experienced in identifying and solving employment issues. Its expertise covers provision of employment solutions in mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and distressed situations, drafting general employment documentation and negotiating with trade unions for clients from various industry sectors.

Intellectual property, technology and communications:

Salans’ IP lawyers are experienced in designing and implementing tailor-made strategies that help companies to protect their IP assets. They also have extensive experience with technology transfers and IP licensing.

Real estate: the China real estate team is an integral part of Salans’ global real estate group, recognised for its expertise and innovative approach to local market practices and customs, particularly in emerging markets.

Tax: Salans’ China tax team is experienced in advising on foreign investment, M&A transactions and business operations in China. It combines both tax and legal advice where possible, in a single case. It has experienced tax professionals who work as part of a global tax department. This global integration gives the team the ability to meet clients’ needs, whether giving local tax advice, or advising multinationals on cross-border tax structures where more than one tax system is involved.

Languages
Cantonese
English
French
German
Mandarin
Russian

Other offices
Almaty
Baku
Barcelona
Beijing
Berlin
Bratislava
Brussels
Bucharest
Budapest
Frankfurt
Hong Kong
Istanbul
Kyiv
London
Madrid
Moscow
New York
Paris
Prague
St Petersburg
Warsaw

Number of lawyers 750

at this office 18