18 Asian Legal Business | November 2024 both our clients’ needs and our own development goals. We’re already setting up our Hong Kong office and planning offices in Laos and Myanmar. We’re also evaluating other overseas markets. These efforts will enhance SGLA’s international profile and continue to expand our service areas and professional network.” Duan & Duan, which has specialized in crossborder services since its inception, has now evolved from a leading firm for cross-border legal services to a full-service international firm. Gao explains, “In 2024, Duan & Duan continued to advance its internationalization journey. In addition to our seven existing overseas offices, we established a London office and are progressing with the establishment of a Tokyo office. We plan to continue our expansion with new offices in Australia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.” Gao adds that Duan & Duan, recognizing the major opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative several years ago, has already established offices in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The firm plans to establish a presence in more BRI countries in the future. Yingke elevated internationalization to its top strategy in 2021 and continues to expand its “Global One-Hour Legal Service Ecosystem”. According to Li, Yingke added 30 overseas institutions in the past year, with the number of overseas partner firms continuing to grow. The firm aims to increase the number of overseas direct offices to 100 by 2026. “We are also committed to incorporating finance, taxation, consulting, public relations, and other services into the Yingke International platform and strengthening our international, cross-border legal talent teams. Our goal is to provide global clients with one-stop comprehensive services across regions, languages, cultures, and practice areas, and to become a world-class global firm.” Zhang Xiaowei reports that W&H has offices in Australia, the United States, Japan, and Vietnam. In the past year, it established a presence in Thailand, restructured its Tokyo office, and obtained approval to set up in Hong Kong. Moving forward, in line with national development needs, the firm will focus on key regions such as Southeast Asia, RCEP countries, and BRI countries for opening new offices. Appeal to talent The continuous expansion of talent pools among the winning firms is a testament to their significant efforts in human resources management and cultivating a positive firm culture. Cover Story
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