Sidley Austin LLP Elects 24 Lawyers to its Partnership across Nine Offices, Including Li Lei in Beijing

Chicago — Sidley Austin LLP has announced that it has elected 24 new partners to its ranks, effective January 1, 2014. The new partnership class is made up of lawyers in nine of the firm’s offices – six in the U.S. and three international offices, including Beijing – and represents a strong cross-section of the firm’s expansive practice offerings.

“We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication demonstrated by this group of talented individuals, and welcome them into the partnership,” said Carter Phillips, chair of Sidley’s Executive Committee. “They have each earned their place in the partnership as a result of their strong legal skills and commitment to providing excellent client service.”

“Congratulations to this exceptional group of lawyers on being elected to the partnership,” said Charles W. Douglas, chair of Sidley’s Management Committee. “This group represents the future of our firm. We applaud their dedication, are proud of their efforts and are pleased to call them our partners.”

In Beijing, Sidley’s new partner is Li Lei*. Mr. Li is qualified in U.S. law and focuses on antitrust and FCPA compliance matters in China, as well as outbound litigation matters. He is a well-recognized antitrust lawyer in China, and provides antitrust advice on high-profile domestic and cross-border corporate transactions and on the China-related commercial activities of multinational companies. He is featured prominently in the antitrust rankings of leading legal publications, including Chambers Asia Pacific and IFLR 1000. Also, he has substantial experience in advising multinational companies on all types of FCPA compliance matters in China. He advises Chinese companies on a wide range of regulatory and litigation matters in foreign jurisdictions (particularly the U.S.), including complex commercial litigation, trade remedies and CFIUS issues. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Li worked at the Ministry of Commerce in China (MOFCOM) for eight years and worked at Sidley’s New York office before relocating to Beijing.

Sidley has had a presence in Asia Pacific for over 30 years and is one of few U.S. law firms to have maintained on-the-ground capabilities in this region for more than three decades. With approximately 160 legal professionals in Asia Pacific resident in six offices — Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo — and a global presence of more than 1,800 lawyers in 19 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal advisor for global businesses and financial institutions. To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at @SidleyNewsroom or download the Sidley Mobile App.

Lisa Kong, Marketing Director, Asia Pacific +852.2509.7899
Elizabeth Chu, FTI Consulting +852.3768.4740

*as with all foreign-qualified lawyers at international law firms in China, Mr. Li is not permitted to practice P.R.C. law due to regulatory restrictions.

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