Foreigners doing business in China

In 2003 Gray & Perkins opened an office in Beijing - the political and cultural heart of the country. Today we are one of only eight Australian law firms approved by the Chinese Ministry of Justice to operate in China as a Legal Representative Office (LRO). There are only three Australian LRO's in Beijing itself.

In 2007 we entered into a formal alliance with the German law firm BRANDI Lawyers together with whom we service German and other European clients entering into and doing business in China.

Our LRO comprises a Beijing-resident partner, Chelsea Li, and four resident professional staff, all of whom speak, read and write Mandarin. One of those, Martin Eberl, is also a German-qualified lawyer and native German speaker. From Beijing we are able to service the needs of our clients in other major cities, particularly Shanghai. Supporting Beijing are Mathew Alderson, our Sydney-based managing partner and Nils Wigginghaus from our China Alliance partner BRANDI Lawyers, a German-based attorney. They both travel to China regularly and remain on call for matters in China, Sydney or Europe as client needs require.

Our Beijing and Sydney offices share integrated support and communications systems and are closely connected to our German alliance member BRANDI Lawyers. Native Mandarin, Cantonese and German-speaking commercial lawyers from our Sydney office and BRANDI Lawyers provide additional drafting, negotiation and interpretation services as necessary. We handle foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and all types of transactional matters.

Clients of Gray & Perkins Beijing include Australian and European corporations as well as major Australian universities and educational institutions. Our rapidly growing group of commercial clients includes companies based in Australia, the United States and Europe and expanding their operations into China. Our approach is to appreciate and understand what really happens in China and to protect our clients against the down-stream difficulties that are usually a feature of doing business in China.

Gray & Perkins is a Corporate Partner of Austrade.

We are also included in IP Australia's list of law firms with expertise in China intellectual property matters.

» Assisting PRC Clients in Australia and Europe

» The Chinese business community in Australia

» Alliance with German law firm Brandi Lawyers