A clutch of leading US law firms have opened their wallets to help China's recent earthquake victims, writes The American Lawyer, including a number of firms with active China practices.

Firms to have contributed to various relief organisations working to aid the Chinese include New York's Dewey & LeBouef and Sullivan & Cromwell; West Coast outfits Heller Ehrman, Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe; and the Chicago pair of Kirkland & Ellis and McDermott Will & Emery.

Other firms pitching in include Baker & McKenzie, whose Taiwan office pledged $150,000 (£75,680); Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (contribution and matching gifts, amounts unknown); O'Melveny & Myers, which gave $18,500 (£9,335) in cash and supplies; Paul Hastings (no limit on matching employee gifts); and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, matching funds of $1,000 (£505) per employee. Above the Law also reports that Weil Gotshal & Manges is contributing to relief efforts.

Firms seem to have been galvanised by a combination of business considerations and moral imperatives, while the presence of Chinese lawyers and do-good associates also appear to be driving forces.

MoFo managing partner Keith Wetmore commented: "We've made a commitment to business [in China] and have employees there and we want to show our support. Having offices [in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong] heightens our awareness."

MoFo is matching contributions of up to $500 (£252) per employee.

Heller Ehrman chairman Matthew Larrabee said: "The idea came from associates in New York. We decided in an hour [to make a donation]."

Heller estimates that the firm's total donation will be $50,000 (£25,230), including $20,000 (£10,090) from the firm's foundation and the remainder in individual gifts and matching firm funds.

Hong Kong-based Kirkland partner David Patrick Eich was also initially prodded by associates, many of them Chinese, to offer help. He said: "After the pictures of the earthquake came out, half a dozen associates from New York emailed me and [partner] Chaun Li asking, 'What are we going to do about this?'"

Li is a native of Sichuan province, where the earthquake struck, and is now leading the firm's donation effort. Eich says the firm will likely end up donating $300,000 (£151,370) to the relief effort, including $100,000 from the firm's foundation and the remainder from individuals and matching funds. That amount, said Eich, is what the firm gave to Katrina relief and the tsunami that hit southeast Asia a few years ago.

But China is more than an abstract tragedy. Eich added: "It touches people on a personal level. This is a chance to show the Chinese that we care."

Additional reporting by Julie Triedman.

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