Local law firms urged to team up with overseas peers

Local law firms are encouraged to establish branches or offices overseas to promote the openness of the city's legal service industry in relation to foreign affairs, according to the implementation opinions co-issued by eight government departments on Wednesday.

The trial of joint operation and legal adviser exchange between domestic and foreign law offices will continue to be driven forward and promoted.

It's also favored for local law firms to invite foreign lawyers as their legal advisers. There will also be some experimental approaches for Taiwanese law firms to have representative offices on China's mainland, as well as joint operations between Shanghai and Hong Kong-based law offices.

According to the Shanghai Justice Bureau, so far there are five domestic law firms at the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone that have joint offices with foreign firms. So far these joint offices have received more than 450 cases, covering various fields such as intellectual property, securities, anti-monopoly, employment and banking.