Thelen’s Entire 20-Lawyer China Office Defects to Pillsbury Winthrop

International Law

Thelen’s Entire 20-Lawyer China Office Defects to Pillsbury Winthrop

Posted Sep 29, 2008, 12:26 pm CST
By Martha Neil

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman has reportedly raided Thelen's office in China of all 20 or so of its lawyers.

The group, which includes partners Lou Bevilacqua, Tom Shoesmith, Joe Tiano and Meg Utterback, is being split between Pillsbury offices in Shanghai, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., reports a Pillsbury press release.

"Pillsbury opened a small Shanghai office approximately one year ago, and in that time we made key inroads in the China market,” Pillsbury Vice Chair Steve Huttler says in the release. “But from day one, we knew that we would need a much larger presence to achieve long-term success in China. When this opportunity presented itself, we found it an ideal solution, particularly when we recognized that the team’s unique business model and capabilities would translate well into other international markets.”

Shoesmith will serve as the new managing partner of Pillsbury’s Shanghai office. Joseph Chan, who is currently managing partner of the office, will continue to be the firm's lead representative there, as well as the local section leader of the corporate and securities practice.

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