Salans gets approval for Beijing office launch

Matthias Mueller has been named as managing partner of the new office, which the People's Republic of China's Ministry of Justice awarded Salans a licence to open.

The new office will advise corporate and institutional clients and will serve as a link to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central and Eastern Europe regions. The new office will also serve as a headquarters for the development of the foreign direct investment and M&A business in the region.

Mueller, who joined Salans as an associate in 2007 from RSM Hemmelrath in Shanghai, made partner this year. He practices corporate law and foreign direct investment.

The new office follows the firm's 1 July opening in Frankfurt.

The new office was launched the hires of litigation partner Matthias Haas, corporate partner Holger Scheer and four associates from German independent Aderhold Gassner. Real estate partner Detlef Spranger has relocated to Frankfurt from Salans' Berlin office along with one further associate to further staff the practice.

Commenting on the new office, global managing partner Dariusz Oleszczuk said: "Our opening in Beijing is a key building block in our international strategy."