Taylor Wessing’s UK arm will leave its verein and merge with leading US firm Winston & Strawn, while the verein’s China operations – including the Shanghai office, Beijing IP agency, and the Shenzhen office scheduled to open in 2026 – will remain unchanged.
Oliver Bertram, global co-chair and managing partner of Taylor Wessing Germany, told China Business Law Journal that the Shenzhen office will open in the first half of 2026.
“Taylor Wessing will remain a strong brand in international legal business, and that includes our China practice,” said Bertram. “Fully maintaining and further developing our longstanding history and commitment with China is one of the essentials in our strategic outlook.”
A joint statement issued by Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn announced that the merger will take effect in May 2026, creating a transatlantic law firm named Winston Taylor.
The combined firm will have 20 offices across the US, UK, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, with its headquarters in London.
After the merger, Taylor Wessing’s offices in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium will depart the Swiss verein. Winston Taylor will establish a co-operation and referral relationship with the remaining Taylor Wessing verein.
Taylor Wessing scaled back its China operations earlier this year. In March, the firm closed its Beijing office, launched in 2008, while retaining Beijing Tailun IP Agency, its trademarks and IP agency business. At the same time, it announced the new Shenzhen office plan.
In November, Taylor Wessing separated from its Hong Kong office, which now operates independently as HM Chan & Co.
Meanwhile, Winston & Strawn is also withdrawing from Asia, having closed its Shanghai office in March. This marked the end of its physical presence in Asia, following the earlier closure of its Beijing office in 2017, and Hong Kong office in 2024.
