Shanghai-headquartered City Development Law Firm officially opened its Hong Kong office on 8 January and, on the same day, launched an association with Gilbert Kwok & Partners, a local construction law firm in the city.
The Hong Kong office is City Development’s 34th global branch and its second outside the Chinese mainland, following the opening of its Laos site in 2023, which is managed by the Kunming team.
Founded in 1992, City Development Law Firm was among the first in the Chinese mainland to focus on urban and rural development‑related practice areas, including construction and engineering, real estate, natural resources, infrastructure and real estate finance. The firm has more than 1,600 legal professionals, of whom 68.2% are engineering‑technical specialist lawyers.
In a press release, City Development said the establishment of its Hong Kong office represented a core strategic move in building its international network. The new office will focus on cross‑border investment and M&A, international construction and infrastructure projects, recognition and enforcement of cross‑border judgments and arbitral awards, and the co-ordination of cross‑border insolvency proceedings.
In July 2024, City Development and Gilbert Kwok & Partners signed an association agreement. The two firms are focusing on work related to Belt and Road jurisdictions, the Greater Bay Area and the Lok Ma Chau Loop between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Beyond business collaboration, the association will also explore institutional development, including new mechanisms for international construction dispute resolution and the internationalisation of arbitration mechanisms, with a view to jointly participating in the formulation of international rules.
