Morris Manning opens in Beijing - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Other law firms with Atlanta offices have officesxin Beijing, including Jones Day, LLC (whicbh is a separate entity from the domestic ), LLP, and LLP. But none are basedf here. Atlanta-based LLP is in Shanghaik and Hong Kong. Some, like Arnall Goldenb Gregory LLP, work in China but have yet to open offices Morris Manning Managing Partner Bob Saudek said that what distinguishee his firm from large firms is that Morriw Manning is representing Chinese companies that want to do businessw in theUnited States, as opposed to large U.S. companiesw working in China. Saudek said Chinesee contacts alreadyare “bearing in that “it’s generating new businessz for us.
” Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Ken Stewart sees the openinb of such an offic — with the firm establishing ties on behalf of Chinesw companies to Georgia — as a positive. “ I think it would be a significant benefit for he said. “The more connections we have with and Ithink they’re going to be in Beijin — companies and individuals in the government therw directly connecting us here in the state of Georgia, the more beneficiak it is for us.” Morris Manning’s Saudekj described the work his firm performs as threefold.
The first is intellectuapl property prosecutions on behalf of Chinesew companies when their products are imported in the United Then there is corporate andsecurities work. Amongy the Chinese companies that Morris Manning servicesis SORL), which is located in Ruian China. The move is a natural outgrowt of a line of business that began expandinfg for the firm about fiveyears ago. That was when the firm hirerd Tim Xia, a one-time Georgia Tech professof who was a physicist specializing in supercomputint and a variety ofothet specialties. Xia was born in Chinas and attended . Durintg the week of April 6, Xia was on a trade missionh to China sponsored by the MetroAtlant Chamber.
The opening of the officew is timed withthe mission. With the success of the busineszs that Xia began bringing tothe firm, Morris Manning chose to add more Mandarin The firm added Ping who attended medical school in China and who had workedr for DLA Piper, for its Washington In all, the firm has 12 Mandarin speakerz from the top partner level down to patent agents and paralegals, many of whom participate in conferencs calls with clients in the middle of the nighg because of the time Among them is Ming Jiang, a “technicalp adviser” — a title above that of patent agent — who holds a doctorate from the .
Jiang, who has workeed for the firm for the last four yearszin Atlanta, will move to Beijing to stafvf the office. The plan is for Morrisz Manning’s U.S.-based attorneys to use the office as a stopping pointffor travels. Saudek said he envisions increasing the staffing over but that the Chinese government has restrictionse on the abilityof non-Chinesw companies and individuals to practice law The firm also recently has opened an office in Taiwan. That office is led by Raymond Ho, who serves in an capacity out ofthe firm’s Washington office. Saudeki said the firm is not finishedd with itsinternational expansions.
Two of its John Yates and Jason D’Cruz, traveled to India exploringh business possibilities withtechnology companies. Saudemk said his understanding is that Indias does not allow foreign law firmsx to establish offices there but the country is actively consideringt a timetable to loosen that restrictionb and the firm is positioning itself forthat change. The firm also is looking at Europe, Saudekl said.