Coudert jeopardises Orrick

Coudert ghost jeopardises Orrick

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe's offices in China have come under
threat again after a local court ruled that the firm was liable for
defunct firm Coudert Brothers' local liabilities.

The problems stem from Orrick's use of the term 'combination' in its
successful application to transfer the operating licences for the
Beijing and Shanghai offices it acquired from Coudert in 2005.

The People's Court of Beijing Chaoyang District in an employment
dispute has found that such a description of the deal leaves Orrick
liable for Coudert's liabilities in mainland China.

The court has ordered Orrick to pay former Coudert associate Yuanming
Wang Rmb210,000 (